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REGISTRATION STATEMENT PURSUANT TO SECTION 12(b) OR (g) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHAN GE ACT OF 1934 |
ANNUAL REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934 |
TRANSITION REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934 |
SHELL COMPANY REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934 |
Title of each class |
Trading Symbol(s) |
Name of each exchange on which registered | ||
| Large accelerated filer | ☐ | ☒ | Non-accelerated filer |
☐ | ||||||
| Emerging growth company | ||||||||||
International Financial Reporting Standards as issuedby the International Accounting Standards Board ☐ |
Other ☐ |
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ABOUT THIS REPORT
Imperial Petroleum Inc. is a Marshall Islands company that is referred to in this Annual Report on Form 20-F, together with its subsidiaries, as “Imperial Petroleum,” the “Company,” “we,” “us,” or “our.” This Annual Report should be read in conjunction with our consolidated financial statements and the accompanying notes thereto, which are included in Item 18 to this Annual Report.
Imperial Petroleum Inc. was incorporated under the laws of the Republic of the Marshall Islands on May 14, 2021, by StealthGas Inc. (“StealthGas”) to serve as the holding company of four subsidiaries, each owning one of the tanker vessels in our initial fleet, that it subsequently contributed to us in connection with the Spin-Off (as defined below). On December 3, 2021, StealthGas distributed all of our then outstanding shares of common stock, par value $0.01 per share (“common stock”), and 8.75% Series A Cumulative Redeemable Perpetual Preferred Stock, par value $0.01 per share, liquidation preference $25.00 per share (“Series A Preferred Stock”), to its stockholders, which completed our separation from StealthGas (the “Spin-Off”). See “Item 4. Information on the Company—Business Overview—Our Fleet”.
We use the term deadweight tons, or dwt, expressed in metric tons, each of which is equivalent to 1,000 kilograms, in describing the size of our vessels. Unless otherwise indicated, all references to “U.S. dollars,” “dollars,” “U.S. $” and “$” in this annual report are to the lawful currency of the United States of America.
FORWARD-LOOKING INFORMATION
This Annual Report on Form 20-F includes assumptions, expectations, projections, intentions and beliefs about future events. These statements are intended as “forward-looking statements.” We caution that assumptions, expectations, projections, intentions and beliefs about future events may and often do vary from actual results and the differences can be material.
All statements in this report that are not statements of historical fact are forward-looking statements as defined in Section 27A of the U.S. Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”). Forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, such matters as:
| • | future operating or financial results; |
| • | global and regional economic and political conditions including the conflict in Ukraine and related sanctions; |
| • | impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and efforts throughout the world to contain its spread, including effects on global economic activity, demand for seaborne transportation of oil, oil products and drybulk cargoes, the ability and willingness of charterers to fulfill their obligations to us and prevailing charter rates, availability of shipyards performing scrubber installations, drydocking and repairs, changing vessel crews and availability of financing; |
| • | pending or recent acquisitions, business strategy and expected capital spending or operating expenses; |
| • | competition in the maritime transportation industry; |
| • | shipping market trends, including charter rates, factors affecting supply and demand and world tanker fleet and drybulk fleet composition; |
| • | potential disruption of shipping routes due to accidents, diseases, pandemics, political events, piracy or acts by terrorists, including the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and the ongoing efforts throughout the world to contain it and the conflict in Ukraine and the related global response; |
| • | ability to employ our vessels profitably; |
| • | performance by the counterparties to our charter agreements; |
| • | future refined petroleum product and oil prices and production; |
| • | future supply and demand for oil, refined petroleum products and drybulk cargoes; |
| • | our financial condition and liquidity, including our ability to obtain financing in the future to fund capital expenditures, acquisitions and other general corporate activities, the terms of such financing and our ability to comply with covenants set forth in our financing arrangements; |
| • | performance by the shipyards constructing any newbuilding vessels we order; and |
| • | expectations regarding vessel acquisitions and dispositions. |
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When used in this report, the words “anticipate,” “believe,” “intend,” “estimate,” “project,” “forecast,” “plan,” “potential,” “may,” “should” and “expect” reflect forward-looking statements. Such statements reflect our current views and assumptions and all forward-looking statements are subject to various risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from expectations. The factors that could affect our future financial results are discussed more fully under “Item 3. Key Information—Risk Factors,” as well as elsewhere in this Annual Report on Form 20-F and in our other filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”). We caution readers of this Annual Report not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which speak only as of their dates. We undertake no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements.
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Part I
| Item 1. | Identity of Directors, Senior Management and Advisers |
Not Applicable.
| Item 2. | Offer Statistics and Expected Timetable |
Not Applicable.
| Item 3. | Key Information |
| A. | [RESERVED] |
| B. | Capitalization and Indebtedness |
Not applicable
| C. | Reasons For the Offer and Use of Proceeds |
Not Applicable.
| D. | Risk Factors |
Summary of Risk Factors
An investment in our common stock or Series A Preferred Stock is subject to a number of risks, including risks related to our industry, business and corporate structure. The following summarizes some, but not all, of these risks. Please carefully consider all of the information discussed in “Item 3. Key Information— Risk Factors” in this annual report for a more thorough description of these and other risks.
Risks Related To Our Industry
| • | The cyclical nature of the demand for seaborne transportation of oil and petroleum products may lead to significant changes in our chartering and vessel utilization, which may result in difficulty finding profitable charters for our vessels. |
| • | Charter rates for dry bulk vessels are volatile and may remain at currently low levels or decrease in the future, which may adversely affect our results of operations and financial condition. |
| • | Economic and political factors, including increased trade protectionism and tariffs and health pandemics, such as the COVID-19 pandemic, could materially adversely affect our business, financial position and results of operations. |
| • | The COVID-19 pandemic may continue to have negative consequences for the shipping industry, including demand for oil and charter rates, which may continue to negatively affect our results of operations. |
| • | The tanker industry is highly dependent upon the crude oil and petroleum products industries, with the level of availability and demand for oil and petroleum products. |
| • | An over-supply of tankers or drybulk carriers may lead to a reduction in charter rates, vessel values and profitability. |
| • | Our operations outside the United States expose us to global risks, such as political conflict, terrorism and public health concerns, including the conflict in Ukraine and related sanctions, which may interfere with the operation of our vessels. |
| • | We are subject to regulation and liability under environmental, health and safety laws that could require significant expenditures. |
| • | The market values of tankers and drybulk carriers are volatile and over time may fluctuate significantly. |
| • | Technological innovation could reduce our charter hire income and the value of our vessels. |
| • | Changes in fuel, or bunker, prices may adversely affect profits. |
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| • | Risks involved with operating ocean-going vessels could affect our business and reputation, which would adversely affect our revenues and stock price. |
| • | Governments could requisition our vessels during a period of war or emergency, and maritime claimants could arrest our vessels. |
Risks Related To Our Business
| • | The small size of our fleet and any limitation in the availability or operation of these vessels could have a material adverse effect on our business, results of operations and financial condition. |
| • | We are dependent on the ability and willingness of our charterers to honor their commitments to us for all our revenues. |
| • | We are exposed to the volatile spot market and charters at attractive rates may not be available when the charters for our vessels expire which would have an adverse impact on our revenues and financial condition. |
| • | Our fleet’s average age is above the average age of the global tanker fleet and only slightly below the average age of the global drybulk carrier fleet, and as our vessels age we may have difficulty competing with younger, more technologically advanced tankers for charters from oil majors and other top-tier charterers. |
| • | Unless we set aside reserves for vessel replacement, at the end of a vessel’s useful life, our revenue will decline, which would adversely affect our cash flows and income. |
| • | We depend upon a few significant customers for a large part of our revenues. The loss of one or more of these customers could adversely affect our financial performance. |
| • | Our loan agreements contain restrictive covenants that may limit our liquidity and corporate activities. |
| • | The market values of our vessels may decrease, which could cause us to breach covenants in our credit facilities, and could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations. |
| • | The book value of some of our vessels is currently higher than their market value, and if we sell a vessel at a time when vessel prices have not increased, the sale may be for less than the vessel’s carrying value, which would result in a reduction in our profits. |
| • | A significant increase in our debt levels may adversely affect us and our cash flows. |
| • | We depend on our manager, Stealth Maritime Corporation S.A., to operate our business. |
| • | Delays in the delivery of any newbuilding or secondhand tankers we agree to acquire could harm our operating results. |
| • | We are exposed to volatility in interest rates, including SOFR and LIBOR, and risks related to the phasing out of LIBOR. |
| • | We may enter into derivative contracts to hedge our exposure to fluctuations in interest rates, which could result in higher than market interest rates and charges against our income. |
Risks Related to Taxation
| • | We may have to pay tax on U.S.-source income and/or may become a passive foreign investment company. |
Risks Related to an Investment in a Marshall Islands Corporation
| • | As a foreign private issuer we are entitled to claim an exemption from certain Nasdaq corporate governance standards, and if we elected to rely on this exemption, you may not have the same protections afforded to stockholders of companies that are subject to all of the Nasdaq corporate governance requirements. |
| • | We are incorporated in the Republic of the Marshall Islands, which does not have a well-developed body of corporate law or a bankruptcy act, and it may be difficult to enforce service of process and judgments against us and our officers and directors. |
Risks Related To Our Common Stock
| • | The market price of our common stock has fluctuated and may continue to fluctuate in the future, and we may not pay dividends on our common stock. |
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| • | We may fail to meet the Nasdaq continuous listing criteria and Nasdaq may delist our common stock from its exchange, which could limit your ability to make transactions in our securities and subject us to additional trading restrictions. |
| • | You may experience future dilution as a result of future equity offerings and other issuances of our common stock, preferred stock or other securities. In addition, we may elect to sell one or more of our vessels or vessel-owning subsidiaries, conduct a spinoff of such vessels or subsidiaries, or contribute such vessels or vessel-owning subsidiaries to a joint venture, master limited partnership or other entity on terms with which you do not agree. |
| • | Future issuances or sales, or the potential for future issuances or sales, of our common stock may cause the trading price of our securities to decline and could impair our ability to raise capital through subsequent equity offerings. |
| • | The superior voting rights of our Series B preferred stock may limit the ability of our common stockholders to control or influence corporate matters, and the interests of the holder of such shares could conflict with the interests of common stockholders. |
| • | Our restated articles of incorporation and amended and restated bylaws contain anti-takeover provisions that may discourage, delay or prevent (1) our merger or acquisition and/or (2) the removal of incumbent directors and officers and (3) the ability of public stockholders to benefit from a change in control. |
| • | Issuance of preferred stock, such as our Series B preferred stock, may adversely affect the voting power of our common stockholders and have the effect of discouraging, delaying or preventing a merger or acquisition, which could adversely affect the market price of our common stock. |
Risks Related To Our Series A Preferred Stock
| • | Our Series A Preferred Stock are subordinated to our debt obligations and investors’ interests could be diluted by the issuance of additional preferred shares and by other transactions. |
| • | Holders of our Series A Preferred Stock have extremely limited voting rights. |
| • | The Series A Preferred Stock represents perpetual equity interests and holders have no right to receive any greater payment than the liquidation preference regardless of the circumstances. |
Risks Related To Our Industry
The tanker industry is cyclical and volatile, which may adversely affect our earnings and available cash flow.
The tanker industry is both cyclical and volatile in terms of charter rates and profitability. Periodic adjustments to the supply of and demand for crude oil and product tankers cause the industry to be cyclical in nature. We expect continued volatility in market rates for our vessels in the foreseeable future with a consequent effect on our short and medium-term liquidity. A worsening of current global economic conditions may cause tanker charter rates to decline and thereby adversely affect our ability to charter or re-charter our vessels and any renewal or replacement charters that we enter into, may not be sufficient to allow us to operate our vessels profitably. In addition, the conflict in Ukraine is disrupting energy production and trade patterns, including shipping in the Black Sea and elsewhere, and its impact on energy prices and tanker rates, which initially have increased, is uncertain. Fluctuations in charter rates and vessel values result from changes in the supply and demand for tanker capacity and changes in the supply and demand for oil and oil products. The factors affecting the supply and demand for tankers are outside of our control, and the nature, timing and degree of changes in industry conditions are unpredictable.
The factors that influence demand for tanker capacity include:
| • | supply and demand for energy resources and oil and petroleum products; |
| • | regional availability of refining capacity and inventories compared to geographies of oil production regions; |
| • | national policies regarding strategic oil inventories (including if strategic reserves are set at a lower level in the future as oil decreases in the energy mix); |
| • | global and regional economic and political conditions, including armed conflicts, terrorist activities, embargoes and strikes; |
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| • | currency exchange rates; |
| • | the distance over which oil and oil products are to be moved by sea; |
| • | changes in seaborne and other transportation patterns; |
| • | changes in governmental or maritime self-regulatory organizations’ rules and regulations or actions taken by regulatory authorities; |
| • | environmental and other legal and regulatory developments; |
| • | weather and natural disasters; |
| • | developments in international trade, including those relating to the imposition of tariffs; |
| • | competition from alternative sources of energy; and |
| • | international sanctions, embargoes, import and export restrictions, nationalizations and wars. |
The factors that influence the supply of tanker capacity include:
| • | supply and demand for energy resources and oil and petroleum products; |
| • | demand for alternative sources of energy; |
| • | the number of newbuilding orders and deliveries, including slippage in deliveries; |
| • | the number of vessel casualties; |
| • | technological advances in tanker design and capacity; |
| • | the number of shipyards and ability of shipyards to deliver vessels; |
| • | availability of financing for new vessels and shipping activity; |
| • | the degree of scrapping or recycling rate of older vessels, depending, amongst other things, on scrapping or recycling rates and international scrapping or recycling regulations; |
| • | price of steel and vessel equipment; |
| • | the number of conversions of tankers to other uses or conversions of other vessels to tankers; |
| • | the number of product tankers trading crude or “dirty” oil products (such as fuel oil); |
| • | the number of vessels that are out of service, namely those that are laid up, drydocked, awaiting repairs or otherwise not available for hire; |
| • | changes in government and industry environmental and other regulations that may limit the useful lives of tankers and environmental concerns and regulations; |
| • | product imbalances (affecting the level of trading activity); |
| • | developments in international trade, including refinery additions and closures; |
| • | port or canal congestion; and |
| • | speed of vessel operation. |
In addition to the prevailing and anticipated freight rates, factors that affect the rate of newbuilding, scrapping and laying-up include newbuilding prices, secondhand vessel values in relation to scrap prices, costs of bunkers and other operating costs, costs associated with classification society surveys, normal maintenance costs, insurance coverage costs, the efficiency and age profile of the existing tanker fleet in the market, and government and industry regulation of maritime transportation practices, particularly environmental protection laws and regulations. These factors influencing the supply of and demand for shipping capacity are outside of our control, and we may not be able to correctly assess the nature, timing and degree of changes in industry conditions.
We anticipate that the future demand for our tankers will be dependent upon economic growth in the world’s economies, seasonal and regional changes in demand, changes in the capacity of the global tanker fleet and the sources and supply of oil and petroleum products to be transported by sea. Given the number of new tankers currently on order with shipyards, the capacity of the global tanker fleet seems likely to increase and there can be no assurance as to the timing or extent of future economic growth. Adverse economic, political, social or other developments could have a material adverse effect on our business and operating results.
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Declines in oil and natural gas prices for an extended period of time, or market expectations of potential decreases in these prices, could negatively affect our future growth in the tanker sector. Sustained periods of low oil and natural gas prices typically result in reduced exploration and extraction because oil and natural gas companies’ capital expenditure budgets are subject to cash flow from such activities and are therefore sensitive to changes in energy prices. These changes in commodity prices can have a material effect on demand for our services, and periods of low demand can cause excess vessel supply and intensify the competition in the industry, which often results in vessels, particularly older and less technologically-advanced vessels, being idle for long periods of time. We cannot predict the future level of demand for our services or future conditions of the oil and natural gas industry. Any decrease in exploration, development or production expenditures by oil and natural gas companies could reduce our revenues and materially harm our business, results of operations and cash available for distribution.
Charter rates for dry bulk vessels are volatile and may remain at currently low levels or decrease in the future, which may adversely affect our results of operations and financial condition.
The dry bulk shipping industry continues to be cyclical with high volatility in charter rates and profitability among the various types of dry bulk vessels. In 2021, charter rates for dry bulk vessels increased significantly from lower levels that prevailed during previous years. The Baltic Dry Index, or the “BDI”, an index published by The Baltic Exchange of shipping rates for key dry bulk routes, declined in 2020, principally as a result of the global economic slowdown caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. However, strong global growth and increased infrastructure spending has led to a rise in demand for commodities, which combined with a historically low orderbook and port delays and congestion, resulted in an increase in BDI in 2021 and the first half of 2022, before moderating and declining in the second half of 2022 and early 2023. On March 10, 2023, the BDI stood at 1,424.
The factors affecting the supply and demand for drybulk vessels are outside of our control and are difficult to predict. As a result, the nature, timing, direction and degree of changes in industry conditions are also unpredictable.
Factors that influence demand for drybulk vessel capacity include:
| • | demand for and production of drybulk products; |
| • | supply of and demand for energy resources and commodities; |
| • | the COVID-19 pandemic and related factors; |
| • | global and regional economic and political conditions, including weather, natural or other disasters (including the COVID-19 pandemic), armed conflicts (including the Ukraine conflict), terrorist activities and strikes; |
| • | environmental and other regulatory developments; |
| • | the location of regional and global exploration, production and manufacturing facilities and the distance drybulk cargoes are to be moved by sea; |
| • | changes in seaborne and other transportation patterns including shifts in the location of consuming regions for energy resources, commodities, and transportation demand for drybulk transportation; |
| • | international sanctions, embargoes, import and export restrictions, nationalizations and wars, including the conflict in Ukraine; |
| • | natural disaster and weather; |
| • | trade disputes or the imposition of tariffs on various commodities or finished goods tariffs on imports and exports that could affect the international trade; and |
| • | currency exchange rates. |
Factors that influence the supply of drybulk vessel capacity include:
| • | the size of the newbuilding orderbook; |
| • | the prevailing and anticipated freight rates which in turn affect the rate of newbuilding; |
| • | availability of financing for new vessels; |
| • | the number of newbuild deliveries, including slippage in deliveries, which, among other factors, relates to the ability of shipyards to deliver newbuilds by contracted delivery dates and the ability of purchasers to finance such newbuilds; |
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| • | the scrapping rate of older vessels, depending, amongst other things, on scrapping rates and international scrapping regulations; |
| • | the COVID-19 pandemic and related factors, including port lockdowns, higher crew cost and travel restrictions imposed by governments around the world; |
| • | port and canal congestion; |
| • | the speed of vessel operation which may be influenced by several reasons including energy cost and environmental regulations; |
| • | sanctions; |
| • | the number of vessels that are in or out of service, delayed in ports for several reasons, laid-up, dry docked awaiting repairs or otherwise not available for hire, including due to vessel casualties; |
| • | changes in environmental and other regulations that may limit the useful lives of vessels or effectively cause reductions in the carrying capacity of vessels or early obsolescence of tonnage; and |
| • | ability of the Company to maintain ESG practices acceptable to customers, regulators and financing sources. |
Factors influencing the supply of and demand for shipping capacity are outside of our control, and we may not be able to correctly assess the nature, timing and degree of changes in industry conditions. We anticipate that the future demand for our drybulk vessels and, in turn, drybulk charter rates, will be dependent, among other things, upon economic growth in the world’s economies, seasonal and regional changes in demand, changes in the capacity of the global drybulk vessel fleet and the sources and supply of drybulk cargo to be transported by sea. A decline in demand for commodities transported in drybulk vessels or an increase in supply of drybulk vessels could cause a significant decline in charter rates, which could materially adversely affect our business, financial condition and results of operations. There can be no assurance as to the sustainability of future economic growth, if any, due to unexpected demand shocks.
Political uncertainty and an increase in trade protectionism could have a material adverse impact on our charterers’ business and, in turn, could cause a material adverse impact on our results of operations, financial condition and cash flows.
Our operations expose us to the risk that increased trade protectionism from China, other countries in the Asian region, the United States or other nations will adversely affect our business. If the global recovery is undermined by downside risks and the economic downturn returns, or if the regulatory environment otherwise dictates, governments may turn to trade barriers to protect their domestic industries against foreign imports, thereby depressing the demand for shipping. Specifically, increasing trade protectionism affecting the markets that our charterers serve may cause (i) a decrease in cargoes available to our charterers in favor of domestic charterers and domestically owned ships and (ii) an increase in the risks associated with importing goods to such markets. For instance, the government of China has implemented economic policies aimed at increasing domestic consumption of Chinese-made goods and restricting currency exchanges within China. Further, on January 23, 2017, former President Trump signed an executive order withdrawing the United States from the Trans-Pacific Partnership, a global trade agreement intended to include the United States, Canada, Mexico, Peru and a number of Asian countries. Further, in January 2019, the United States announced expanded sanctions against Venezuela, which may have an effect on its oil output and in turn affect global oil supply. Throughout 2018 and 2019, former President Trump called for substantial changes to foreign trade policy with China and raised, and proposed to further raise in the future, tariffs on several Chinese goods in order to reverse what he perceived as unfair trade practices that have negatively impacted U.S. businesses. The announcement of such tariffs has triggered retaliatory actions from foreign governments, including China, and may trigger retaliatory actions by other foreign governments, resulting in a “trade war.” The trade war has had the effect of reducing the supply of goods available for import or export and has therefore resulted in a decrease in demand for shipping. On January 15, 2020, the United States and China signed the Phase One Deal, agreeing to the rollback of tariffs, expansion of trade purchases, and renewed commitments on intellectual property, technology transfer, and currency practices deescalating the trade war. Under the Phase One Deal the U.S. has committed to reduce tariffs from 15 % to 7.5% on US$120 billion worth of goods and China has agreed to halve tariffs on 1,717 U.S. goods, lowering the tariff on some items from 10% to 5%, and others from 5 % to 2.5 %, which both took effect on February 14, 2020. U.S. President Biden has stated that there are no immediate plans to cancel the Phase One Deal, but the administration is expected to make changes to the U.S.-China tariff policies.
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There is no certainty that the de-escalation of the trade war between the U.S. and China will continue and there is no certainty that additional tariffs will not be imposed by the U.S. or China. Should the de-escalation of the trade war discontinue or an increase in trade barriers or restrictions on trade occur or be perceived to become likely, such events may have an adverse effect on global market conditions, may have an adverse impact on global trade and our charterers’ business, operating results and financial condition and could thereby affect their ability to make timely charter hire payments to us and to renew and increase the number of their time charters with us. This could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, results of operations and cash flows.
The conflict in Ukraine could disrupt our operations and negatively impact charter rates and costs.
The conflict in Ukraine, and the economic sanctions imposed by the EU, U.S. and other countries in response to Russian action, is disrupting energy production and trade patterns, including shipping in the Black Sea and elsewhere, and its impact on energy prices and tanker rates, which initially have increased, is uncertain. In 2021, Russia is estimated to have accounted for approximately 9% of seaborne crude oil exports and 11% of refined petroleum exports, and escalating tensions in the region and fears of potential shortages in the supply of Russian crude oil have caused the price of crude oil to currently trade above $70 per barrel. If Russian crude oil is not available for export, due to the extension of economic sanctions, boycotts or otherwise, it could result in a reduction in the supply of crude oil and refined petroleum products cargoes available for transportation and, while initially tanker rates have increased, negatively impact tanker charter rates over the longer term. In addition, high oil prices could reduce demand for oil and refined petroleum products, including in the event of any slowdown in the global economy due such high oil prices or the impact of economic sanctions or geopolitical tensions and uncertainty, and in turn reduce demand for tankers and tanker charter rates. A slowdown in the global economy would also negatively affect the demand for products and commodities transported by dry bulk vessels, which would then negatively affect the charter rates for such vessels. The war in Ukraine is also impacting trade flows on drybulk vessels and for a range of commodities. Some of these changes in trade flows could positively affect the demand for vessels, other trade flow changes might negatively affect the vessel demand, such as reduced grain exports ex Ukraine. The conflict may also impact various costs of operating our business, such as bunker expenses, for which we are responsible when our vessels operate in the spot market, which have increased with oil prices, war risk insurance premiums and crewing services, as Russia and the Ukraine are significant sources of crews, which may be disrupted or more expensive. The situation in Ukraine, and the global response, continues to evolve and its impact on energy supply and demand, energy prices and tanker operations and charter rates remains subject to considerable uncertainty, which could adversely impact our business, results of operations and financial condition.
Global economic conditions and disruptions in world financial markets, including renewed disruptions as a consequence of the current COVID-19 pandemic, and the resulting governmental action could have a material adverse impact on our results of operations, financial condition and cash flows.
Global financial markets and economic conditions have been disrupted and volatile at times over the past decade, including in 2021 and 2022 as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. While the global economy had improved in recent years, the recent outbreak of COVID-19 has dramatically disrupted the global economy. This may also prolong tight credit markets and potentially cause such conditions to become more severe. These issues, along with the limited supply of credit to the shipping industry and the re-pricing of credit risk and the difficulties currently experienced by financial institutions, have made, and will likely continue to make, it difficult to obtain financing, all of which could be exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic. As a result of the disruptions in the credit markets and higher capital requirements, many lenders had already in prior years increased margins on lending rates, enacted tighter lending standards, required more restrictive terms (including higher collateral ratios for advances, shorter maturities and smaller loan amounts), or refused to refinance existing debt on terms similar to existing debt or at all, which may also be further negatively impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. Furthermore, certain banks that have historically been significant lenders to the shipping industry have reduced or ceased lending activities in the shipping industry in recent years. New banking regulations, including tightening of capital requirements and the resulting policies adopted by lenders, could further reduce lending activities. We may experience difficulties in obtaining financing commitments, or be unable to fully draw on the capacity under our committed credit facilities in the future, or refinance our credit facilities when our current facilities mature if our lenders are unwilling to extend financing to us or unable to meet their funding obligations due to their own liquidity, capital or solvency issues. We cannot be certain that financing will be available on acceptable terms or at all. In the absence of available financing, we also may be unable to take advantage of business opportunities or respond to competitive pressures.
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The COVID-19 pandemic and the resulting disruptions to the international shipping industry may continue to negatively affect our business, financial performance and our results of operations, including our ability to obtain charters and financing.
The COVID-19 pandemic has led a number of countries, ports and organizations to take measures against its spread, such as quarantines and restrictions on travel. Such measures were taken initially in Chinese ports, where we conduct a significant amount of our operations, and expanded to other countries globally covering most ports where we conduct business. These measures have and will likely continue to cause severe trade disruptions due to, among other things, the unavailability of personnel, supply chain disruption, interruptions of production, delays in planned strategic projects and closure of businesses and facilities.
The COVID-19 pandemic has introduced uncertainty in a number of areas of our business, including our operational, commercial and financial activities. It also negatively impacted global economic activity and demand for energy, including refined petroleum products and oil, in the second half of 2021 until the third quarter of 2022, and may again negatively impact global economic activity and demand for energy. The global response to the outbreak and the economic impact thereof, in particular decreased energy demand and lower oil prices, adversely affected our ability to secure charters at profitable rates the second half of 2021 until the third quarter in 2021 and 2022, and may again do so. In addition, the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, including the “Zero COVID” policy strictly enforced by China until recently, contributed to reduced demand for drybulk carriers in the second half of 2022 and early 2023, and may continue to do so, particularly for our drybulk vessels operating in the sport market or with charters expiring in 2023 that may then operate in the spot market, as demand for additional charters may continue to be affected. These factors could also have a material adverse effect on the business of our charterers, which could adversely affect their ability and willingness to perform their obligations under our existing charters as well as decreasing demand for future charters. COVID-19 also affected charterer vetting processes in the past, which could lead to the loss of charterer approvals to conduct business with us and in turn the loss of revenue under existing charters or future chartering opportunities.
Travel restrictions imposed on a global level also caused disruptions in scheduled crew changes on our vessels and delays in carrying out of certain hull repairs and maintenance during 2021 and 2022, which disruptions although recently having normalized, may again continue to affect our operations. Our business and the shipping industry as a whole may continue to be impacted by a reduced workforce and delays of crew changes as a result of quarantines applicable in several countries and ports, as well as delays in the construction of newbuild vessels, scheduled drydockings, intermediate or special surveys of vessels and scheduled and unscheduled ship repairs and upgrades. In addition, any case of COVID-19 amongst crew, could result in a quarantine period for that vessel and, in turn, loss of charter hire and additional costs, as occurred for one of our vessels during the second and third quarter of 2021. Complications relating to changing crews due to restrictions in various ports throughout the world increased the costs related to these activities in 2021 and 2022 and may continue to do so. Prolongment of the COVID-19 pandemic could impact credit markets and financial institutions and result in increased interest rate spreads and other costs of, and difficulty in obtaining bank financing, our ability to finance the purchase price of vessel acquisitions, which could limit our ability to grow our business in line with our strategy.
A resurgence of the declines in the price of oil experienced in 2020 and early 2021, in part due to the COVID-19 outbreak, before rebounding to high levels in 2022, and changes in production by oil producing countries, could reduce demand for oil and oil products and generally lead to reduced production of oil. Reduced demand for oil and seaborne transportation of petroleum products and crude oil would have an adverse effect on our future growth and would harm our business, results of operations and financial condition.
Failure of the continued spread of the COVID-19 virus to be controlled, including due to the emergence of variants, could significantly impact economic activity, and demand for petroleum products, crude oil and drybulk shipping, which could further negatively affect our business, financial condition, results of operations and cashflows.
The tanker industry is highly dependent upon the crude oil and petroleum products industries.
The employment of our subsidiaries’ vessels is driven by the availability of and demand for crude oil and petroleum products, the availability of modern tanker capacity and the scrapping, conversion, or loss of older vessels. Historically, the world oil and petroleum markets have been volatile and cyclical because of the many conditions and events that affect the supply, price, production and transport of oil, including:
| • | increases and decreases in the demand and price for crude oil and petroleum products; |
| • | availability of crude oil and petroleum products; |
| • | demand for crude oil and petroleum product substitutes, such as natural gas, coal, hydroelectric power and other alternate sources of energy that may, among other things, be affected by environmental regulation; |
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| • | actions taken by OPEC and major oil producers and refiners; |
| • | political turmoil in or around oil producing nations; |
| • | global and regional political and economic conditions; |
| • | developments in international trade; |
| • | international trade sanctions; |
| • | environmental factors; |
| • | natural catastrophes; |
| • | terrorist acts; |
| • | weather; and |
| • | changes in seaborne and other transportation patterns. |
Despite turbulence in the world economy at times in recent years, worldwide demand for oil and oil products has continued to rise; however, the COVID-19 pandemic has caused demand for oil and oil products to stagnant. In the event that this recent softness persists and the long-term trend falters, the production of and demand for crude oil and petroleum products will encounter pressure which could lead to a decrease in shipments of these products and consequently this would have an adverse impact on the employment of our vessels and the charter rates that they command. Also, if oil prices decline to levels that are uneconomic for producers, it may lead to declining output. As a result of any reduction in demand or output, the charter rates that we earn from our vessels employed on charters related to market rates may decline or remain at low levels, as they did from the second half of 2020 until the third quarter of 2022.
An over-supply of tankers may lead to a reduction in charter rates, vessel values and profitability.
The market supply of tankers is affected by a number of factors, such as supply and demand for energy resources, including oil and petroleum products, supply and demand for seaborne transportation of such energy resources, and the current and expected purchase orders for new-buildings. While currently the orderbook for tankers is at low levels compared to historical standards, if the capacity of new tankers delivered exceeds the capacity of such vessel types being scrapped and converted to non-trading vessels, global fleet capacity will increase. If the supply of tanker capacity, for the vessel class sizes comprising our fleet in particular, increases, and if the demand for the capacity of such vessel types decreases, or does not increase correspondingly, charter rates could materially decline. A reduction in charter rates and the value of our tankers may have a material adverse effect on our results of operations.
An over-supply of drybulk vessel capacity may depress the current charter rates and, in turn, adversely affect our profitability.
The market supply of drybulk vessels had increased due to the high level of new deliveries in recent years. Drybulk newbuildings were delivered in significant numbers starting at the beginning of 2006 and continued to be delivered in significant numbers through 2017, before declining to more moderate levels of newbuilding deliveries. In addition, the drybulk newbuilding orderbook may increase further in proportion to the existing fleet. Even though the overall level of the orderbook has declined over the past years, an over-supply of drybulk vessel capacity could depress the current charter rates. Factors that influence the supply of vessel capacity include:
| • | number of new vessel deliveries; |
| • | scrapping rate of older vessels; |
| • | vessel casualties; |
| • | price of steel; |
| • | number of vessels that are out of service; |
| • | vessels’ average speed; |
| • | changes in environmental and other regulations that may limit the useful life of vessels; and |
| • | port or canal congestion. |
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If drybulk vessel capacity increases but the demand for vessel capacity does not increase or increases at a slower rate, charter rates could materially decline, which could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, results of operations and cash flows.
The market values of tankers and drybulk carriers are volatile and over time may fluctuate significantly. When the market values of our vessels are low, we may incur a loss on sale of a vessel or record an impairment charge, which may adversely affect our profitability and possibly lead to defaults under our loan agreements.
The market value of our vessels may fluctuate significantly, and these experienced significant declines during the economic crisis. Currently tanker values are at relatively high levels, but until the second half of 2022 were at relatively low levels for most of the period since the financial crisis in 2008. Drybulk carrier values are currently at relatively low levels, after recent highs from late 2020 through the latter part of 2022, and remain well below the highs reached in 2007 and 2008. The market values of our vessels are subject to potential significant fluctuations depending on a number of factors including:
| • | general economic and market conditions affecting the shipping industry; |
| • | age, sophistication and condition of our vessels; |
| • | types and sizes of vessels; |
| • | availability of other modes of transportation; |
| • | cost and delivery of schedules for new-buildings; |
| • | governmental and other regulations; |
| • | supply and demand for refined petroleum products; |
| • | the prevailing level of product tanker charter rates and crude oil tanker rates; and |
| • | technological advances. |
As of December 31, 2022, the book value of half of our vessels , and the aggregate book value of our existing fleet, was higher than their market value. Although we believe that, with respect to each of these vessels, we will recover their carrying values at the end of their useful lives, based on their undiscounted cash flows, if we sell vessels at a time when vessel prices have not increased, the sale may be for less than the vessel’s carrying value in our financial statements, resulting in a reduction in profitability. Furthermore, if vessel values or anticipated future cash flows experience further declines, we may have to record an impairment adjustment in our financial statements, which would also result in a reduction in our profits. If the market value of our fleet declines, we may not be in compliance with certain provisions of our current and potential future loan agreements and we may not be able to refinance our debt or obtain additional financing or, if instituted, pay dividends. If we are unable to pledge additional collateral, our lenders could accelerate our debt and foreclose on our fleet. The loss of our vessels would mean we could not run our business.
Increasing scrutiny and changing expectations from investors, lenders and other market participants with respect to ESG policies may impose additional costs on us or expose us to additional risks.
Companies across all industries, including the shipping industry, are facing increased scrutiny relating to their ESG policies. Investor advocacy groups, certain institutional investors, investment funds, lenders and other market participants are increasingly focused on ESG practices and in recent years have placed increasing importance on the implications and social cost of their investments. The increased focus and activism related to ESG and similar matters may hinder access to capital, as investors and lenders may decide to reallocate capital or to not commit capital as a result of their assessment of a company’s ESG practices. Companies which do not adapt to or comply with investor, lender or other industry shareholder expectations and standards, which are evolving, or which are perceived to have not responded appropriately to the growing concern for ESG issues, regardless of whether there is a legal requirement to do so, may suffer from reputational damage and the business, financial condition, and/or the stock price of such a company could be materially and adversely affected. As a result, we may be required to implement more stringent ESG procedures or standards so that we continue to have access to capital and our existing and future investors and lenders remain invested in us and make further investments in us.
Specifically, we may face increasing pressures from investors, lenders and other market participants, who are increasingly focused on climate change, to prioritize sustainable energy practices, reduce our carbon footprint and promote sustainability. Additionally, certain investors and lenders may exclude tanker and drybulk shipping companies, such as us, from their investing portfolios altogether due to environmental, social and governance factors. If we are faced with limitations in the debt and/or equity markets as a result of these concerns, or if we are unable to access alternative means of financing on acceptable terms, or at all, we may be unable to access funds to implement our business strategy or service our indebtedness, which could have a material adverse effect on our financial condition and results of operations.
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If we cannot meet our charterers’ quality and compliance requirements, including regulations or costs associated with the environmental impact of our vessels, we may not be able to operate our vessels profitably which could have an adverse effect on our future performance, results of operations, cash flows and financial position.
Customers have a high and increasing focus on quality, emissions and compliance standards with their suppliers across the entire value chain, including shipping and transportation. There is also increasing focus on the environmental footprint of marine transportation. We are required to maintain operating standards for all of our vessels that emphasize operational safety, quality maintenance, continuous training of our officers and crews and compliance with United States and international regulations, and are subject vetting processes conducted by prospective charterers. In addition, RightShip, which is a voluntary compliance requirement but a desirable chartering verifier among top charterers, is also demanding compliance with their standards regarding environmental acceptability based on a number of variables and factors important in the maritime industry. If we or our manager, or other affiliated entities, including Stealth Maritime, or StealthGas, are rated low or otherwise perform poorly on Rightship evaluations or other vetting processes conducted by charterers, it could lead to the loss of approval to conduct business with us and in turn the loss of revenue under existing charters or future chartering opportunities.
Our continuous compliance with existing and new standards and quality requirements is vital for our operations. Related risks could materialize in multiple ways, including a sudden and unexpected breach in quality and/or compliance concerning one or more vessels and/or a continuous decrease in the quality concerning one or more tankers occurring over time. For instance, in June 2021, the IMO, working with the Marine Environmental Protection Committee, passed amendments to Annex VI aimed at reducing carbon emissions produced by vessels and include two new metrics for measuring a vessel’s overall energy efficiency and actual carbon dioxide emissions: Energy Efficiency Existing Shipping Index (“EEXI”) and Carbon Intensity Indicator (“CII”). If our vessels are only able to comply with the maximum EEXI and CII thresholds by reducing their speed, our vessels may be less attractive to charterers, and we may only be able to charter our vessels for lower charter rates or to less creditworthy charters, if we are able to do so at all. Non-compliance by us, either suddenly or over a period of time, or an increase in requirements by our charterers above and beyond what we deliver, may have a material adverse effect on our future performance, results of operations, cash flows and financial position.
We are subject to regulations and liability under environmental laws that require significant expenditures, which can affect the ability and competitiveness of our vessels to trade, our results of operations and financial condition.
Our business and the operation of our vessels are regulated under international conventions, national, state and local laws and regulations in force in the jurisdictions in which our vessels operate, as well as in the country or countries of their registration, in order to protect against potential environmental impacts. Regulations of vessels, particularly environmental regulations have become more stringent and are expected to be further revised and become stricter in the future, including air emissions (nitrogen and sulfur oxides, particulate matter, etc.), marine pollution, BWTS implementation, GHG emissions, etc., As a result significant capital expenditures may be required on our vessels to keep them in compliance, and we may be required to pay increased prices for newbuild and secondhand vessels that meet these requirements. See “Business-Environmental and Other Regulations” for more information.
In addition, the heightened environmental, quality and security concerns of the public, regulators, insurance underwriters, financing sources and charterers may generally lead to additional regulatory requirements, including enhanced risk assessment and security requirements, greater inspection and safety requirements on all vessels in the marine transportation markets and possibly restrictions on the emissions of greenhouse gases from the operation of vessels. These requirements are likely to add incremental costs to our operations and the failure to comply with these requirements may affect the ability of our vessels to obtain and, possibly, collect on insurance or to obtain the required certificates for entry into the different ports where we operate. We could also incur material liabilities, including cleanup obligations and claims for natural resource, personal injury and property damages in the event that there is a release of petroleum or other hazardous materials from our vessels or otherwise in connection with our operations. Violations of, or liabilities under, environmental regulations can result in substantial penalties, fines and other sanctions, including, in certain instances, seizure or detention of our vessels. Any such actual or alleged environmental laws
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regulations and policies violation, under negligence, willful misconduct or fault, could result in substantial fines, civil and/or criminal penalties or curtailment of operations in certain jurisdictions, and might adversely affect our business, results of operations or financial condition. In addition, actual or alleged violations could damage our reputation and ability to do business. Furthermore, detecting, investigating and resolving actual or alleged violations is expensive and can consume significant time and attention of our senior management. Events of this nature would have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations.
Environmental regulations in relation to climate change and greenhouse gas (“GHG”) emissions may increase operational and financial restrictions, and environmental compliance costs and our non–scrubber fitted vessels may face difficulties in competing with scrubber-fitted vessels.
GHG reduction measures adopted, or further additional measures to be adopted by the IMO, EU and other jurisdictions for achieving 2030 goals may impose operational and financial restrictions, carbon taxes or an emission trading system on less efficient vessels starting from 2023, gradually affecting younger vessels, even newbuilds after 2030, reducing their trade and competitiveness, increasing their environmental compliance costs, imposing additional energy efficiency investments, or even making such vessels obsolete. This or other developments may lead to environmental taxation affecting less energy efficient vessels, reduce their trade and competitiveness and make certain vessels in our fleet obsolete, which may result in financial impacts on our results of operations that we cannot predict with certainty at this time. This could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations. See “Business-Environmental and Other Regulations” for more information.
Most of our vessels are not retrofitted with scrubbers and need to use low sulfur fuel containing 0.5% sulfur content, which is currently more expensive than standard marine fuel containing 3.5% sulfur content. If the cost differential between low sulfur fuel and high sulfur fuel is significantly higher than anticipated, or if low sulfur fuel is not available at ports on certain trading routes, it may not be feasible or competitive to operate vessels on certain trading routes without installing scrubbers or without incurring deviation time to obtain compliant fuel. Our vessels may therefore face difficulties in competing with vessels equipped with scrubbers.
Adverse effects upon the oil and gas industry relating to climate change, including growing public concern about the environmental impact of climate change, may also have an effect on demand for our services. For example, increased regulation of greenhouse gases or other concerns relating to climate change may reduce the demand for oil or refined petroleum products in the future or create greater incentives for use of alternative energy sources. Any long-term material adverse effect on the oil and gas industry could have significant financial and operational adverse impacts on our business that we cannot predict with certainty at this time.
Our vessels are subject to periodic inspections by a classification society.
The hull and machinery of every commercial vessel must be classed by a classification society authorized by its country of registry. The classification society certifies that a vessel is safe and seaworthy in accordance with the applicable rules and regulations of the country of registry of the vessel and the Safety of Life at Sea Convention. Our fleet is currently classed with Lloyds Register of Shipping and Bureau Veritas.
A vessel must undergo annual surveys, intermediate surveys and special surveys. In lieu of a special survey, a vessel’s machinery may be on a continuous survey cycle, under which the machinery would be surveyed periodically over a five-year period. Our vessels are on special survey cycles for hull inspection and continuous survey cycles for machinery inspection. Every vessel is also required to be dry docked every two to three years for inspection of the underwater parts of such vessel. However, for vessels not exceeding 15 years that have means to facilitate underwater inspection in lieu of dry docking, the dry docking may be skipped and be conducted concurrently with the special survey.
If a vessel does not maintain its class and/or fails any annual survey, intermediate survey or special survey, the vessel will be unable to trade between ports and will be unemployable; we would then be in violation of covenants in our loan agreements and insurance contracts or other financing arrangements. This would adversely impact our operations and revenues.
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Changes in fuel, or bunker, prices may adversely affect profits.
While we do not bear the cost of fuel or bunkers under time and bareboat charters, fuel is a significant expense in our shipping operations when vessels are deployed under spot charters. The cost of fuel, including the fuel efficiency or capability to use lower priced fuel, can also be an important factor considered by charterers in negotiating charter rates. Changes in the price of fuel may adversely affect our profitability. The price and supply of fuel is unpredictable and fluctuates based on events outside our control, including geopolitical developments, supply and demand for oil and gas, actions by the OPEC (“Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries”) and other oil and gas producers, war and unrest in oil producing countries and regions, regional production patterns and environmental concerns. Furthermore, fuel may become significantly more expensive in the future, which may reduce our profitability. In addition, the recent entry into force, on January 1, 2020, of the 0.5% global sulfur cap in marine fuels used by vessels that are not equipped with sulfur oxide (“SOx”) exhaust gas cleaning systems (“scrubbers”) under the International Convention for Prevention of Pollution from Ships (“MARPOL”) Annex VI may lead to changes in the production quantities and prices of different grades of marine fuel by refineries and introduces an additional element of uncertainty in fuel markets, which could result in additional costs and adversely affect our cash flows, earnings and results from operations.
Maritime claimants could arrest our vessels, which could interrupt our cash flow.
Crew members, suppliers of goods and services to a vessel, shippers of cargo and others may be entitled to a maritime lien against that vessel for unsatisfied debts, claims or damages. In many jurisdictions, a maritime lien holder may enforce its lien by arresting a vessel through foreclosure proceedings. The arrest or attachment of one or more of our vessels could interrupt our cash flow and require us to pay large sums of funds to have the arrest lifted.
In addition, in some jurisdictions, such as South Africa, under the “sister ship” theory of liability, a claimant may arrest both the vessel which is subject to the claimant’s maritime lien and any “associated” vessel, which is any vessel owned or controlled by the same owner. Claimants could try to assert “sister ship” liability against one vessel in our fleet for claims relating to another of our ships or, possibly, another vessel managed by Stealth Maritime, as was the case with the arrest of one of our vessels in August 2015.
Governments could requisition our vessels during a period of war or emergency, resulting in loss of revenues.
A government could requisition for title or seize our vessels. Requisition for title occurs when a government takes control of a vessel and becomes the owner. Also, a government could requisition our vessels for hire. Requisition for hire occurs when a government takes control of a vessel and effectively becomes the charterer at dictated charter rates. Generally, requisitions occur during a period of war or emergency. Government requisition of one or more of our vessels would adversely impact our operations and revenues, thereby resulting in loss of revenues.
Risks involved with operating ocean-going vessels could affect our business and reputation, which would adversely affect our revenues and stock price.
The operation of an ocean-going vessel carries inherent risks. These risks include the possibility of:
| • | marine accident or disaster; |
| • | piracy and terrorism; |
| • | explosions; |
| • | environmental accidents; |
| • | pollution; |
| • | loss of life; |
| • | cargo and property losses or damage; and |
| • | business interruptions caused by mechanical failure, human error, war, political action in various countries, labor strikes or adverse weather conditions. |
Any of these circumstances or events could increase our costs or lower our revenues. The involvement of our vessels in a serious accident could harm our reputation as a safe and reliable vessel operator and lead to a loss of business.
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Our vessels may suffer damage and we may face unexpected repair costs, which could affect our cash flow and financial condition.
If our vessels suffer damages, they may need to be repaired at a shipyard facility. The costs of repairs are unpredictable and can be substantial. We may have to pay repair costs that our insurance does not cover. The loss of earnings while these vessels are being repaired and repositioned, as well as the actual cost of these repairs, would have an adverse effect on our cash flow and financial condition. We do not intend to carry business interruption insurance.
Acts of piracy on ocean-going vessels could adversely affect our business.
Acts of piracy have historically affected ocean-going vessels trading in regions of the world such as the South China Sea, the Indian Ocean and in the Gulf of Aden, off the coast of Somalia. If these piracy attacks occur in regions in which our vessels are deployed and are characterized by insurers as “war risk” zones, as the Gulf of Aden continues to be, or Joint War Committee (JWC) “war and strikes” listed areas, premiums payable for such coverage, for which we are responsible with respect to vessels employed on spot charters, but not vessels employed on bareboat or time charters, could increase significantly and such insurance coverage may be more difficult to obtain. In addition, crew costs, including employing onboard security guards, could increase in such circumstances. We usually employ armed guards on board the vessels on time and spot charters that transit areas where Somali pirates operate. We may not be adequately insured to cover losses from these incidents, which could have a material adverse effect on us. In addition, detention hijacking as a result of an act of piracy against our vessels, or an increase in cost, or unavailability of insurance for our vessels, could have a material adverse impact on our business, financial condition and results of operations.
Our operations outside the United States expose us to global risks, such as political conflict, terrorism and public health concerns, including the current conflict in Ukraine, which may interfere with the operation of our vessels.
We are an international company and primarily conduct our operations outside the United States. Changing economic, political and governmental conditions in the countries where we are engaged in business or where our vessels are registered affect us. In the past, political conflicts, particularly in the Arabian Gulf, resulted in attacks on vessels, mining of waterways and other efforts to disrupt shipping in the area. Continuing conflicts, instability and other recent developments in Ukraine, the Middle East and elsewhere, including attacks in recent years involving vessels and vessel seizures for example in the Strait of Hormuz and off the coast of Gibraltar, the attack on an Iranian tanker near the Saudi Arabian port city of Jeddah and in Syria and Afghanistan, may lead to additional acts of terrorism or armed conflict around the world, and our vessels may face higher risks of being attacked or detained, or shipping routes transited by our vessels, such as the Strait of Hormuz or the Black Sea, may be otherwise disrupted. Acts of terrorism may increase with the continuing conflicts in the Middle East and North Africa, and therefore our vessels may face higher risks of being attacked. In addition, future hostilities or other political instability in regions where our vessels trade could affect our trade patterns and adversely affect our operations and performance. If certain shipping lanes were to close it could adversely affect the availability of, and the demand for crude oil and petroleum products. This would negatively affect our business and our customers’ investment decisions over an extended period of time. In addition, sanctions against oil exporting countries such as Iran, Syria and Venezuela, and the events in Ukraine and related sanctions against Russia and regions of Ukraine, may also impact the availability of crude oil and petroleum products and which would increase the availability of applicable vessels, thereby impacting negatively charter rates. Changes in laws and regulations, including tax matters and their implementation by local authorities could affect our vessels chartered to customers in certain countries, including Chinese customers, as well as our vessels calling to ports in certain countries, including Chinese ports, and could have a material adverse effect on our business, results of operations and financial condition.
Terrorist attacks, or the perception that oil refineries and product tankers or crude oil tankers are potential terrorist targets, could materially and adversely affect the continued supply of refined petroleum products and crude oil to the United States and to other countries. Furthermore, future terrorist attacks could result in increased volatility of the financial markets in the United States and globally, and could result in an economic recession in the United States or the world. Any of these occurrences could have a material adverse impact on our operating results, revenues and costs.
In addition, public health threats, such as the coronavirus, influenza and other highly communicable diseases or viruses, outbreaks of which have from time to time occurred in various parts of the world in which we operate, including China, could adversely impact our operations, and the operations of our customers.
The smuggling of drugs or other contraband onto our vessels may lead to governmental claims against us.
Our vessels call in ports in certain geographic areas where smugglers attempt to hide drugs and other contraband on vessels, with or without the knowledge of crew members. To the extent our vessels are found with contraband, whether inside or attached to the hull of our vessel and whether with or without the knowledge of any of our crew, we may face governmental or other regulatory claims or penalties which could have an adverse effect on our business, results of operations, cash flows and financial condition.
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Our vessels may call on ports located in countries that are subject to sanctions and embargoes imposed by the U.S. or other governments, which could adversely affect our reputation and the market for our common stock.
From time to time on charterers’ instructions, our vessels have called and may again call on ports located in countries subject to sanctions and embargoes imposed by the United States government and countries identified by the United States government as state sponsors of terrorism, such as Iran, Syria and North Korea. The U.S. sanctions and embargo laws and regulations vary in their application, as they do not all apply to the same covered persons or proscribe the same activities, and such sanctions and embargo laws and regulations may be amended or strengthened over time. On January 16, 2016, “Implementation Day” for the Iran Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), the United States lifted its nuclear-related secondary sanctions against Iran which prohibited certain conduct by non-U.S. companies and individuals that occurred entirely outside of U.S. jurisdiction involving specified industry sectors in Iran, including the energy, petrochemical, automotive, financial, banking, mining, shipbuilding and shipping sectors. By lifting the secondary sanctions against Iran, the U.S. government effectively removed U.S. imposed restraints on dealings by non-U.S. companies, such as our Company, and individuals with these formerly targeted Iranian business sectors.
Non-U.S. companies continued to be prohibited under U.S. sanctions from (i) knowingly engaging in conduct that seeks to evade U.S. restrictions on transactions or dealings with Iran or that causes the export of goods or services from the United States to Iran, (ii) exporting, re-exporting or transferring to Iran any goods, technology, or services originally exported from the U.S. and / or subject to U.S. export jurisdiction and (iii) conducting transactions with of the Iranian or Iran-related individuals and entities that remain or are placed in the future on OFAC’s list of Specially Designated Nationals and Blocked Persons (SDN List), notwithstanding the lifting of secondary sanctions. However, on August 6, 2018, the U.S. re-imposed an initial round of secondary sanctions and as of November 5, 2018, all of the secondary sanctions the U.S. had suspended under the JCPOA were re-imposed.
The U.S. government’s primary Iran sanctions have remained largely unchanged, including during the period from the JCPOA Implementation Day to the re-imposition of secondary sanctions in 2018, and as a consequence, U.S. persons also continue to be broadly prohibited from engaging in transactions or dealings with the Government of Iran and Iranian financial institutions, which effectively impacts the transfer of funds to, from, or through the U.S. financial system whether denominated in US dollars or any other currency.
We believe all of our vessels port calls have been made in full compliance with applicable economic sanctions laws and regulations, including those of the United States, the EU and other relevant jurisdictions. Our charter agreements include provisions that restrict trades of our vessels to countries targeted by economic sanctions unless such transportation activities involving sanctioned countries are permitted under applicable economic sanctions and embargo regimes. Our ordinary chartering policy is to seek to include similar provisions in all of our period charters. Prior to agreeing to waive existing charter party restrictions on carrying cargoes to or from ports that may implicate sanctions risks, we ensure that the charterers have proof of compliance with international and U.S. sanctions requirements, or applicable licenses or other exemptions.
Although we believe that we are in compliance with all applicable sanctions and embargo laws and regulations and intend to maintain such compliance, there can be no assurance that we will be in compliance in the future, particularly as the scope of certain laws may vary or may be subject to changing interpretations and we may be unable to prevent our charterers from violating contractual and legal restrictions on their operations of the vessels. Any such violation could result in fines or other penalties for us and could result in some investors deciding, or being required, to divest their interest, or not to invest, in the Company. Additionally, some investors may decide to divest their interest, or not to invest, in the Company simply because we do business with companies that do lawful business in sanctioned countries. Moreover, our charterers may violate applicable sanctions and embargo laws and regulations as a result of actions that do not involve us or our vessels, and those violations could in turn negatively affect our reputation. Investor perception of the value of our shares may also be adversely affected by the consequences of war, the effects of terrorism, civil unrest and governmental actions in these and surrounding countries.
Failure to comply with the U.S. Foreign Corrupt Practices Act and other anti-bribery legislation in other jurisdictions could result in fines, criminal penalties, contract terminations and an adverse effect on our business.
We operate in a number of countries through the world, including countries that may be known to have a reputation for corruption. We are committed to doing business in accordance with applicable anti-corruption laws and have adopted policies which are consistent and in full compliance with the U.S. Foreign Corrupt Practices Act of 1977 (the “FCPA”) and other anti-bribery laws. We are subject, however, to the risk that we, our affiliated entities or their respective officers, directors, employees and agents may take actions determined to be in violation of such anti-corruption laws, including the FCPA. Any such violation could result in substantial fines, sanctions, civil and/or criminal penalties, curtailment of operations in certain jurisdictions, and might adversely affect our business, results of operations or financial condition. In addition, actual or alleged violations could damage our reputation and ability to do business. Furthermore, detecting, investigating, and resolving actual or alleged violations is expensive and can consume significant time and attention of our senior management.
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A cyber-attack could materially disrupt our business.
Our business operations could be targeted by individuals or groups seeking to sabotage or disrupt our information technology systems and networks, or to steal data. A successful cyber-attack could materially disrupt our operations, including the safety of our operations, or lead to unauthorized release of information or alteration of information on our systems. Any such attack or other breach of our information technology systems could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, results of operations and cash flows.
Risks Related To Our Business
Our fleet consists of eight tankers and four drybulk carriers. The small size of our fleet and any limitation in the availability or operation of these vessels could have a material adverse effect on our business, results of operations and financial condition.
Our fleet consists of five product tankers, three crude oil tankers and four drybulk carriers. Unless and until we identify and acquire additional vessels, we will depend upon these vessels for all of our revenue. If any of our vessels are unable to generate revenues as a result of off-hire time, early termination of the applicable charter or otherwise, our business, results of operations financial condition and ability to pay dividends on our common stock, if any, and Series A Preferred Stock could be materially adversely affected.
In addition, due to the relatively small size of our fleet we may face additional difficulty arranging debt financing from lenders to fund the expansion of our fleet, or refinance then existing debt upon maturity or otherwise, on favorable terms or at all and achieving acceptance from oil majors and other charterers, which increasingly seek to do business with established shipping companies with substantial resources.
We are dependent on the ability and willingness of our charterers to honor their commitments to us for all our revenues.
We derive all our revenues from the payment of charter hire by charterers of our vessels. The ability and willingness of each of our counterparties to perform their obligations under charter agreements with us will depend on a number of factors that are beyond our control and may include, among other things, general economic conditions, the condition of the refined petroleum product tanker sector, crude oil tanker sector and the drybulk sector, of the shipping industry and the overall financial condition of the counterparties, all of which may continue to be negatively impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic and related containment efforts. In addition, in depressed market conditions, charterers may seek to renegotiate their charters or may default on their obligations under charters and our charterers may fail to pay charter hire or attempt to renegotiate charter rates. Should a counterparty fail to honor its obligations under agreements with us, it may be difficult to secure substitute employment for such vessel, and any new charter arrangements we secure in the spot market or on bareboat or time charters could be at lower rates. If we lose a charter, we may be unable to re-deploy the related vessel on terms as favorable to us. We would not receive any revenues from such a vessel while it remained unchartered, but we may be required to pay expenses necessary to maintain the vessel in proper operating condition, insure it and service any indebtedness secured by such vessel. The failure by charterers to meet their obligations to us or an attempt by charterers to renegotiate our charter agreements could have a material adverse effect on our revenues, results of operations and financial condition.
Employment of our vessels on time or bareboat charters may prevent us from taking advantage of rising spot charter rates.
The spot market may fluctuate significantly based upon tanker, crude oil and refined petroleum product supply and demand, in the case of our tankers, and drybulk carrier and drybulk cargo supply and demand, in the case of our drybulk carriers. The factors affecting supply and demand for tankers, crude oil and refined petroleum products are outside of our control, and the nature, timing and degree of changes in industry conditions are unpredictable.
As of March 28, 2023, nine of our vessels were operating in the spot market. We may employ more vessels on time and bareboat charters in the future, and to the extent we employ our vessels on time and bareboat charters, the charter rates for such vessels will be fixed for a specified time period. We cannot assure you that charter rates will not increase during the period of such employment. If our vessels are employed on time or bareboat charters during a period of rising spot market charter rates, we would be unable to pursue opportunities to charter our vessels at such higher charter rates. Conversely, spot rates are volatile and cyclical and may decline substantially.
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Charters at attractive rates may not be available when the charters for our vessels expire, which would have an adverse impact on our revenues and financial condition.
As of March 28, 2023, we had one of our tankers employed on a time charter expiring in May 2023, two of our handy size dry bulk carriers employed on time charters expiring in April 2023, and nine vessels employed in the spot market. We are exposed to prevailing charter rates in the product tanker, crude tanker and drybulk carrier sectors, including with respect to our vessels operating in the spot market and when our vessels’ existing time charters expire, and to the extent the counterparties to our fixed-rate time charter contracts fail to honor their obligations to us. The successful operation of our vessels in the competitive and highly volatile spot charter market will depend on, among other things, obtaining profitable spot charters, which depends greatly on vessel supply and demand, and minimizing, to the extent possible, time spent waiting for charters and time spent traveling unladen to pick up cargo. When the current charters for our fleet expire or are terminated, it may not be possible to re-charter these vessels at similar rates, or at all, or to secure charters for any vessels we agree to acquire at similarly profitable rates, or at all. As a result, we may have to accept lower rates or experience off hire time for our vessels, which would adversely impact our revenues, results of operations and financial condition.
We depend upon a few significant customers, due to the small size of our fleet, for our revenues. The loss of one or more of these customers could adversely affect our financial performance.
We derive a significant part of our revenue from a small number of charterers. For the year ended December 31, 2021, we had four customers from which we derived 60.7% of our revenues and for the year ended December 31, 2022, we had two customers from which we derived 33.4% of our revenues. We anticipate a limited number of customers will continue to represent significant amounts of our revenue. If these customers cease doing business or do not fulfill their obligations under the charters of our vessels, due to the increasing financial pressure on these customers or otherwise, our results of operations and cash flows could be adversely affected. Further, if we encounter any difficulties in our relationships with these charterers, our results of operations, cash flows and financial condition could be adversely affected.
Technological innovation could reduce our charter hire income and the value of our vessels.
The charter hire rates and the value and operational life of a vessel are determined by a number of factors including the vessel’s efficiency, operational flexibility and physical life. Efficiency includes speed, fuel economy and the ability to load and discharge cargo quickly, including the ability to use alternative combustion fuels. Flexibility includes the ability to enter harbors, utilize related docking facilities and pass through canals and straits. The length of a vessel’s physical life is related to its original design and construction, its maintenance and the impact of the stress of operations. More technologically advanced tankers and drybulk carriers have been built since our vessels, which have an average age of 13.4 years as of March 28, 2023, were constructed and tankers and drybulk carriers with further advancements may be built that are even more efficient or more flexible or have longer physical lives, including new vessels powered by alternative fuels or which are otherwise perceived as more environmentally friendly by charterers. Competition from these more technologically advanced vessels could adversely affect the amount of charter hire payments we receive for our vessels, and the resale value of our vessels could significantly decrease, which could also result in impairment costs. In these circumstances, we may also be forced to charter our vessels to less creditworthy charterers, either because the oil majors and other top tier charters will not charter older and less technologically advanced vessels or will only charter such vessels at lower contracted charter rates than we are able to obtain from these less creditworthy, second tier charterers. Consequently, our results of operations and financial condition could be adversely affected.
The aging of our fleet may result in our vessels being less attractive to charterers and in increased operating costs in the future, which could adversely affect our earnings.
Our fleet’s average age, which was approximately 13.4 years, as of March 28, 2023, with our tankers having an average age of 14.4 years and our drybulk carriers having an average age of 11.4 years, which is above the average age of the global tanker fleet and only somewhat below the average age of the global drybulk carrier fleet, respectively. As our vessels age we may have difficulty competing with younger, more technologically advanced vessels for charters from oil majors and other top-tier charterers. In general, the costs to maintain a tanker or drybulk carrier in good operating condition increase with the age of the vessel. Older vessels are typically less fuel-efficient and more costly to maintain than more recently constructed tankers or drybulk carriers, as applicable, due to improvements in engine technology. Cargo insurance rates also increase with the age of a vessel, as do charterer’s concerns regarding the perceived reliability of the vessel’s technical performance. As a result, older vessels are generally less desirable to charterers, particularly oil majors and other top tier charterers.
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Unless we set aside reserves for vessel replacement, at the end of a vessel’s useful life, our revenue will decline, which would adversely affect our cash flows and income.
As of March 28, 2023, the vessels in our fleet had an average age of approximately 13.4 years, with our tankers having an average age of 14.4 years and our drybulk carriers having an average age of 11.4 years. Unless we maintain cash reserves for vessel replacement, we may be unable to replace the vessels in our fleet upon the expiration of their useful lives. We estimate the useful life of our vessels to be 25 years from the completion of their construction. Our cash flows and income are dependent on the revenues we earn by chartering our vessels to customers. If we are unable to replace the vessels in our fleet upon the expiration of their useful lives, our business, financial condition and results of operations may be materially adversely affected. Any reserves set aside for vessel replacement would not be available for other cash needs or dividends, if any.
Our senior secured credit facilities contain, and other future financing arrangements may contain, restrictive covenants that may limit our liquidity and corporate activities.
Our senior secured credit facilities impose, and other future financing arrangements may impose, operating and financial restrictions on us. These restrictions may limit our ability to:
| • | incur additional indebtedness; |
| • | create liens on our assets; |
| • | sell capital stock of our subsidiaries; |
| • | make investments; |
| • | engage in mergers or acquisitions; |
| • | pay dividends; and |
| • | make capital expenditures. |
Our credit facilities require us to maintain specified financial ratios, satisfy financial covenants and contain cross-default clauses. In addition, one of our credit facilities include restrictions on the payment of cash dividends on our common stock in amounts exceeding 50% of our free cash flow for the last four consecutive quarters without the lenders’ consent, or on our preferred stock if an event of default has occurred and is continuing or we have negative equity.
Under the terms of certain of our credit facilities, if certain members of the Vafias family cease to own at least 20% of our outstanding common stock or voting rights, cease to be involved in the management and control of Imperial Petroleum, including Harry Vafias serving as Chief Executive Officer, or cease to control the conduct of the business of Imperial Petroleum, it would constitute a change of control or event of default under those credit facilities and the lenders would have the right to require us to repay all amounts outstanding thereunder. In such an event, we would have to seek to refinance such amounts, which may be difficult to do on similar terms or at all.
As a result of the restrictions in our senior secured credit facilities, or similar restrictions in our future financing arrangements, we may need to seek permission from our lenders in order to engage in some corporate actions. Our lenders’ interests may be different from ours, and we may not be able to obtain their permission when needed. This may prevent us from taking actions that we believe are in our best interest which may adversely impact our revenues, results of operations and financial condition.
A failure by us to meet our payment and other obligations, including our financial covenants and collateral coverage requirement, or our manager to comply with its undertaking to our lenders thereunder, could lead to defaults under our secured loan agreements. Our lenders could then accelerate our indebtedness and foreclose on our fleet. The loss of our vessels would mean we could not run our business.
Our senior secured credit facilities, which are secured by liens on our vessels, contain various financial covenants, which if we are unable to comply with, including due to a decline in the market values of our vessels, could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations.
Our senior secured term loan facilities, which are secured by liens on our vessels, contains various financial covenants, including requirements that relate to our financial condition, operating performance and liquidity, as described in the section entitled “Item 5. Operating and Financial Review and Prospects—Credit Facilities.” For example, we are required to maintain a maximum consolidated leverage ratio that is based, in part, upon the market value of the vessels securing the applicable loan, as well as a minimum ratio of the market value of vessels securing a loan to the principal amount outstanding under such loan. The market value of product tankers, crude oil tankers and drybulk carriers are sensitive to, among other things, changes in the product tanker, crude oil
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tanker and drybulk carrier charter markets, respectively, with vessel values deteriorating in times when product tanker, crude oil tanker and drybulk charter rates, as applicable, are falling and improving when charter rates are anticipated to rise. Lower charter rates in the product tanker, crude oil tanker and drybulk carrier markets coupled with the difficulty in obtaining financing for vessel purchases have adversely affected vessel values. A continuation or worsening of these conditions would lead to a significant decline in the fair market values of our vessels, which may affect our ability to comply with these loan covenants. If the value of our vessels deteriorates, we may have to record an impairment adjustment in our financial statements which would adversely affect our financial results and could further hinder our ability to raise capital.
A failure to comply with our covenants and/or obtain covenant waivers or modifications could result in our lenders requiring us to post additional collateral, enhance our equity and liquidity, increase our interest payments or pay down our indebtedness to a level where we are in compliance with our loan covenants, sell vessels in our fleet or accelerate our indebtedness, which would impair our ability to continue to conduct our business. If our indebtedness is accelerated, we may not be able to refinance our debt or obtain additional financing and could lose our vessels if our lenders foreclose their liens. In addition, if we find it necessary to sell our vessels at a time when vessel prices are low, we will recognize losses and a reduction in our earnings, which could affect our ability to raise additional capital necessary for us to comply with our loan agreements.
Our ability to obtain additional debt financing may be dependent on the performance of our then existing charters and the creditworthiness of our charterers, as well as the perceived impact of emissions by our vessels on the climate.
The actual or perceived credit quality of our charterers, and any defaults by them, may materially affect our ability to obtain the additional capital resources that we will require in order to purchase additional vessels or may significantly increase our costs of obtaining such capital. Our inability to obtain additional financing, or obtain financing at a higher than anticipated cost may materially affect our results of operation and our ability to implement our business strategy.
In 2019, a number of leading lenders to the shipping industry and other industry participants announced a global framework by which financial institutions can assess the climate alignment of their ship finance portfolios, called the Poseidon Principles, and additional lenders have subsequently announced their intention to adhere to such principles. If the ships in our fleet are deemed not to satisfy the emissions and other sustainability standards contemplated by the Poseidon Principles, or other Environmental Social Governance (ESG) standards required by lenders or investors, the availability and cost of bank financing for such vessels may be adversely affected.
A significant increase in our debt levels may adversely affect us and our cash flows.
As of December 31, 2022, we had outstanding indebtedness net of arrangement fees of $70.0 million, of which we repaid $23.2 million in March 2023 from cash on hand. We would expect to incur further indebtedness in connection with any further expansion of our fleet. This increase in the level of indebtedness and the need to service the indebtedness may impact our profitability and cash available for growth of our fleet, working capital and dividends if any. In addition, dividend payments on our Series A Preferred Stock and Series C Convertible Preferred Stock will reduce cash available for growth of our fleet, working capital and dividends, if any, on our common stock. Additionally, any increases in interest rate levels, currently at historically low levels, may increase the cost of servicing our indebtedness with similar results.
To finance our future fleet expansion program beyond our current fleet, we expect to incur additional secured debt. We have to dedicate a portion of our cash flow from operations to pay the principal and interest on our debt. These payments limit funds otherwise available for working capital, capital expenditures, and other purposes, including any distributions of cash to our stockholders, and our inability to service our debt could lead to acceleration of our debt and foreclosure on our fleet.
Moreover, carrying secured indebtedness exposes us to increased risks if the demand for oil, oil-related or drybulk marine transportation decreases and charter rates and vessel values are adversely affected.
We are exposed to volatility in interest rates, and in particular the London Interbank Offered Rate (“LIBOR”) and SOFR.
The amounts outstanding under our senior secured credit facilities have been advanced at a floating rate, initially based on LIBOR and up until June 2023 it will commence to be based on the short-term interest rate target set by the US Federal Open Market Committee as published by the Federal Reserve Bank of New York from time to time, which can affect the amount of interest payable on our debt, and which, in turn, could have an adverse effect on our earnings and cash flow. In addition, interest rate benchmarks, including SOFR and LIBOR, which were at low levels for an extended period of time, increased dramatically in 2022, particularly in the second half of 2022, and early 2023 as central banks repeatedly increased benchmark rates in an effort to combat inflation, and may potentially further increase from these levels. Our financial condition could be materially adversely affected by increased financing costs as a result. We have not entered into interest rate hedging arrangements to hedge our exposure to the interest rates applicable to our credit facilities, and even if we enter into interest rate swaps or other derivative instruments for the purpose of managing our interest rate exposure, our hedging strategies may not be effective and we may incur substantial losses.
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Increased regulatory oversight, uncertainty relating to the LIBOR calculation process and potential phasing out of LIBOR after 2023 may adversely affect the amounts of interest we pay under our debt arrangements and our results of operations.
The United Kingdom Financial Conduct Authority (“FCA”), which regulates LIBOR, has announced that it will phase-out LIBOR by the end of 2023. It is unclear whether an extension will be granted or new methods of calculating LIBOR will be established such that it continues to exist after 2023, or if alternative rates or benchmarks will be adopted. Various alternative reference rates are being considered in the financial community. The Secured Overnight Financing Rate (“SOFR”) has been proposed by the Alternative Reference Rate Committee, a committee convened by the U.S. Federal Reserve that includes major market participants and on which regulators participate, as an alternative rate to replace U.S. dollar LIBOR. However, it is not possible at this time to know the ultimate impact a phase-out of LIBOR may have, or how any such changes or alternative methods for calculating benchmark interest rates would be applied to any particular agreement containing terms based on LIBOR, which generally have alternative calculation provisions, however, if implicated, these could also create additional risks and uncertainties. For instance, our 2022 NBG Senior Secured Credit Facility provides that as of June 30, 2023, or earlier if the six-month LIBOR rate ceases to available before such time, the reference rate used in the calculation of the interest rate payable on amounts outstanding thereunder will change from LIBOR to a rate based on the short-term interest rate target set by the US Federal Open Market Committee as published by the Federal Reserve Bank of New York from time to time, while our 2022 Alpha Bank loan already has SOFR as a base reference rate. Overall, the changes may adversely affect the trading market for LIBOR based agreements, including our credit facilities. We may need to negotiate the replacement benchmark rate on our credit facilities, and the use of an alternative rate or benchmark may negatively impact our interest rate expense. Any other contracts entered into in the ordinary course of business which currently refer to, use or include LIBOR may also be impacted.
Any derivative contracts we may enter into to hedge our exposure to fluctuations in interest rates could result in higher than market interest rates and charges against our income, as well as reductions in our stockholders’ equity.
We may enter into interest rate swaps for purposes of managing our exposure to fluctuations in interest rates applicable to indebtedness under our credit facilities which are advanced at floating rates. Our hedging strategies, however, may not be effective and we may incur substantial losses if interest rates or currencies move materially differently from our expectations.
To the extent any interest rate swaps we may enter into do not qualify for treatment as hedges for accounting purposes, we will recognize fluctuations in the fair value of such contracts in our statement of operations. In addition, changes in the fair value of any derivative contracts that do qualify for treatment as hedges, are recognized in “Accumulated other comprehensive income” on our balance sheet. Our financial condition could also be materially adversely affected to the extent we do not hedge our exposure to interest rate fluctuations under our financing arrangements under which loans have been advanced at a floating rate.
In addition, we may enter in the future into foreign currency derivative contracts in order to hedge an exposure to foreign currencies related to shipbuilding contracts.
Any hedging activities we engage in may not effectively manage our interest rate and foreign exchange exposure or have the desired impact on our financial condition or results of operations.
Because we generate all of our revenues in U.S. dollars but incur a portion of our expenses in other currencies, exchange rate fluctuations could adversely affect our results of operations.
We generate all of our revenues in U.S. dollars and the majority of our expenses are also in U.S. dollars. However, a relatively small portion of our overall expenses, mainly executive compensation, is incurred in Euros. This could lead to fluctuations in net income due to changes in the value of the U.S. dollar relative to the other currencies, in particular the Euro. Expenses incurred in foreign currencies against which the U.S. dollar falls in value can thereby increase, decreasing our net income.
Inflation could adversely affect our business and financial results.
Inflation could adversely affect our business and financial results by increasing the costs of labor and materials needed to operate our business. During 2021 and 2022, we experienced moderate inflationary cost increases in vessel operating expenses mainly in spares and stores, before such cost increases stabilized in late 2022. In 2022 our main cost driver was the increase in the number of our vessels as well as the ongoing effect of COVID-19 pandemic on crew costs. In an inflationary environment such as the current economic environment, depending on the
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tanker and drybulk industries and other economic conditions, we may be unable to raise our charter rates enough to offset the increasing costs of our operations, which would decrease our profit margins. Inflation may also raise our costs of capital and decrease our purchasing power, making it more difficult to maintain sufficient funds to operate our business. See “Item 5. Operating and Financial Review and Prospects—Inflation.”
We are dependent on our relationship with Stealth Maritime.
Stealth Maritime serves as commercial and technical manager for all of the vessels in our fleet, other than our product tanker currently deployed on a bareboat charter for which we do not provide technical management. We are accordingly dependent upon our fleet manager, Stealth Maritime, for:
| • | the administration, chartering and operations supervision of our fleet; |
| • | our recognition and acceptance as owners of product and crude oil carriers, including our ability to attract charterers; |
| • | our ability to obtain vetting approval from oil majors; |
| • | relations with charterers and charter brokers; |
| • | operational expertise; and |
| • | management experience. |
The loss of Stealth Maritime’s services or its failure to perform its obligations to us properly for financial or other reasons could materially and adversely affect our business and the results of our operations, including the potential loss of oil major approvals to conduct business with us and in turn our ability to employ our vessels our charters with such oil majors. Although we may have rights against Stealth Maritime if it defaults on its obligations to us, you would have no recourse against Stealth Maritime. In addition, in such a case or if our management agreement were to be terminated we might not be able to find a replacement manager on terms as favorable as those currently in place with Stealth Maritime. Further, we expect that we will need to seek approval from our lenders to change our manager. We are not permitted to change our commercial or technical our manager from Stealth Maritime, or to allow Stealth Maritime to subcontract or delegate commercial or technical management, without the prior written consent of our lenders.
In addition, if Stealth Maritime suffers material damage to its reputation or relationships, including as a result of a spill or other environmental incident or an accident, or any violation or alleged violation of U.S., EU, UN or other sanctions, involving ships managed by Stealth Maritime whether or not owned by us, it may harm the ability of our company or our subsidiaries to successfully compete in our industry, including due to oil majors and other charterers electing not to do business with Stealth Maritime or us.
Since our manager, Stealth Maritime, is a privately held company and there is little or no publicly available information about it, an investor could have little advance warning of potential financial and other problems that might affect our manager that could have a material adverse effect on us.
We would be materially adversely affected if our manager becomes unable or unwilling to provide services for our benefit at the level of quality they have provided such services to our vessels in the past. . If we were required to employ a ship management company other than our manager, we cannot offer any assurances that the terms of such management agreements and results of operations would be equally or more beneficial to us in the long term.
Our manager’s ability to render management services will depend in part on its own financial strength. Circumstances beyond our control could impair Stealth Maritime’s financial strength, and because it is a privately held company, information about its financial strength is not publicly available. As a result, our stockholders and we might have little advance warning of financial or other problems affecting our manager even though their financial or other problems could have a material adverse effect on our stockholders and us.
Our officers face conflicts in the allocation of their time to our business. In addition, the fiduciary duties of our officers and directors may conflict with those of the officers and directors of StealthGas and/or its affiliates.
Our Chief Executive Officer is involved in other business activities not associated with us, which may result in his spending less time than is appropriate or necessary to manage our business successfully. In particular, Mr. Vafias, who functions as our Chief Executive Officer and President, also provides services in similar capacities for StealthGas and is a significant stockholder of StealthGas. Our officers are not required to work full-time on our affairs and also perform services for StealthGas and its affiliates. As a result, there could be material competition for the time and effort of our officers who also provide services to StealthGas and its affiliates, which could have a material adverse effect on our business, results of operations and financial condition. See “Item 6. Directors, Senior Management and Employees”.
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Our officers and directors have fiduciary duties to manage our business in a manner beneficial to us and our stockholders. However, our officers and directors also serve as executive officers and/or directors of StealthGas. As a result, these individuals have fiduciary duties to manage the business of StealthGas and its affiliates in a manner beneficial to such entities and their stockholders. Consequently, these officers and directors may encounter situations in which their fiduciary obligations to StealthGas and us are in conflict. There may also be other business opportunities for which StealthGas may compete with us such as hiring employees, acquiring other businesses, or entering into joint ventures, which could have a material adverse effect on our business.
Companies affiliated with us or our management, including StealthGas, Stealth Maritime and Brave Maritime, may manage or acquire vessels that compete with our fleet.
Entities affiliated with other members of the Vafias family own vessels that operate in various sectors of the shipping industry, including a number of product and crude oil tankers and drybulk carriers, which are managed by Stealth Maritime and/or Brave Maritime. It is possible that StealthGas, Stealth Maritime or other companies affiliated with the Vafias family or Stealth Maritime, including Brave Maritime, could, in the future, agree to acquire or manage additional vessels that compete directly with ours and may face conflicts between their own interests and their obligations to us. These conflicts may arise in connection with the chartering, purchase, sale and operations of the vessels in our fleet versus other vessels in which these persons or entities have an interest. Accordingly, our management and our manager might be faced with conflicts of interest with respect to their own interests and their obligations to us. These conflicts of interests may have an adverse effect on our business and your interests as stockholders.
We may enter into certain significant transactions with companies affiliated with members of the Vafias family which may result in conflicts of interests.
In addition to our management contract with Stealth Maritime, a company controlled by members of the Vafias family other than our Chief Executive Officer, from time to time we may enter into other transactions with companies affiliated with members of the Vafias family. For instance, we acquired an aggregate of six vessels from entities affiliated with the family of our Chief Executive Officer in 2022 and the first quarter 2023. Stealth Maritime also contracts for the crewing of vessels in our fleet with Hellenic Manning Overseas Inc., which is 25% owned by an affiliate of Stealth Maritime. Such transactions could create conflicts of interest that could adversely affect our business or your interests as holders of our shares, as well as our financial position, results of operations and our future prospects.
As our fleet grows in size, we will have to improve our operations and financial systems, staff and crew; if we cannot maintain these systems or continue to recruit suitable employees, our business and results of operations may be adversely affected.
As we expand our fleet, we and Stealth Maritime will have to invest considerable sums in upgrading its operating and financial systems, as well as hiring additional well-qualified personnel to manage the vessels. In addition, as we expand our fleet, we will have to rely on our technical managers to recruit suitable additional seafarers and shoreside administrative and management personnel. Stealth Maritime and those technical managers may not be able to continue to hire suitable employees to the extent we continue to expand our fleet. Our vessels require a technically skilled staff with specialized training. If the technical managers’ crewing agents are unable to employ such technically skilled staff, they may not be able to adequately staff our vessels. If Stealth Maritime is unable to operate our financial and operations systems effectively or our technical managers are unable to recruit suitable employees as we expand our fleet, our results of operation and our ability to expand our fleet may be adversely affected.
Delays in the delivery of any newbuilding or secondhand vessels we agree to acquire could harm our operating results.
Delays in the delivery of any new-building or second-hand vessels we may agree to acquire in the future would delay our receipt of revenues generated by these vessels and, to the extent we have arranged charter employment for these vessels, could possibly result in the cancellation of those charters, and therefore adversely affect our anticipated results of operations. Although this would delay our funding requirements for the installment payments to purchase these vessels, it would also delay our receipt of revenues under any charters we arrange for such vessels. The delivery of newbuilding vessels could be delayed, other than at our request, because of, among other things, work stoppages or other labor disturbances; bankruptcy or other financial crisis of the shipyard building the vessel; hostilities, health pandemics such as COVID-19 or political or economic disturbances in the countries where the vessels are being built, including any escalation of tensions involving North Korea; weather interference or catastrophic event, such as a major earthquake, tsunami or fire; our requests for changes to the original vessel specifications; requests from our customers, with whom we have arranged any charters for such vessels, to delay construction and delivery of such vessels due to weak economic conditions and shipping demand and a dispute with the shipyard building the vessel.
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In addition, the refund guarantors under the newbuilding contracts, which are banks, financial institutions and other credit agencies, may also be affected by financial market conditions in the same manner as our lenders and, as a result, may be unable or unwilling to meet their obligations under their refund guarantees. If the shipbuilders or refund guarantors are unable or unwilling to meet their obligations to the sellers of the vessels, this may impact our acquisition of vessels and may materially and adversely affect our operations and our obligations under our credit facilities. The delivery of any secondhand vessels could be delayed because of, among other things, hostilities or political disturbances, non-performance of the purchase agreement with respect to the vessels by the seller, our inability to obtain requisite permits, approvals or financing or damage to or destruction of the vessels while being operated by the seller prior to the delivery date.
If we fail to manage our growth properly, we may not be able to successfully expand our market share.
We intend to continue to grow our fleet. The acquisition of such additional vessels could impose significant additional responsibilities on our management and staff, and may necessitate that we, and they, increase the number of personnel. In the future, we may not be able to identify suitable vessels, acquire vessels on advantageous terms or obtain financing for such acquisitions. Any future growth will depend on:
| • | locating and acquiring suitable vessels; |
| • | identifying and completing acquisitions or joint ventures; |
| • | integrating any acquired business successfully with our existing operations; |
| • | expanding our customer base; and |
| • | obtaining required financing. |
Growing a business by acquisition presents numerous risks such as undisclosed liabilities and obligations, difficulty in obtaining additional qualified personnel, managing relationships with customers and our commercial and technical managers and integrating newly acquired vessels into existing infrastructures. We may not be successful in executing any growth initiatives and may incur significant expenses and losses in connection therewith.
We may be unable to attract and retain key management personnel and other employees in the shipping industry, which may negatively affect the effectiveness of our management and our results of operation.
Our success depends to a significant extent upon the abilities and efforts of our management team, including our Chief Executive Officer, Harry Vafias. In addition, Harry Vafias is a member of the Vafias family, which controls Stealth Maritime, our fleet manager. Our success will depend upon our and Stealth Maritime’s ability to hire and retain qualified managers to oversee our operations. The loss of any of these individuals could adversely affect our business prospects and financial condition. Difficulty in hiring and retaining personnel could adversely affect our results of operations. We do not have employment agreements directly with our key personnel who are technically employees of Stealth Maritime, our fleet manager, although under our management agreement with Stealth Maritime, our relationship is governed by terms substantially similar to those typically included in employment agreements. We do not maintain “key man” life insurance on any of our officers.
In the highly competitive international product tanker and crude oil tanker markets, we may not be able to compete for charters with new entrants or established companies with greater resources.
We deploy our vessels in highly competitive markets that are capital intensive. Competition arises primarily from other vessel owners, many of which have larger fleets and greater resources than we do. Competition for the transportation of refined petroleum products and crude oil can be intense and depends on price, location, size, age, condition and the acceptability of the vessel and its managers to the charterers. Competitors with greater resources could enter and operate larger tanker fleets through consolidations or acquisitions, and many larger fleets that compete with us in each of these sectors may be able to offer more competitive prices and fleets.
The international drybulk shipping industry is highly competitive, and we may not be able to compete successfully for charters with new entrants or established companies with greater resources.
We employ our vessels in a highly competitive market that is capital intensive and highly fragmented. Competition arises primarily from other vessel owners, some of whom have substantially greater resources than we do. Competition for the transportation of drybulk cargo by sea is intense and depends on price, customer relationships, operating expertise, professional reputation and size, age, location and condition of the vessel. Due in part to the highly fragmented market, additional competitors with greater resources could enter the drybulk shipping industry and operate larger fleets through consolidations or acquisitions and may be able to offer lower charter rates than we are able to offer, which could have a material adverse effect on our fleet utilization and, accordingly, our results of operations.
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Purchasing and operating previously owned, or secondhand, vessels may result in increased operating costs and vessels off-hire, which could adversely affect our revenues.
Our examination of secondhand vessels, which may not include physical inspection prior to purchase, does not provide us with the same knowledge about their condition and cost of any required (or anticipated) repairs that we would have had if these vessels had been built for and operated exclusively by us. Generally, we do not receive the benefit of warranties on secondhand vessels.
In general, the cost of maintaining a vessel in good operating condition increases with its age. As of March 28, 2023, the average age of the vessels in our fleet was approximately 13.4 years. Older vessels are typically less fuel efficient and more costly to maintain and operate than more recently constructed vessels due to improvements in engine technology. Cargo insurance rates increase with the age of a vessel, making older vessels less desirable to charterers.
Governmental regulations, safety or other equipment standards related to the age of vessels may require expenditures for alterations, or the addition of new equipment, to our vessels and may restrict the type of activities in which the vessels may engage. As our vessels age, market conditions may not justify those expenditures or enable us to operate our vessels profitably during the remainder of their useful lives. If we sell vessels, the sales prices may not equal and could be less than their carrying values at that time and thereby negatively affect our profitability.
The shipping industry has inherent operational risks that may not be adequately covered by our insurance.
We procure hull and machinery insurance, protection and indemnity insurance, which include environmental damage and pollution insurance coverage, and war risk insurance for our fleet. While we endeavor to be adequately insured against all known risks related to the operation of our ships, there remains the possibility that a liability may not be adequately covered and we may not be able to obtain adequate insurance coverage for our fleet in the future. The insurers may also not pay particular claims. Even if our insurance coverage is adequate, we may not be able to timely obtain a replacement vessel in the event of a loss. Our insurance policies contain deductibles for which we will be responsible and limitations and exclusions which may increase our costs or lower our revenue. In addition, if one of our ships, or other ships managed by Stealth Maritime or Brave Maritime and owned by an affiliated entity of Stealth Maritime or Brave Maritime, were to incur significant costs from an accident, spill or other environmental liability, our insurance premiums and costs could increase significantly.
The operation of drybulk vessels has particular operational risks.
The operation of drybulk vessels has certain unique risks. With a drybulk vessel, the cargo itself and its interaction with the vessel can be an operational risk. By their nature, drybulk cargoes are often heavy, dense, easily shifted, and react badly to water exposure. In addition, drybulk vessels are often subjected to battering treatment during discharging operations with grabs, jackhammers (to pry encrusted cargoes out of the hold) and small bulldozers. This treatment may cause damage to the vessel. Vessels damaged due to treatment during discharging procedures may affect a vessel’s seaworthiness while at sea. Hull fractures in drybulk vessels may lead to the flooding of the vessels’ holds. If a drybulk vessel suffers flooding in its forward holds, the bulk cargo may become so dense and waterlogged that its pressure may buckle the vessel’s bulkheads, leading to the loss of a vessel. If we are unable to adequately maintain our vessel and other vessels we may acquire, we may be unable to prevent these events. Any of these circumstances or events could negatively impact our business, financial condition, and results of operations.
We may be subject to lawsuits for damages and penalties.
The nature of our business exposes us to the risk of lawsuits for damages or penalties relating to, among other things, personal injury, property casualty and environmental contamination. From time to time, we may be subject to legal proceedings and claims in the ordinary course of business, principally personal injury and property casualty claims. We expect that these claims would be covered by insurance, subject to customary deductibles. However, such claims, even if lacking merit, could result in the expenditure of significant financial and managerial resources.
Regulatory and legal risks as a result of our global operations, including with respect to sanctioned countries, could have a material adverse effect on our business, results of operations and financial conditions.
Our global operations increase both the number and the level of complexity of U.S. or foreign laws and regulations applicable to us, some of which can conflict with one another, as is the case, for instance, with certain sanctions issued by U.S., E.U. and U.K. These laws and regulations include international labor laws; U.S. laws such as the FCPA and other laws and regulations established by the Office of Foreign Assets Control; local laws such as the U.K. Bribery Act 2010; data privacy requirements like the European General Data Protection Regulation, enforceable as of May 25, 2018; and the E.U.-U.S. Privacy Shield Framework, adopted
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by the European Commission on July 12, 2016. We may inadvertently breach some provisions of those laws and regulations which could result in cease of business activities, criminal sanctions against us, our officers or our employees, fines and materially damage our reputation. In addition, detecting, investigating and resolving such cases of actual or alleged violations may be expensive and time consuming for our senior management.
For example, our drybulk vessels made three voyages carrying cargoes originating in the Russian ports of St. Petersburg and Ust-Luga, for which 16 days were spent in these Russian ports, and may from time to time in the future carry cargoes originating in Russia, Ukraine or sanctioned countries. It is possible that such cargoes, despite our belief that they are compliant with applicable sanctions, are alleged to have originated from sources that are not in compliance with such sanctions, which could result in penalties against us, including blacklisting of a vessel which would preclude chartering or selling such vessel, and negatively impact our acceptability to potential charterers and harm our business. In addition, it may not be possible for us to obtain war risk or other insurances for any vessel loading cargoes originating in such countries, as has been the case for certain of our vessels’ voyages this year. In such a case, if the vessel was involved in an accident, spill or was otherwise damaged in connection with such a voyage, which could result in losses up to the total loss of the vessel, we would have to bear the repair, clean-up or other costs associated with such an incident, as well as the lack of revenue from any off-hire period, in reliance on our existing cash resources, and we would remain obligated to service and repay our outstanding indebtedness secured by such vessel. In addition, any deemed non-compliance with sanctions could constitute an event of default under any loan agreements secured by such vessel, and our lenders may seek to accelerate for immediate repayment any indebtedness outstanding thereunder. Any such occurrences could adversely affect our business, results of operations or financial condition. In addition, actual or alleged violations could damage our reputation and ability to do business. Furthermore, if ships managed by Stealth Maritime or Brave Maritime, including those not owned by us, and ships owned by an affiliated entity of Stealth Maritime or Brave Maritime, including StealthGas, were deemed to have violated sanctions or other laws and regulations, we could face similar consequences, including an inability to charter, insure or sell our ships, if we, such affiliated entities or our ships are blacklisted by authorities.
We are a holding company, and we depend on the ability of our subsidiaries to distribute funds to us in order to satisfy our financial obligations or to make dividend payments.
We are a holding company and our subsidiaries, which are all wholly-owned by us, conduct all of our operations and own all of our operating assets. We have no significant assets other than the equity interests in our wholly-owned subsidiaries. As a result, our ability to make dividend payments to you depends on our subsidiaries and their ability to distribute funds to us. If we are unable to obtain funds from our subsidiaries, we may be unable or our Board of Directors may exercise its discretion not to pay dividends.
Obligations associated with being a public company require significant company resources and management attention.
We are subject to the reporting requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, or the Exchange Act, and the other rules and regulations of the SEC, including the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002, or Sarbanes-Oxley. Section 404 of Sarbanes-Oxley requires that we evaluate and determine the effectiveness of our internal control over financial reporting.
We work with our legal, accounting and financial advisors to identify any areas in which changes should be made to our financial and management control systems to manage our growth and our obligations as a public company. We evaluate areas such as corporate governance, corporate control, internal audit, disclosure controls and procedures and financial reporting and accounting systems. We will make changes in any of these and other areas, including our internal control over financial reporting, which we believe are necessary. However, these and other measures we may take may not be sufficient to allow us to satisfy our obligations as a public company on a timely and reliable basis. In addition, compliance with reporting and other requirements applicable to public companies do create additional costs for us and will require the time and attention of management. Our limited management resources may exacerbate the difficulties in complying with these reporting and other requirements while focusing on executing our business strategy. We may not be able to predict or estimate the amount of the additional costs we may incur, the timing of such costs or the degree of impact that our management’s attention to these matters will have on our business.
If management is unable to provide reports as to the effectiveness of our internal control over financial reporting, investors could lose confidence in the reliability of our financial statements, which could result in a decrease in the value of our common stock.
Under Section 404 of Sarbanes-Oxley, we are required to include in each of our annual reports on Form 20-F, a report containing our management’s assessment of the effectiveness of our internal control over financial reporting. If, in such annual reports on Form 20-F, our management cannot provide a report as to the effectiveness of our internal control over financial reporting as required by Section 404, investors could lose confidence in the reliability of our financial statements, which could result in a decrease in the value of our shares.
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Risks Related to Taxation
If we were to be subject to corporate income tax in jurisdictions in which we operate, our financial results would be adversely affected.
We and our subsidiaries may be subject to tax in the jurisdictions in which we are organized or operate, reducing the amount of our net income and cash flows, including cash available for dividend payments. Under current Marshall Islands law, there is no income, corporate or profits tax or withholding tax, capital gains tax or capital transfer tax, estate or inheritance tax payable by us or our stockholders, other than stockholders ordinarily resident in the Republic of the Marshall Islands, if any. We believe that we should not be subject to tax under the laws of various countries, other than the United States, in which our subsidiaries’ vessels conduct activities or in which our subsidiaries’ customers are located. However, our belief is based on our understanding of the tax laws of those countries, and our tax position is subject to review and possible challenge by taxing authorities and to possible changes in law or interpretation. We cannot determine in advance the extent to which certain jurisdictions may require us to pay corporate income tax or to make payments in lieu of such tax. In addition, payments due to us from our subsidiaries’ customers may be subject to tax claims. In computing our tax obligation in these jurisdictions, we may be required to take various tax accounting and reporting positions on matters that are not entirely free from doubt and for which we have not received rulings from the governing authorities. We cannot assure you that upon review of these positions the applicable authorities will agree with our positions. A successful challenge by a tax authority could result in additional tax imposed on us or our subsidiaries, further reducing the cash available for distribution. In addition, changes in our operations or ownership could result in additional tax being imposed on us or our subsidiaries in jurisdictions in which operations are conducted.
In accordance with the currently applicable Greek law, foreign flagged vessels that are managed by Greek or foreign ship management companies having established an office in Greece are subject to duties towards the Greek state which are calculated on the basis of the relevant vessels’ tonnage. The payment of said duties exhausts the tax liability of the foreign ship owning company and the relevant manager against any tax, duty, charge or contribution payable on income from the exploitation of the foreign flagged vessel. As our manager is located in Greece, we will have to pay these duties. Our operations in Greece may be subjected to new regulations that may require us to incur new or additional compliance or other administrative costs, which may include requirements that we pay to the Greek government new taxes or other fees.
In addition, China has enacted a new tax for non-resident international transportation enterprises engaged in the provision of services of passengers or cargo, among other items, in and out of China using their own, chartered or leased vessels, including any stevedore, warehousing and other services connected with the transportation. The new regulation broadens the range of international transportation companies which may find themselves liable for Chinese enterprise income tax on profits generated from international transportation services passing through Chinese ports.
We may have to pay tax on United States-source income, which would reduce our earnings.
Under the United States Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, or the Code, 50% of the gross shipping income of vessel owning or chartering corporations, such as our subsidiaries, that is attributable to transportation that begins or ends, but does not both begin and end, in the United States is characterized as United States-source shipping income. United States-source shipping income is subject to either a (i) 4% United States federal income tax without allowance for deductions or (ii) taxation at the standard United States federal income tax rates (and potentially to a 30% branch profits tax), unless derived by a corporation that qualifies for exemption from tax under Section 883 of the Code and the Treasury Regulations promulgated thereunder.
Generally, we and our subsidiaries will qualify for this exemption for a taxable year if our shares are treated as “primarily and regularly traded” on an established securities market in the United States. Our shares of common stock will be so treated if (i) the aggregate number of our shares of common stock traded during such year on an established securities market in the United States exceeds the aggregate number of our shares of common stock traded during that year on established securities markets in any other single country, (ii) either (x) our shares of common stock are regularly quoted during such year by dealers making a market in our shares or (y) trades in our shares of common stock are effected, other than in de minimis quantities, on an established securities market in the United States on at least 60 days during such taxable year and the aggregate number of our shares of common stock traded on an established securities market in the United States during such year equals at least 10% of the average number of our shares of common stock outstanding during such taxable year and (iii) our shares of common stock are not “closely held” during such taxable year. For these purposes, our shares of common stock will be treated as closely held during a taxable year if, for more than one-half the number of days in such taxable year, one or more persons each of whom owns either directly or under applicable attribution rules, at least 5% of our shares of common stock, own, in the aggregate, 50% or more of our shares of common stock, unless we can establish, in accordance with applicable documentation requirements, that a sufficient number of the shares of common stock in the closely-held block are owned, directly or indirectly, by persons that are residents of foreign jurisdictions that provide United States shipping companies with an exemption from tax that is equivalent to that provided by Section 883 to preclude other stockholders in the closely-held block from owning 50% or more of the closely-held block of shares of common stock.
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We believe that it will be the case, and may also be the case in the future, that, one or more persons each of whom owns, either directly or under applicable attribution rules, at least 5% of our shares of common stock own, in the aggregate, 50% or more of our shares of common stock. In such circumstances, we and our subsidiaries may qualify for the exemption provided in Section 883 of the Code only if a sufficient number of shares of the closely-held block of our shares of common stock were owned or treated as owned by “qualified shareholders” so it could not be the case that, for more than half of the days in the taxable year, the shares of common stock in the closely-held block not owned or treated as owned by qualified shareholders represented 50% or more of our shares of common stock. For these purposes, a “qualified shareholder” includes an individual that owns or is treated as owning shares of our common stock and is a resident of a jurisdiction that provides an exemption that is equivalent to that provided by Section 883 of the Code and certain other persons; provided in each case that such individual or other person complies with certain documentation and certification requirements set forth in the Section 883 regulations and designed to establish status as a qualified shareholder.
If we or our subsidiaries do not qualify for the exemption under Section 883 of the Code for any taxable year, then we or our subsidiaries would be subject for those years to the 4% United States federal income tax on gross United States shipping income or, in certain circumstances, to net income taxation at the standard United States federal income tax rates (and potentially also to a 30% branch profits tax). The imposition of such tax could have a negative effect on our business and would result in decreased earnings and cash flow.
We could become a “passive foreign investment company,” which would have adverse United States federal income tax consequences to United States holders and, in turn, us.
A foreign corporation will be treated as a “passive foreign investment company,” or PFIC, for United States federal income tax purposes if either (1) at least 75% of its gross income for any taxable year consists of certain types of “passive income” or (2) at least 50% of the average value of the corporation’s assets produce or are held for the production of those types of “passive income.” For purposes of these tests, “passive income” includes dividends, interest, and gains from the sale or exchange of investment property and rents and royalties other than rents and royalties which are received from unrelated parties in connection with the active conduct of a trade or business. For purposes of these tests, income derived from the performance of services does not constitute “passive income” and working capital and similar assets held pending investment in vessels will generally be treated as an asset which produces passive income. United States stockholders of a PFIC (and holders of warrants in a PFIC) are subject to a disadvantageous United States federal income tax regime with respect to the income derived by the PFIC, the distributions they receive from the PFIC and the gain, if any, they derive from the sale or other disposition of their shares in the PFIC.
In connection with determining our PFIC status we treat and intend to continue to treat the gross income that we derive or are deemed to derive from our time chartering and voyage chartering activities as services income, rather than rental income. We believe that our income from time chartering and voyage chartering activities does not constitute “passive income” and that the assets that we own and operate in connection with the production of that income do not constitute assets held for the production of passive income. We treat and intend to continue to treat, for purposes of the PFIC rules, the income that we derive from bareboat charters as passive income and the assets giving rise to such income as assets held for the production of passive income. There is, however, no legal authority specifically under the PFIC rules regarding our current and proposed method of operation and it is possible that the U.S. Internal Revenue Service, or IRS, may not accept our positions and that a court may uphold such challenge, in which case we and certain of our subsidiaries could be treated as PFICs. In this regard we note that a federal court decision addressing the characterization of time charters concludes that they constitute leases for federal income tax purposes and employs an analysis which, if applied to our time charters, could result in our treatment and the treatment of our vessel-owning subsidiaries as PFICs. In addition, in making the determination as to whether we are a PFIC, we intend to treat the deposits that we make on our newbuilding contracts and that are with respect to vessels we do not expect to bareboat charter as assets which are not held for the production of passive income for purposes of determining whether we are a PFIC. We note that there is no direct authority on this point and it is possible that the IRS may disagree with our position.
On the basis of the foregoing assumptions, we do not believe that we will be a PFIC for 2022. This belief is based in part upon our beliefs regarding the value of the assets that we hold for the production of or in connection with the production of passive income relative to the value of our other assets. Should these beliefs turn out to be incorrect, then we and certain of our subsidiaries could be treated as PFICs for 2022. There can be no assurance that the IRS or a court will not determine values for our assets that would cause us to be treated as a PFIC for 2022 or a subsequent year.
In addition, although we do not believe that we will be a PFIC for 2022, we may choose to operate our business in the current or in future taxable years in a manner that could cause us to become a PFIC for those years. Because our status as a PFIC for any taxable year will not be determinable until after the end of the taxable year, and depends upon our assets, income and operations in that taxable year, there can be no assurance that we will not be considered a PFIC for 2022 or any future taxable year.
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If the IRS were to find that we are or have been a PFIC for any taxable year, our United States stockholders and warrant holders would face adverse United States tax consequences. Under the PFIC rules, unless those stockholders make an election available under the Code (which election could itself have adverse consequences for such stockholders, as discussed below under “Tax Considerations—United States Federal Income Taxation of United States Holders”), such stockholders would be liable to pay United States federal income tax at the then prevailing income tax rates on ordinary income plus interest upon excess distributions and upon any gain from the disposition of our common stock, as if the excess distribution or gain had been recognized ratably over the stockholder’s holding period of our common stock. Similar rules would apply to holders of our Class A Warrants, Class B Warrants, Class C Warrants and Class D Warrants. See “Tax Considerations—United States Federal Income Tax Consequences—United States Federal Income Taxation of United States Holders” for a more comprehensive discussion of the United States federal income tax consequences to United States stockholders if we are treated as a PFIC. As a result of these adverse tax consequences to United States stockholders, such a finding by the IRS may result in sales of our common stock by United States stockholders, which could lower the price of our common stock and adversely affect our ability to raise capital.
Risk Related to an Investment in a Marshall Islands Corporation
As a foreign private issuer we are entitled to claim exemptions from certain Nasdaq corporate governance standards, and if we elected to rely on these exemptions, you may not have the same protections afforded to stockholders of companies that are subject to all of the Nasdaq corporate governance requirements.
As a foreign private issuer, we are entitled to claim an exemption from many of Nasdaq’s corporate governance practices. Currently, our corporate governance practices comply with the Nasdaq corporate governance standards applicable to U.S. listed companies other than that we only have two members on our audit committee whereas a domestic U.S. company would be required to have three members on its audit committee and, in lieu of obtaining stockholder approval prior to the issuance of certain designated securities issuances, the Company will comply with provisions of the Marshall Islands Business Corporations Act providing that the Board of Directors approves share issuances. To the extent we rely on these or other exemptions you may not have the same protections afforded to stockholders of companies that are subject to all of the Nasdaq corporate governance requirements.
We are incorporated in the Republic of the Marshall Islands, which does not have a well-developed body of corporate law or a bankruptcy act.
Our corporate affairs are governed by our articles of incorporation and bylaws and by the Marshall Islands Business Corporations Act, or BCA. The provisions of the BCA resemble provisions of the corporation laws of a number of states in the United States. However, there have been few judicial cases in the Republic of the Marshall Islands interpreting the BCA. The rights and fiduciary responsibilities of directors under the law of the Republic of the Marshall Islands are not as clearly established as the rights and fiduciary responsibilities of directors under statutes or judicial precedent in existence in certain U.S. jurisdictions. Stockholder rights may differ as well. While the BCA does specifically incorporate the non-statutory law, or judicial case law, of the State of Delaware and other states with substantially similar legislative provisions, our public stockholders may have more difficulty in protecting their interests in the face of actions by the management, directors or controlling stockholders than would stockholders of a corporation incorporated in a U.S. jurisdiction. The Marshall Islands has no established bankruptcy act, and as a result, any bankruptcy action involving our company would have to be initiated outside the Marshall Islands, and our public stockholders may find it difficult or impossible to pursue their claims in such other jurisdictions.
It may be difficult to enforce service of process and judgments against us and our officers and directors.
We are a Marshall Islands company, and our executive offices are located outside of the United States. All of our directors and officers reside outside of the United States, and most of our assets and their assets are located outside the United States. As a result, you may have difficulty serving legal process within the United States upon us or any of these persons. You may also have difficulty enforcing, both in and outside the United States, judgments you may obtain in the U.S. courts against us or these persons in any action, including actions based upon the civil liability provisions of U.S. federal or state securities laws. There is also substantial doubt that the courts of the Marshall Islands would enter judgments in original actions brought in those courts predicated on U.S., federal or state securities laws.
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Risks Related To Our Common Stock
Our common stock were not publicly traded prior to the completion of the Spin-Off on December 3, 2021. An active trading market that will provide you with adequate liquidity for our common stock may not be sustained.
There was no public market for our common stock prior to the Spin-Off, which was completed on December 3, 2021. The lack of an active trading market on Nasdaq and low trading volume for our common stock may make it more difficult for you to sell our common stock and could lead to our share price becoming depressed or volatile. Our shares began regular way trading on the Nasdaq Capital Market on December 6, 2021, and there can be no assurance that an active trading market for our common stock on either Nasdaq or any other exchange will be sustained. If an active and liquid trading market is not sustained, relatively small sales of our common stock could have a significant negative impact on the price of our common stock.
If securities or industry analysts do not publish research or reports about our business, or publish negative reports about our business, our share price and trading volume could decline.
As a newly-incorporated company that became publicly traded on December 3, 2021, there is currently no analyst coverage of the Company. The trading market for our common stock and Series A Preferred Stock will depend, in part, upon the research and reports that securities or industry analysts publish about us or our business. We do not have any control over analysts as to whether they will cover us, and if they do, whether such coverage will continue. If analysts do not commence coverage of the Company, or if one or more of these analysts cease coverage of the Company or fail to regularly publish reports on us, we could lose visibility in the financial markets, which could cause our share price or trading volume to decline. In addition, if one or more of the analysts who cover us downgrade our shares or change their opinion of our shares, our share price may likely decline.
Substantial sales of our common stock may occur, which could cause our share price to decline.
Upon completion of the Spin-Off, which occurred on December 3, 2021, all of our outstanding stock was owned by the existing stockholders of StealthGas, and these existing stockholders as well as those that acquired shares in our public offerings of common stock and warrants in 2022 and 2023 are free to sell common stock, including those issuable exercise of our outstanding warrants or upon conversion of our Series C Convertible Preferred Stock, or Series A Preferred Stock for any reason. The sales of significant amounts of our common stock, or the perception that this may occur, could result in a decline of the price of our common stock.
The market price of our common stock may be subject to significant fluctuations.
The market price of our common stock may be subject to significant fluctuations as a result of many factors, some of which are beyond our control. Among the factors that could affect our stock price are:
| • | actual or anticipated fluctuations in quarterly and annual variations in our results of operations; |
| • | changes in market valuations or sales or earnings estimates or publication of research reports by analysts; |
| • | changes in earnings estimates or shortfalls in our operating results from levels forecasted by securities analysts; |
| • | speculation in the press or investment community about our business or the shipping industry, and the product and crude oil tanker sector in particular; |
| • | changes in market valuations of similar companies and stock market price and volume fluctuations generally; |
| • | payment of dividends; |
| • | strategic actions by us or our competitors such as mergers, acquisitions, joint ventures, strategic alliances or restructurings; |
| • | changes in government and other regulatory developments; |
| • | additions or departures of key personnel; |
| • | general market conditions and the state of the securities markets; and |
| • | domestic and international economic, market and currency factors unrelated to our performance. |
The international tanker and drybulk shipping industry has been highly unpredictable. In addition, the stock markets in general, and the markets for tanker and drybulk shipping and shipping stocks in general, have experienced extreme volatility that has sometimes been unrelated to the operating performance of particular companies. These broad market fluctuations may adversely affect the trading price of our common stock. Our common stock may trade at prices lower than you originally paid for such shares.
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We may fail to meet the Nasdaq continuous listing criteria and Nasdaq may delist our common stock from its exchange, which could limit your ability to make transactions in our securities and subject us to additional trading restrictions.
We received written notification from Nasdaq, dated June 17, 2022, indicating that because the closing bid price of our common stock for 30 consecutive business days, from May 5, 2022 to June 16, 2022, was below the minimum $1.00 per share bid price requirement for continued listing on the Nasdaq Capital Market, the Company was not in compliance with the minimum bid price requirement of Nasdaq Listing Rule 5550(a)(2) (the “Nasdaq Minimum Price Requirement”). In December 2022, we received formal notification from the Listing Qualification Department of the Nasdaq Stock Market that we had been granted an additional 180-day compliance period, or until June 12, 2023, to regain compliance with the minimum $1.00 bid price per share requirement. If at any time until June 12, 2023, the bid price of our common stock closes at or above $1.00 per share for a minimum of 10 consecutive trading days, we will regain compliance, and the matter will be closed. We intend to continue to monitor our share price and seek to cure the deficiency during the additional compliance period, including by effecting a reverse stock split, if necessary.
We may be unable to meet the minimum bid price requirement within the additional 180-day period, we may be unable to complete a reverse stock split, if necessary, and we may be unable to meet other applicable Nasdaq listing requirements, including maintaining minimum levels of stockholders’ equity or market values of our common stock, in which case our common stock could be delisted. If our common stock were to be delisted, the liquidity of our common stock would be adversely affected, and the market price of our common stock could decrease. In addition, the delisting of our common stock from a national exchange would have a material adverse effect on our access to capital markets, and any limitation on market liquidity or reduction in the price of our common stock as a result of that delisting could materially adversely affect our ability to raise capital on terms acceptable to us, or at all.
As the trading price of our common stock and the trading price of the securities of companies involved in the shipping industry continue to experience volatility, we cannot guarantee that we will continue to be compliant with the applicable Nasdaq continuous listing requirements. To the extent that we were to fall out of compliance with these Nasdaq requirements in the future, we intend to take any additional steps necessary to regain compliance, including but not limited to, conducting a reverse stock split.
If we are unable to regain compliance, our common stock may be suspended or delisted at the discretion of Nasdaq. If a suspension or delisting of our common stock were to occur, there would be significantly less liquidity in the suspended or delisted common stock. In addition, our ability to raise additional capital through equity or debt financing would be greatly impaired. There can be no assurance that we will regain compliance with the minimum bid price requirement and, if we regain compliance, there can be no assurance that we will maintain compliance in the future.
You may experience future dilution as a result of future equity offerings and other issuances of our common stock, preferred stock or other securities, including upon conversion of our Series C Convertible Preferred Stock. In addition, we may elect to sell one or more of our vessels or vessel-owning subsidiaries, conduct a spinoff of such vessels or subsidiaries, or contribute such vessels or vessel-owning subsidiaries to a joint venture, master limited partnership or other entity on terms with which you do not agree.
In order to raise additional capital, including to support our growth plans, or in connection with equity awards, strategic transactions or otherwise, we expect in the future to offer additional common stock, preferred stock or other securities convertible into or exchangeable for our common stock, including convertible debt. We expect that a significant component of the financing for the planned expansion of our fleet will be through equity offerings. We cannot predict the size of future issuances or sales of our common stock, preferred stock or other securities, including those made in connection with future capital raising activities or acquisitions, or the effect, if any, that such issuances or sales may have on the market price of our common stock. The issuance and sale of substantial amounts of common stock, preferred stock or other equity-linked securities, or announcement that such issuance and sales may occur, could adversely affect the market price of our common stock and our Series A Preferred Stock. In addition, we cannot assure you that we will be able to make future sales of our common stock, preferred stock or other securities in any other offering at a price per share that is equal to or greater than the price per share paid by investors, and investors purchasing stocks or other securities in the future could have rights that are superior to existing stockholders. In addition, our Series C Convertible Preferred Stock is convertible at a conversion price equal to the lower of (i) $0.50 and (ii) the VWAP of our common stock over the 10 consecutive trading day period expiring on the trading day immediately prior to the date of delivery of written notice of the conversion; provided, that, in no event shall the conversion price be less than $0.10, which may result in the issuance of common stock upon conversion of such preferred stock at an effective price lower than the price per share paid by other investors. The issuance of additional common stock, preferred stock or other securities could adversely impact the trading price of our common stock.
Any such capital raising transactions may be at the Imperial Petroleum Inc. or subsidiary level, to which interests in certain vessels in our fleet and rights to receive related cash flows would be transferred, as well as other capital raising alternatives available to us at that particular time. In addition, we may elect to sell one or more of our vessels or vessel-owning subsidiaries, conduct a spinoff of such vessels or subsidiaries, or contribute such vessels or vessel-owning subsidiaries to a joint venture, master limited partnership or other entity on terms with which you do not agree. Any such transfer may reduce our asset base and our rights to cash flows related to the transferred assets. If we contribute assets to a joint venture or master limited partnership, the joint venture or master limited partnership may be owned by or issue equity securities to public or private investors, and as part of any spin-off of assets we may be required to distribute a portion of such assets to holders of outstanding warrants pursuant to the terms of such warrants, thereby reducing our percentage interest in such assets and in the related cash flows.
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Future issuances or sales, or the potential for future issuances or sales, of our common stock may cause the trading price of our securities to decline and could impair our ability to raise capital through subsequent equity offerings.
We have issued a significant number of our shares of common stock and we may do so in the future. Shares to be issued in future equity offerings could cause the market price of our common stock to decline, and could have an adverse effect on our earnings per share. In addition, future sales of our common stock or other securities in the public markets, or the perception that these sales may occur, could cause the market price of our common stock to decline, and could materially impair our ability to raise capital through the sale of additional securities.
The market price of our common stock could decline due to sales, or the announcements of proposed sales, of a large number of shares of common stock in the market, including sales of common stock by our large stockholders, or the perception that these sales could occur. These sales or the perception that these sales could occur could also depress the market price of our common stock and impair our ability to raise capital through the sale of additional equity securities or make it more difficult or impossible for us to sell equity securities in the future at a time and price that we deem appropriate. We cannot predict the effect that future sales of common stock or other equity-related securities would have on the market price of our common stock.
Our Restated Articles of Incorporation, as amended, authorizes our Board, to, among other things, issue additional shares of common or preferred stock or securities convertible or exchangeable into equity securities, without stockholder approval. We may issue such additional equity or convertible securities to raise additional capital.
The issuance of any additional shares of common or preferred stock or convertible securities could be substantially dilutive to our stockholders. Moreover, to the extent that we issue restricted stock units, stock appreciation rights, options or warrants to purchase our common stock in the future and those stock appreciation rights, options or warrants are exercised or as the restricted stock units vest, our stockholders may experience further dilution. Holders of shares of our common stock have no preemptive rights that entitle such holders to purchase their pro rata share of any offering of shares of any class or series and, therefore, such sales or offerings could result in increased dilution to our stockholders.
The superior voting rights of our Series B Preferred Stock may limit the ability of our common stockholders to control or influence corporate matters, and the interests of the holder of such shares could conflict with the interests of common stockholders
While our shares of common stock have one vote per share, each of our 16,000 shares of Series B preferred stock currently outstanding has 25,000 votes per share; however, the voting power of the Series B preferred stock is limited such that no holder of Series B preferred stock may exercise voting rights pursuant to any Series B preferred stock that would result in the total number of votes a holder is entitled to vote on any matter submitted to a vote of stockholders of the Company to exceed 49.99% of the total number of votes eligible to be cast on such matter. The Series B preferred stock, however, have no dividend rights or distribution rights, other than the right upon dissolution to receive a payment equal to the par value per of $0.01 per share.
As of the date of this report, our Chairman and Chief Executive Officer can therefore control 49.99% of the voting power of our outstanding capital stock. Our Chairman and Chief Executive Officer will have substantial influence over our management and affairs and over matters requiring stockholder approval, including the election of directors and significant corporate transactions, even though he owns significantly less than 50% of the Company economically.
The superior voting rights of our Series B preferred stock may limit our common stockholders’ ability to influence corporate matters. The interests of the holder of the Series B preferred stock may conflict with the interests of our common stockholders, and as a result, the holders of our capital stock may approve actions that our common stockholders do not view as beneficial. Any such conflicts of interest could adversely affect our business, financial condition and results of operations, and the trading price of our common stock.
Our amended and restated articles of incorporation and amended and restated bylaws contain anti-takeover provisions that may discourage, delay or prevent (1) our merger or acquisition and/or (2) the removal of incumbent directors and officers and (3) the ability of public stockholders to benefit from a change in control.
Our restated articles of incorporation and amended and restated bylaws contain certain anti-takeover provisions. These provisions include blank check preferred stock, including preferred stock with superior voting rights, such as the Series B preferred stock, the prohibition of cumulative voting in the election of directors, a classified Board of Directors, advance written notice for stockholder nominations for directors, removal of directors only for cause, advance written notice of stockholder proposals for the removal of directors and limitations on action by stockholders. These anti-takeover provisions, either individually or in the aggregate,
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may discourage, delay or prevent (1) our merger or acquisition by means of a tender offer, a proxy contest or otherwise, that a stockholder may consider in its best interest, (2) the removal of incumbent directors and officers, and (3) the ability of public stockholders to benefit from a change in control. These anti-takeover provisions could substantially impede the ability of stockholders to benefit from a change in control and, as a result, may adversely affect the market price of our common stock and stockholders’ ability to realize any potential change of control premium.
Issuance of preferred stock, such as our Series B preferred stock, may adversely affect the voting power of our common stockholders and have the effect of discouraging, delaying or preventing a merger or acquisition, which could adversely affect the market price of our common stock.
Our restated articles of incorporation authorize our board of directors to issue preferred stock in one or more series and to determine the rights, preferences, privileges and restrictions, with respect to, among other things, dividends, conversion, voting, redemption, liquidation and the number of shares constituting any series without stockholders’ approval. Our board of directors has issued, and may in the future issue, preferred stock with voting rights superior to those of the common stock, such as the Series B preferred stock. If our board of directors determines to issue preferred stock, such issuance may discourage, delay or prevent a merger or acquisition that stockholders may consider favorable. The issuance of preferred stock with voting and conversion rights may also adversely affect the voting power of the holders of common stock. This could substantially impede the ability of public stockholders to benefit from a change in control and, as a result, may adversely affect the market price of our common stock and our stockholders’ ability to realize any potential change of control premium.
We are an emerging growth company and we cannot be certain if the reduced disclosure requirements applicable to emerging growth companies will make our common stock less attractive to investors.
We are an emerging growth company, as defined in the JOBS Act, and we may take advantage of certain exemptions from various reporting requirements that are applicable to other public companies that are not emerging growth companies. We cannot predict if investors will find our common stock less attractive because we may rely on these exemptions. If some investors find our common stock less attractive as a result, there may be a less active trading market for our common stock and our share price may be more volatile.
In addition, under the JOBS Act, our independent registered public accounting firm will not be required to attest to the effectiveness of our internal control over financial reporting pursuant to Section 404 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 for so long as we are an emerging growth company.
For as long as we take advantage of the reduced reporting obligations, the information that we provide our stockholders may be different from information provided by other public companies.
Our common stock ranks junior to the Series A Preferred Stock and Series C Preferred Stock with respect to dividends and amounts payable in the event of our liquidation.
Our common stock ranks junior to our Series A Preferred Stock and Series C Preferred Stock with respect to the payment of dividends and amounts payable in the event of our liquidation, dissolution or winding-up. This means that, unless accumulated dividends have been paid or set aside for payment on all of our outstanding Series A Preferred Stock and Series C Preferred Stock for all past completed dividend periods, no dividends may be declared or paid on our common stock subject to limited exceptions. Likewise, in the event of our voluntary or involuntary liquidation, dissolution or winding-up, no distribution of our assets may be made to holders of our common stock until we have paid to holders of our Series A Preferred Stock a liquidation preference equal to $25.00 per share plus accumulated and unpaid dividends and to holders of our Series C Preferred Stock a liquidation preference equal to $1,000 per share. Accordingly, the Series A Preferred Stock and Series C Preferred Stock may adversely affect the market price of the common stock.
Sales of our common stock by stockholders may have an adverse effect on the then prevailing market price of our common stock.
Sales of a substantial number of our common stock in the public market, including upon exercise of our outstanding warrants or conversion of our Series C Convertible Preferred Stock, could cause the market price of our common stock to decline and could impair our ability to raise capital through the sale of additional equity securities. We cannot predict the effect that future sales of our common stock or other equity-related securities would have on the market price of our common stock.
Our Class A Warrants, Class B Warrants, Class C Warrants and Class D Warrants are speculative in nature.
Our Class A Warrants, Class B Warrants, Class C Warrants and Class D Warrants do not confer any rights of common stock ownership on their holders, such as voting rights or the right to receive dividends, but rather merely represent the right to acquire common stock at a fixed price. Specifically, holders of the Class A Warrants may acquire the common stock issuable upon the
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exercise of such warrants at an exercise price of $1.25 per share, holders of the Class B Warrants may acquire the common stock issuable upon the exercise of such warrants at an exercise price of $1.60 per share, holders of Class C Warrants may acquire the common stock issuable upon the exercise of such warrants at an exercise price of $0.55 per share, and holders of Class D Warrants may acquire the common stock issuable upon the exercise of such warrants at an exercise price of $0.80 per share. Moreover, the market value of the Class A Warrants, Class B Warrants, Class C Warrants and Class D Warrants is uncertain and there can be no assurance that the market value of the Class A Warrants, Class B Warrants, Class C Warrants and Class D Warrants will equal or exceed their public offering price.
There is no public market for the Class A Warrants, Class B Warrants, Class C Warrants or Class D Warrants and we do not expect one to develop.
There is presently no established public trading market for our Class A Warrants, Class B Warrants, Class C Warrants or Class D Warrants and we do not expect a market to develop. In addition, we do not intend to apply to list our Class A Warrants, Class B Warrants, Class C Warrants or Class D Warrants on any securities exchange or nationally recognized trading system, including the Nasdaq. Without an active market, the liquidity of our Class A Warrants, Class B Warrants, Class C Warrants and Class D Warrants will be limited.
Holders of our Class A Warrants, Class B Warrants, Class C Warrants and Class D Warrants will not have any rights of common stockholders until such Class A Warrants, Class B Warrants, Class C Warrants and Class D Warrants are exercised.
Our outstanding Class A Warrants, Class B Warrants, Class C Warrants and Class D Warrants do not confer any rights of common stock ownership on their holders, such as voting rights, but rather merely represent the right to acquire common stock at a fixed price.
Risks Related to our Series A Preferred Stock
The Series A Preferred Stock are a new issuance and do not have an established trading market, which may negatively affect their market value and your ability to transfer or sell your shares. An active trading market that will provide you with adequate liquidity for our Series A Preferred Stock may not develop. In addition, the lack of a fixed redemption date for our Series A Preferred Stock will increase your reliance on the secondary market for liquidity purposes.
There was no public market for our Series A Preferred Stock prior to the completion of the Spin-Off in December 2021, and immediately after the Spin-Off approximately 21.6% of our Series A Preferred Stock were held by one stockholder and an aggregate of 73.1% of our Series A Preferred Stock were held by seven separate stockholders that are not affiliated with one another, which concentration of ownership could make it less likely that an active and liquid trading market for our Series A Preferred Stock will develop on Nasdaq. In addition, since the securities have no stated maturity date, investors seeking liquidity will be limited to selling their shares in the secondary market absent redemption by us. We cannot predict the extent to which investor interest will lead to the development of an active and liquid trading market on Nasdaq for our Series A Preferred Stock or, if such market develops, whether it will be maintained. The lack of an active trading market on Nasdaq and low trading volume for our Series A Preferred Stock, may make it more difficult for you to sell our Series A Preferred Stock and could lead to our share price becoming depressed or volatile. If an active and liquid trading market does not develop, relatively small sales of our Series A Preferred Stock could have a significant negative impact on the price of our Series A Preferred Stock.
The Series A Preferred Stock represents perpetual equity interests.
The Series A Preferred Stock represents perpetual equity interests in us and, unlike our indebtedness, will not give rise to a claim for payment of a principal amount at a particular date. As a result, holders of the Series A Preferred Stock may be required to bear the financial risks of an investment in the Series A Preferred Stock for an indefinite period of time. In addition, the Series A Preferred Stock ranks junior to all our indebtedness and other liabilities, and to any other senior securities we may issue in the future with respect to assets available to satisfy claims against us.
The shares of our Series A Preferred Stock are subordinated to our debt, and your interests could be diluted by the issuance of additional preferred shares and by other transactions.
Our Series A Preferred Stock are subordinate to all of our existing and future indebtedness. As of December 31, 2022, we had $70.0 million of indebtedness net of arrangement fees. The agreements for this indebtedness restrict our ability to pay dividends on or redeem preferred shares if an event of default has occurred or is continuing. Our future indebtedness may impose similar or greater restrictions on our ability to pay dividends or redeem our preferred shares. Our articles of incorporation authorize the issuance of up to 200,000,000 preferred shares in one or more classes or series. The issuance of additional preferred shares on a parity with or senior to our Series A Preferred Stock would dilute the interests of the holders of our Series A Preferred Stock, and any issuance of preferred shares senior to our Series A Preferred Stock or of additional indebtedness could affect our ability to pay dividends on, redeem or pay the liquidation preference on our Series A Preferred Stock.
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The amount of the liquidation preference applicable to the Series A Preferred Stock is fixed and you have no right to receive any greater payment.
The payment due upon liquidation is fixed at the liquidation preference of $25.00 per Series A Preferred Share, plus an amount equal to all accumulated and unpaid dividends thereon to the date of liquidation, whether or not declared. If, in the case of our liquidation, there are remaining assets to be distributed after payment of this amount, you have no right to receive or to participate in these amounts. In addition, if the market price of your Series A Preferred Stock is greater than the liquidation preference, you have no right to receive the market price from us upon our liquidation.
The terms of the Series A Preferred Stock do not restrict our ability to engage in certain transactions, including spin-offs, transfers of assets or the formation of a master limited partnership, joint venture or other entity that may involve issuance of interests to third-parties in a substantial portion of our assets.
Although the Statement of Designation with respect to the Series A Preferred Stock contains restrictions on our ability to dilute the value of your investment in the Series A Preferred Stock by issuing additional preferred shares ranking senior to the Series A Preferred Stock, we may engage in other transactions that will result in a transfer of value to third parties. We may elect to sell one or more of our vessels or vessel-owning subsidiaries, conduct a spin-off of such vessels or subsidiaries, or contribute such vessels or vessel-owning subsidiaries to a joint venture, master limited partnership or other entity on terms with which you do not agree or that are not in the best interests of the holders of Series A Preferred Stock. Any such transfer may reduce our asset base and our rights to cash flows related to the transferred assets. If we contribute assets to a joint venture or master limited partnership, the joint venture or master limited partnership may be owned by or issue equity securities to public or private investors, thereby reducing our percentage interest in such assets and in the related cash flows.
| Item 4. | Information on the Company |
A. History and Development of the Company
We are a provider of international seaborne transportation services to oil producers, refineries and commodities traders and producers, as well as industrial users of drybulk cargoes. As of March 28, 2023, we owned and operated a fleet of five medium range (“MR”) refined petroleum product tankers that carry refined petroleum products such as gasoline, diesel, fuel oil and jet fuel, as well as edible oils and chemicals, one aframax tanker and two suezmax tankers that carry crude oil and four handysize drybulk carriers that transport major bulks such as iron ore, coal and grains, and minor bulks such as bauxite, phosphate and fertilizers. The total cargo carrying capacity of our ten-vessel fleet is 807,804 dwt. We are managed by Stealth Maritime, a privately owned company controlled by the Vafias Group, which has been active in shipping for over 50 years and is controlled by the Vafias family, of which Harry Vafias, our Chief Executive Officer, is a member.
Imperial Petroleum Inc. was incorporated under the laws of the Republic of the Marshall Islands on May 14, 2021, by StealthGas Inc. to serve as the holding company of four subsidiaries, each owning one of the tanker vessels in our initial fleet, that it subsequently contributed to us in connection with the Spin-Off. On December 3, 2021, StealthGas distributed all of our outstanding common stock and 8.75% Series A Cumulative Redeemable Perpetual Preferred Stock to its stockholders, which completed our separation from StealthGas. Upon consummation of the Spin-Off, the Company and StealthGas became independent publicly traded companies with separate boards of directors and management, although some of the directors and officers of the Company hold similar positions at StealthGas. Our common stock currently trade on the Nasdaq Capital Market under the symbol “IMPP” and our Series A Preferred Stock currently trade on the Nasdaq Capital Market under the symbol “IMPPP.”
On February 2, 2022, we completed an underwritten public offering of 11,040,000 units for $1.25 per unit, each unit consisting of (i) one share of common stock of the Company and (ii) one Class A Warrant (a “Class A Warrant”) to purchase one share of common stock at an exercise price of $1.25 per share. We also issued 552,000 underwriter warrants to the representative of the underwriters to purchase up to an aggregate of 552,000 shares of common stock at an exercise price of $1.375 per share. As of March 28, 2023, an aggregate of 10,997,000 Class A Warrants had been exercised for 10,997,000 of our common stock, resulting in proceeds to us of $13,746,250. A total of 43,000 Class A Warrants, with an exercise price of $1.25 per share, remained outstanding as of March 28, 2023.
In March 2022, we completed an underwritten public offering, including the full exercise of the underwriter’s overallotment option, of 43,124,950 units for $1.60 per unit, each unit consisting of (i) one share of common stock of the Company (or pre-funded warrants, all of which were subsequently exercised for common stock, in the case of 3,900,000 units) and (ii) one Class B Warrant
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(a “Class B Warrant”) to purchase one share of common stock at an exercise price of $1.60 per share. We also issued 1,724,998 underwriter warrants to the representative of the underwriters to purchase up to an aggregate of 1,724,998 shares of Common stock at an exercise price of $2.00 per share. As of March 28, 2023, an aggregate of 31,322,950 Class B Warrants had been exercised for 31,322,950 shares of our common stock, resulting in gross proceeds to us of $22,081,720. A total of 11,802,000 Class B Warrants, with an exercise of $1.60 per share, remained outstanding as of March 28, 2023.
In May 2022, we completed an underwritten public offering, including the full exercise of the underwriter’s overallotment option, of 83,636,362 units for $0.55 per unit, each unit consisting of (i) one share of common stock of the Company and (ii) one Class C Warrant to purchase one share of common stock at an exercise price of $0.55 per share. The Company also issued 2,090,909 warrants to the representative of the underwriters (the “May 2022 Representative Purchase Warrants”) to purchase up to an aggregate of 2,090,909 share of common stock at an exercise price of $0.6875 per share. As of March 28, 2023, an aggregate of 5,357,500 Class C Warrants had been exercised for 5,357,500 shares of our common stock, resulting in gross proceeds to us of $2,946,625. A total of 78,278,862 Class C Warrants, with an exercise of $0.55 per share, remained outstanding as of March 28, 2023.
In June 2022, several existing holders of Class B Warrants exercised 31,150,000 outstanding Class B Warrants to purchase an aggregate of 31,150,000 shares of Common Stock for cash, at an exercise price reduced by the Company from $1.60 per share to $0.70 per share, resulting in gross proceeds to us of $21.8 million, and net proceeds of approximately $20.9 million. The exercising holders also received an aggregate of 31,150,000 Class D Warrants to purchase up to an aggregate of 31,150,000 shares of Common Stock in a private placement pursuant to Section 4(a)(2) of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended.
Under our at-the-market (“ATM”) program with Maxim Group LLC and Virtu Americas LLC, which we entered into in December 2022 and terminated on March 13, 2023, we sold 50,780,137 shares of common stock for net proceeds of $12.4 million.
On February 14, 2023, we entered into agreements to acquire two handysize drybulk carriers, built in Japan at Nakai Zosen in 2012 and at Shin Kurushima Onishi in 2013 respectively, with an aggregate capacity of approximately 71,000 dwt, from entities affiliated with our Chief Executive Officer, for aggregate cash consideration of $25.5 million and 13,875 shares of Series C Cumulative Convertible Perpetual Preferred Stock (the “Series C Convertible Preferred Stock”). The transactions closed upon delivery to us of the vessels in March 2023, including the issuance of the Series C Convertible Preferred Stock. The Series C Convertible Preferred Stock has a dividend rate of 5.00% per annum per $1,000 liquidation preference per share, which is payable in cash or additional shares of Series C Convertible Preferred Stock at the Company’s election, and is convertible, at the holder’s option, after the six-month anniversary of issuance into shares of the Company’s common stock at a conversion price equal to the lower of $0.50 and the ten-day volume weighted average price of the common stock. See “Item 10. Additional Information. A. Share Capital-Description of Series C Convertible Preferred Stock.”
Our principal executive offices are located at 331 Kifissias Avenue, Erithrea 14561 Athens, Greece. Our telephone number from the United States is 011 30 210 625 0001. Our website address is www.imperialpetro.com. The information contained on or linked to from our website is not incorporated herein by reference.
Our company operates through a number of subsidiaries which directly own the vessels in our fleet. A list of our subsidiaries, including their respective jurisdiction of incorporation, as of March 28, 2023, all of which are wholly-owned by us other is set forth in Exhibit 8 to this Annual Report on Form 20-F.
B. Business Overview
Our fleet consists of (1) five MR refined petroleum product tankers that carry refined petroleum products such as gasoline, diesel, fuel oil and jet fuel, as well as edible oils and chemicals, (2) one aframax tanker and two suezmax tankers that carry crude oil and (3) four handysize drybulk carriers that transport major bulks such as iron ore, coal and grains, and minor bulks such as bauxite, phosphate and fertilizers. The total cargo carrying capacity of our 12-vessel fleet is 807,804 dwt. Please see information in the section “Our Fleet”, below. During 2020, 2021 and 2022, our fleet (owned by StealthGas until December 2, 2021) had a fleet operational utilization of 95.7%, 90.5% and 84.8%, respectively, and we generated voyage revenues of $20.3 million, $17.4 million and $97.0 million, respectively.
Our business strategy is focused on providing consistent stockholder returns by carefully selecting the timing and the structure of our investments in vessels and by reliably, safely and competitively operating the vessels we own, through our affiliate, Stealth Maritime.
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Our Fleet
As of March 28, 2023, the profile and deployment of our fleet is the following:
| Name | Year Built |
Country Built |
Vessel Size (dwt) |
Vessel Type |
Employment Status |
Daily Charter Rate |
Expiration of Charter(1) |
|||||||||||||||||||||
| Tankers |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Magic Wand |
2008 | Korea | 47,000 | MR product tanker | Time Charter | $ | 14,500 | May 2023 | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Clean Thrasher |
2008 | Korea | 47,000 | MR product tanker | Spot | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Clean Sanctuary (ex. Falcon Maryam) |
2009 | Korea | 46,000 | MR product tanker | Spot | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Stealth Berana |
2010 | Korea | 115,804 | Aframax oil tanker | Spot | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Clean Nirvana |
2008 | Korea | 50,000 | MR product tanker | Spot | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Clean Justice |
2011 | Japan | 47,000 | MR product tanker | Spot | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Suez Enchanted |
2007 | Korea | 160,000 | Suezmax tanker | Spot | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Suez Protopia |
2008 | Korea | 160,000 | Suezmax tanker | Spot | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Drybulk Carriers |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Eco Wildfire |
2013 | Japan | 33,000 | Handysize drybulk | Spot | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Glorieuse |
2012 | Japan | 38,000 | Handysize drybulk | Spot | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Eco Bushfire |
2011 | Japan | 32,000 | Handysize drybulk | Time Charter | $ | 11,000 | April 2023 | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Eco Angelbay |
2009 | Japan | 32,000 | Handysize drybulk | Time Charter | $ | 12,000 | April 2023 | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Fleet Total |
807,804 dwt | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| (1) | Earliest date charters could expire. |
We intend to take advantage of the cyclical nature of the market by buying and selling ships when we believe favorable opportunities exist. We will deploy our fleet on a mix of period charters, including time and bareboat charters which can last up to twelve years, and spot market charters, which generally last from one to six months, according to our assessment of market conditions.
We refer you to the risk factor entitled “The market values of our vessels are volatile, and may remain at relatively low levels for a prolonged period and over time may fluctuate significantly. When the market values of our vessels are low, we may incur a loss on sale of a vessel or record an impairment charge, which may adversely affect our profitability and possibly lead to defaults under our loan agreements” and the discussion in the section of this annual report entitled “Item 3. Key Information—Risk Factors – Industry Risk Factors”.
Commercial and Technical Management of Our Fleet
We have entered into a management agreement with Stealth Maritime, pursuant to which Stealth Maritime provides us with technical, administrative, commercial and certain other services. Stealth Maritime is a leading ship-management company based in Greece, established in 1999 in order to provide shipping companies with a range of services. Our manager’s safety management system is ISM certified in compliance with IMO’s regulations by Lloyd’s Register. In relation to the technical services, Stealth Maritime is responsible for arranging for the crewing of the vessels, the day to day operations, inspections and vetting, maintenance, repairs, drydocking and insurance. Administrative functions include, but are not limited to accounting, back-office, reporting, legal and secretarial services. In addition, Stealth Maritime provides services for the chartering of our vessels and monitoring thereof, freight collection, and sale and purchase. For our drybulk vessels, Stealth Maritime subcontracts these services to its affiliate Brave Maritime.
Under our management agreement with Stealth Maritime, which we entered into in conjunction with the Spin-Off, we pay Stealth Maritime a fixed management fee of $440 per vessel operating under a voyage or time charter per day on a monthly basis in advance, pro-rated for the calendar days we own the vessels. We pay a fixed fee of $125 per vessel per day for each of our vessels operating on bareboat charter. We are also obligated to pay Stealth Maritime a fee equal to 1.25% of the gross freight, demurrage and charter hire collected from the employment of our vessels. Stealth Maritime will also earn a fee equal to 1.0% of the contract price of any vessel bought or sold by them on our behalf.
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The initial term of our management agreement with Stealth Maritime will expire on December 31, 2025. Unless six months’ notice of non-renewal is given by either party prior to the end of the then current term, this agreement will automatically extend for additional 12-month periods.
For additional information about the management agreement, including the calculation of management fees and termination provisions, see “Item. 7. Major Stockholders and Related Party Transactions—B. Related Party Transactions—Management and Other Fees.”
Crewing and Employees
Stealth Maritime ensures that all seamen have the qualifications and licenses required to comply with international regulations and shipping conventions, and that our vessels employ experienced and competent personnel. In 2021 and 2022, Hellenic Manning Overseas Inc, formerly known as Navis Maritime Services Inc., based in Manila, was responsible for providing the crewing of our fleet, under Stealth Maritime’s technical management (excluding our Aframax tanker for which crew management is provided by Bernard Schulte Management and one of our product tankers for which Bernard Schulte was the crew manager up to the first quarter of 2023), to the extent that these vessels were not deployed on bareboat charters. These responsibilities include training, compensation, transportation and additional insurance of the crew.
Chartering of the Fleet
We, through Stealth Maritime, manage the employment of our fleet. We deploy our tankers and drybulk carriers on period charters, including time and bareboat charters that can last up to several years, and spot market charters along with short-term time charters, which generally last from one to twelve months, subject to market conditions. Time and bareboat charters are for a fixed period of time, but could also occasionally include optional periods giving charterers the right to extend the charter. A voyage charter is generally a contract to carry a specific cargo from a loading port to a discharging port for an agreed-upon total charge. Under voyage charters we pay for voyage expenses such as port, canal and fuel costs. Under a time charter the charterer pays for voyage expenses while under a bareboat charter the charterer pays for voyage expenses and operating expenses such as crewing, supplies, maintenance and repairs including special survey and drydocking costs.
Vessels operating in the spot market generate revenues that are less predictable but may enable us to capture increased profit margins during periods of improvements in tanker charter rates, although we are then exposed to the risk of declining tanker charter rates. Typically, spot market charters can last from a few days up to two months. If we commit vessels to period charters, future spot market rates may be higher or lower than those rates at which we have period chartered our vessels.
In formulating our chartering strategy, we evaluate past, present and future performance of the freight markets and balance the mix of our chartering arrangements in order to achieve optimal results for the fleet. As of March 28, 2023, we had one of our tankers under time charter employment expiring in May 2023 and two handysize drybulk carriers under time charter employment expiring in April 2023, respectively, and nine vessels operating in the spot market.
Our vessels trade globally. Some of the areas where we usually operate are the Middle East-Far East range, the Mediterranean, North West Europe range, Africa, USA and Latin America. As freight rates usually vary between these areas as well as voyage and operating expenses, we evaluate such parameters when positioning our vessels for new employment.
Customers
Our assessment of a charterer’s financial condition and reliability is an important factor in negotiating employment for our vessels. Principal charterers for our tankers include national, major and other independent energy companies and energy traders, and industrial users of those products. Principal charterers for our drybulk carriers include drybulk charterers, including major national and private industrial users, commodity producers and traders. For the years ended December 31, 2020, 2021 and 2022, we had four, four and two customers account for 80.9%, 60.7% and 33.4%, respectively, of our total revenues. In addition, any vessels under bareboat charter may be sub-chartered to third parties.
The average age of our tankers is above the average age of the global tanker fleet and the average age of our drybulk carriers is only somewhat lower than the average date of the global drybulk carrier fleet, and as our vessels age we may have difficulty competing with younger, more technologically advanced tankers for charters from oil majors and other top-tier charterers and more technologically advanced drybulk carriers for charters from major industrial users, commodity producers and traders and other top-tier charterers. In these circumstances, we may also be forced to charter our vessels to less creditworthy charterers, either because the oil majors, industrial users and commodity producers and traders and other top tier charters will not charter older and less technologically advanced vessels or will only charter such vessels at lower contracted charter rates than we are able to obtain from other charterers.
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Dry-BMS (RightShip Standards)
This program is designed to allow ship managers to measure their SMS against agreed industry standards, with the aim of improving fleet performance and risk management. This will ensure that policies align with the industry’s best practice to both advance our vessels’ performance and attain high standards of health, safety, security and pollution prevention. The draft guidelines focus on 30 areas of management practice across the four most serious risk areas faced in vessel operations: performance, people, plant and process. This grades the excellence of a company’s SMS against measurable expectations and targets without involving the burdens of excessive inspections. This standard is not meant to replace any pre-existing system or rule but rather to enhance their existing application and raise the levels of excellence achieved. The minimum benefits of this venture would (a) cover all relevant ship management issues in one document, (b) be relevant to the entire dry bulk shipping industry worldwide, (c) complement other statutory requirements and industry guidance and (d) be frequently evaluated to drive continuous improvement across the management companies on an international level.
Environmental and other Regulations
Government regulations significantly affect the ownership and operation of our vessels. They are subject to international conventions and national, state and local laws and regulations in force in the countries in which they may operate or are registered.
A variety of governmental and private entities subject our vessels to both scheduled and unscheduled inspections. These entities include the local port authorities (United States Coast Guard, harbor master or equivalent), classification societies, flag state administration (country of registry), charterers and particularly terminal operators. Certain of these entities require us to obtain permits, licenses, certificates and financial assurances for the operation of our vessels. Failure to maintain necessary permits or approvals could require us to incur substantial costs or result in the temporary suspension of operation of one or more of our vessels.
We believe that the heightened level of environmental and quality concerns among insurance underwriters, regulators and charterers is leading to greater inspection and safety requirements on all vessels and may accelerate the scrapping of older vessels throughout the industry. Increasing environmental concerns have created a demand for vessels that conform to the stricter environmental standards. We are required to maintain operating standards for all of our vessels that emphasize operational safety, quality maintenance, continuous training of our officers and crews and compliance with United States and international regulations. We believe that the operation of our vessels is in substantial compliance with applicable environmental laws and regulations. However, because such laws and regulations are frequently changed and may impose increasingly stricter requirements, any future requirements may limit our ability to do business, increase our operating costs, force the early retirement of one or more of our vessels, and/or affect their resale value, all of which could have a material adverse effect on our financial condition and results of operations.
Environmental Regulations—International Maritime Organization (“IMO”)
The IMO, the United Nations agency for maritime safety and the prevention of pollution by ships, has negotiated international conventions relating to pollution by ships. In 1973, IMO adopted the MARPOL, which has been periodically updated with relevant amendments. MARPOL addresses pollution from ships by oil, noxious liquid substances carried in bulk, harmful substances carried by sea in packaged form, sewage, garbage, and air emissions. Our vessels are subject to standards imposed by the IMO.
In September 1997, the IMO adopted MARPOL Annex VI to address air pollution from ships. Effective in May 2005, Annex VI set limits on SOx and nitrogen oxide (“NOx”) emissions from ship exhausts and prohibited deliberate emissions of ozone depleting substances, such as chlorofluorocarbons. Annex VI also included a global cap on the sulfur content of fuel oil and allowed for special areas to be established with more stringent controls on emissions. Options for complying with the requirements of Annex VI include use of low sulfur fuels, modifications to vessel engines, or the addition of post combustion emission controls. Annex VI has been ratified by some, but not all IMO member states. Vessels that are subject to Annex VI must obtain an International Air Pollution Prevention Certificate evidencing compliance with Annex VI.
In October 2008, the IMO adopted amendments to Annex VI, and the United States ratified the Annex VI amendments in October 2008. Beginning in 2011 the amendments required a progressive reduction of sulfur levels in bunker fuels to be phased in by 2020 and imposed more stringent NOx emission standards on marine diesel engines, depending on their date of installation. Since January 1, 2020, the amended Annex VI required that fuel oil contain no more than 0.50% sulfur. It is up to individual parties to
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MARPOL to enforce fines and sanctions, and several major port state regimes have announced plans to do so. We may incur costs to comply with the amended Annex VI requirements. In November 2022, amendments to MARPOL Annex VI adopted by the IMO came into effect. These amendments require ships to improve their energy efficiency with a view to reducing their greenhouse gas emissions, with a particular focus on carbon emissions, both through changes in technical specifications as well as in modifications in vessels’ operational parameters. The U.S. Coast Guard is working to implement the amended provisions of MARPOL Annex VI, chiefly through proposed rule 1625-AC78, which remains at the proposed rule stage since its original publication in October of 2022. The amended MARPOL provisions and the rules proposed by the U.S. Coast Guard to implement them, in addition to any other new or more stringent air emission regulations which may be adopted, could require significant capital expenditures to retrofit vessels and could otherwise increase our investment and operating costs.
As of March 28, 2023, six of our 12 vessels have ballast water treatment systems installed. In 2023, we will be drydocking three MR product tankers, namely the Clean Thrasher, the Magic Wand and the Clean Nirvana, one suezmax tanker, the Suez Protopia, and two drybulk handysize vessels, the Eco Glorieuse and the Eco Wildfire. All of the aforementioned vessels, with the exception of Eco Wildfire which is already has a ballast water treatment system installed, will have ballast water treatment systems installed as part of their drydocking. A MR product tanker, the Clean Sanctuary (ex. Falcon Maryam), is expected to undergo drydocking and have a ballast water treatment system installed in 2024.
More stringent emission standards apply in coastal areas designated by the IMO as SOx Emission Control Areas, or ECAs, such as the Baltic and North Seas, United States (including Hawaii) and Canadian (including the French territories of St. Pierre and Miquelon) coastal areas, and the United States Caribbean Sea (including Puerto Rico and the US Virgin Islands). Similar restrictions apply in Icelandic and inland Chinese waters. Specifically, as of January 1, 2019, China expanded the scope of its Domestic Emission Control Areas to include all coastal waters within 12 nautical miles of the mainland. Vessels operating within an ECA or an area with equivalent standards must use fuel with a sulfur content that does not exceed 0.10%. Additionally, two new NOx ECAs, the Baltic Sea and the North Sea, will be enforced for ships constructed (keel laying) on or after January 1, 2021, or existing ships which replace an engine with “non-identical” engines, or install an “additional” engine. Other ECAs may be designated, and the jurisdictions in which our vessels operate may adopt more stringent emission standards independent of IMO. Effective from January 1, 2022, all vessels entering Korean ports are prohibited from consuming marine fuel with sulfur content exceeding 0.5% cap and are prohibited from consuming marine fuel with sulfur content exceeding 0.1% cap in the SOx ECAs. We have obtained International Air Pollution Prevention Certificates for all of our vessels and believe they are compliant in all material respects with current Annex VI requirements.
Many countries have ratified and follow the liability plan adopted by the IMO and set out in the International Convention on Civil Liability for Oil Pollution Damage of 1969 (the “CLC”) (the United States, with its separate OPA regime described below, is not a party to the CLC). This convention generally applies to vessels that carry oil in bulk as cargo. Under this convention and depending on whether the country in which the damage results is a party to the 1992 Protocol to the CLC, the registered owner of a regulated vessel is strictly liable for pollution damage in the territorial waters or exclusive economic zone of a contracting state caused by the discharge of any oil from the ship, subject to certain defenses. Under an amendment to the 1992 Protocol that became effective on November 1, 2003, for vessels of 5,000 to 140,000 gross tons, liability per incident is limited to 4.51 million Special Drawing Rights (“SDR”) plus 631 SDR for each additional gross ton over 5,000. For a vessel over 140,000 gross tons, liability is limited to 89.77 million SDR. The SDR is an International Monetary Fund unit pegged to a basket of currencies. The right to limit liability under the CLC is forfeited where the spill is caused by the owner’s actual fault and, under the 1992 Protocol, where the spill is caused by the owner’s intentional or reckless conduct. Vessels trading in states that are parties to the CLC must provide evidence of insurance covering the liability of the owner. In jurisdictions where the CLC has not been adopted, various legislative schemes or common law regimes govern, and liability is imposed either on the basis of fault or in a manner similar to that convention. We believe that our protection and indemnity insurance will cover any liability under the CLC.
In 2001, the IMO adopted the International Convention on Civil Liability for Bunker Oil Pollution Damage, or the Bunker Convention, which imposes strict liability on ship owners for pollution damage caused by discharges of bunker oil in jurisdictional waters of ratifying states. The Bunker Convention also requires registered owners of ships over 1,000 gross tons to maintain insurance for pollution damage in an amount equal to the limits of liability under the applicable national or international limitation regime (but not exceeding the amount calculated in accordance with the Convention on Limitation of Liability for Maritime Claims of 1976, as amended). Because the Bunker Convention does not apply to pollution damage governed by the CLC, it applies only to discharges from any of our vessels that are not transporting oil. The Bunker Convention entered into force on November 21, 2008. Liability limits under the Bunker Convention were increased as of June 2015. In jurisdictions where the Bunker Convention has not been adopted, such as the United States, liability for spill or releases of oil from ship’s bunkers typically is determined by national or other domestic laws in the jurisdiction where the events occur.
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Our vessels may also become subject to the International Convention on Liability and Compensation for Damage in Connection with the Carriage of Hazardous and Noxious Substances by Sea adopted in 1996 as amended by the Protocol to the HNS Convention, adopted in April 2010 (2010 HNS Protocol) (collectively, the “2010 HNS Convention”), if it enters into force. The Convention creates a regime of liability and compensation for damage from hazardous and noxious substances (or HNS). The 2010 HNS Convention sets up a two-tier system of compensation composed of compulsory insurance taken out by ship owners and an HNS Fund that will come into play when the insurance is insufficient to satisfy a claim or does not cover the incident. Under the 2010 HNS Convention, if damage is caused by bulk HNS, claims for compensation will first be sought from the ship owner up to a maximum of 100 million SDR. If the damage is caused by packaged HNS or by both bulk and packaged HNS, the maximum liability is 115 million SDR. Once the limit is reached, compensation will be paid from the HNS Fund up to a maximum of 250 million SDR. The 2010 HNS Convention has not been ratified by a sufficient number of countries to enter into force, and at this time we cannot estimate with any certainty the costs of compliance with its requirements should it enter into force.
The IMO adopted the BWM Convention in February 2004. The Convention’s implementing regulations call for a phased introduction of mandatory ballast water exchange requirements, to be replaced in time with mandatory concentration limits. The BWM Convention took effect on September 8, 2017. Many of the implementation dates originally contained in the BWM Convention had already passed prior to its effectiveness, so that the period for installation of mandatory ballast water exchange requirements would be very short, with several thousand ships per year needing to install the systems. Consequently, the IMO Assembly passed a resolution in December 2013 revising the dates for implementation of the ballast water management requirements so that they are triggered by the entry into force date. In effect, this makes all vessels constructed before September 8, 2017 “existing” vessels, allowing for the installation of ballast water management systems on such vessels at the first renewal International Oil Pollution Prevention (“IOPP”) survey following entry into force of the BWM Convention. In July 2017, the implementation scheme was further changed to require vessels with IOPP certificates expiring between September 8, 2017 and September 8, 2019 to comply at their second IOPP renewal. All ships must have installed a ballast water treatment system by September 8, 2024. Each vessel in our current fleet has been issued or will be issued a ballast water management plan Statement of Compliance by the classification society with respect to the applicable IMO regulations and guidelines. The cost of compliance could increase for our vessels as a result of these requirements, although it is difficult to predict the overall impact of such a requirement on our operations.
The operation of our vessels is also affected by the requirements set forth in the ISM Code of the IMO. The ISM Code requires ship owners and bareboat charterers to develop and maintain an extensive SMS that includes the adoption of a safety and environmental protection policy setting forth instructions and procedures for safe operation and describing procedures for dealing with emergencies. Vessel operators must obtain a “Safety Management Certificate” from the government of the vessel’s flag state to verify that it is being operated in compliance with its approved SMS. The failure of a ship owner or bareboat charterer to comply with the ISM Code may subject such party to increased liability, decrease available insurance coverage for the affected vessels and result in a denial of access to, or detention in, certain ports. Currently, each of the vessels in our fleet is ISM code-certified. However, there can be no assurance that such certification will be maintained indefinitely.
The operations of our product tankers are subject to compliance with the IMO’s International Code for the Construction and Equipment of Ships carrying Dangerous Chemicals in Bulk (“IBC Code”) for chemical tankers built after July 1, 1986. The IBC Code includes ship design, construction and equipment requirements and other standards for the bulk transport of certain liquid chemicals. Amendments to the IBC Code pertaining to revised international certificates of fitness for the carriage of dangerous goods entered into force in June 2014, and additional requirements regarding stability, tank purging, venting and inerting requirements entered into force in January 2016. Further amendments to the IBC Code entered into force on January 1, 2021 including revisions to carriage requirements for products. Moreover, on June 10, 2022, the IMO adopted additional amendments to the IBC Code to reduce flooding risks. These amendments are expected to enter into force on July 1, 2024. We may need to make certain expenditures to comply with these amendments.
Environmental Regulations—The United States Oil Pollution Act of 1990 (“OPA”) and the U.S. Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (“CERCLA”)
The United States Oil Pollution Act of 1990, or OPA, established an extensive regulatory and liability regime for the protection and cleanup of the environment from oil spills. OPA applies to discharges of any oil from a vessel, including discharges of fuel oil (bunkers) and lubricants. OPA affects all owners and operators whose vessels trade in the United States, its territories and possessions or whose vessels operate in United States waters, which include the United States’ territorial sea and its two hundred nautical mile exclusive economic zone. The United States has also enacted the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act, or CERCLA, which applies to the discharge of hazardous substances other than oil, whether on land or at sea. OPA and CERCLA both define “owner and operator” in the case of a vessel as any person owning, operating or chartering by demise, the vessel. Accordingly, both OPA and CERCLA impact our operations.
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Under OPA, vessel owners, operators and bareboat charterers are “responsible parties” and are jointly, severally and strictly liable (unless the discharge of pollutants results solely from the act or omission of a third party, an act of God or an act of war) for all containment and clean-up costs and other damages arising from discharges or threatened discharges of pollutants from their vessels. OPA broadly defines these other damages to include:
| • | natural resources damage and the costs of assessment thereof; |
| • | real and personal property damage; |
| • | net loss of taxes, royalties, rents, fees and other lost revenues; |
| • | lost profits or impairment of earning capacity due to property or natural resources damage; and |
| • | net cost of public services necessitated by a spill response, such as protection from fire, safety or health hazards, and loss of subsistence use of natural resources. |
Effective March 23, 2023, the current limits of OPA liability for double-hulled tank vessels larger than 3,000 gross tons are the greater of $2,500 per gross ton or $21,521,000, subject to adjustment for inflation by the United States Coast Guard every three years. These limits of liability do not apply if an incident was directly caused by violation of applicable United States federal safety, construction or operating regulations or by a responsible party’s gross negligence or willful misconduct, or if the responsible party fails or refuses to report the incident or to cooperate and assist in connection with oil removal activities.
OPA requires owners and operators of vessels over 300 gross tons to establish and maintain with the United States Coast Guard evidence of financial responsibility sufficient to meet their potential liabilities under the OPA. Under the United States Coast Guard regulations implementing OPA, vessel owners and operators may evidence their financial responsibility by showing proof of insurance, surety bond, self-insurance, or guaranty. Under the OPA regulations, an owner or operator of a fleet of vessels is required only to demonstrate evidence of financial responsibility in an amount sufficient to cover the vessels in the fleet having the greatest maximum liability under OPA.
CERCLA contains a similar liability regime whereby owners and operators of vessels are liable for cleanup, removal and remedial costs, as well as damage for injury to, or destruction or loss of, natural resources, including the reasonable costs associated with assessing same, and health assessments or health effects studies. There is no liability if the discharge of a hazardous substance results solely from the act or omission of a third party, an act of God or an act of war. Liability under CERCLA is limited to the greater of $300 per gross ton or $5 million for vessels carrying a hazardous substance as cargo and the greater of $300 per gross ton or $500,000 for any other vessel. These limits do not apply (rendering the responsible person liable for the total cost of response and damages) if the release or threat of release of a hazardous substance resulted from willful misconduct or negligence, or the primary cause of the release was a violation of applicable safety, construction or operating standards or regulations. The limitation on liability also does not apply if the responsible person fails or refused to provide all reasonable cooperation and assistance as requested in connection with response activities where the vessel is subject to OPA.
We currently maintain, for each of our vessels, pollution liability coverage insurance in the amount of $1 billion per vessel per incident. In addition, we carry hull and machinery and protection and indemnity insurance to cover the risks of fire and explosion. Under certain circumstances, fire and explosion could result in a catastrophic loss. While we believe that our present insurance coverage is adequate, not all risks can be insured, and there can be no guarantee that any specific claim will be paid, or that we will always be able to obtain adequate insurance coverage at reasonable rates. If the damages from a catastrophic spill exceeded our insurance coverage, it would have a severe effect on us and could possibly result in our insolvency.
OPA and CERCLA both require owners and operators of vessels to establish and maintain with the United States Coast Guard evidence of financial responsibility sufficient to meet the maximum amount of liability to which the particular responsible person may be subject as discussed above. Under the self-insurance provisions, the ship owner or operator must have a net worth and working capital, measured in assets located in the United States against liabilities located anywhere in the world, that exceeds the applicable amount of financial responsibility. We have complied with the United States Coast Guard regulations by providing a financial guaranty evidencing sufficient self-insurance.
OPA specifically permits individual states to impose their own liability regimes with regard to oil pollution incidents occurring within their boundaries, and some states have enacted legislation providing for unlimited liability for oil spills. In some cases, states, which have enacted such legislation, have not yet issued implementing regulations defining vessels owners’ responsibilities under these laws. We intend to comply with all applicable state regulations in the ports where our vessels call.
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Environmental Regulations—Other Environmental Initiatives
The EU has adopted legislation that: (1) requires member states to refuse access to their ports to certain sub-standard vessels, according to vessel type, flag and number of previous detentions; (2) creates an obligation on member states to inspect at least 25% of vessels using their ports annually and provides for increased surveillance of vessels posing a high risk to maritime safety or the marine environment; (3) provides the EU with greater authority and control over classification societies, including the ability to seek to suspend or revoke the authority of negligent societies; and (4) requires member states to impose criminal sanctions for certain pollution events, such as the unauthorized discharge of tank washings. It is impossible to predict what additional legislation or regulations, if any, may be promulgated by the EU or any other country or authority.
On March 23, 2012, the United States Coast Guard adopted ballast water discharge standards under the U.S. National Invasive Species Act, or NISA. The regulations, which became effective on June 21, 2012, set maximum acceptable discharge limits for living organisms and established standards for ballast water management systems, and they are consistent with the requirements under the BWM Convention described above. The requirements are being phased in based on the size of the vessel and its next dry docking date. As of the date of this report, the United States Coast Guard has approved forty Ballast Water Treatment Systems. A list of approved equipment can be found on the Coast Guard Maritime Information Exchange web page. Several U.S. states, such as California, have also adopted more stringent legislation or regulations relating to the permitting and management of ballast water discharges compared to U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (“EPA”) regulations.
The U.S. Clean Water Act (“CWA”) prohibits the discharge of oil or hazardous substances in navigable waters and imposes strict liability in the form of penalties for any unauthorized discharges. The CWA also imposes substantial liability for the costs of removal, remediation and damages and complements the remedies available under OPA. Under EPA regulations we are required to obtain a CWA permit to discharge ballast water and other wastewaters incidental to the normal operation of our vessels if we operate within the three mile territorial waters or inland waters of the United States. This permit, which the EPA has designated as the Vessel General Permit for Discharges Incidental to the Normal Operation of Vessels, or VGP, incorporates the current United States Coast Guard requirements for ballast water management, as well as supplemental ballast water requirements, and includes requirements applicable to 26 specific discharge streams, such as deck runoff, bilge water and gray water. The United States Coast Guard and the EPA have entered into a memorandum of understanding which provides for collaboration on the enforcement of the VGP requirements. As a result, the United States Coast Guard includes the VGP as part of its normal Port State Control inspections. The EPA issued a VGP that became effective in December 2013. Among other things, it contained numeric ballast water discharge limits for most vessels and more stringent requirements for exhaust gas scrubbers and required the use of environmentally friendly lubricants. We have submitted NOIs (Notices Of Intent) for Discharges Incidental to the Normal Operation of a Vessel under the 2013 VGP to the U.S. EPA for all our ships trading in U.S. waters. The 2013 VGP was set to expire on December 13, 2018; however, its provisions will remain in effect until the regulations under the 2018 Vessel Incidental Discharge Act (“VIDA”) are final and enforceable. VIDA, signed into law on December 4, 2018, establishes a new framework for the regulation of vessel incidental discharges under CWA Section 312(p). VIDA requires the EPA to develop performance standards for those discharges within two years of enactment, and requires the United States Coast Guard to develop implementation, compliance, and enforcement regulations within two years of the EPA’s promulgation of its performance standards. All provisions of the 2013 VGP will remain in force and effect until the United States Coast Guard regulations under VIDA are finalized. On October 26, 2020, the EPA published a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking – Vessel Incident Discharge National Standards of Performance in the Federal Register for public comment. The comment period closed on November 25, 2020. Compliance with the EPA and United States Coast Guard ballast water management regulations could require the installation of equipment on our vessels to treat ballast water before it is discharged or the implementation of other port facility disposal arrangements at potentially substantial cost, or may otherwise restrict our vessels from entering United States waters.
Climate Control Initiatives
Although the Kyoto Protocol requires adopting countries to implement national programs to reduce emissions of greenhouse gases, emissions of greenhouse gases from international shipping are not currently subject to the Kyoto Protocol. The Kyoto Protocol was extended to 2020 at the 2012 United Nations Climate Change Conference, with the hope that a new climate change treaty would be adopted by 2015 and come into effect by 2020. The Paris Agreement adopted under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change in December 2015 contemplates commitments from each nation party thereto to take action to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and limit increases in global temperatures but did not include any restrictions or other measures specific to shipping emissions. However, restrictions on shipping emissions are likely to continue to be considered and a new treaty may be adopted in the future that includes restrictions on shipping emissions. International or multi-national bodies or individual countries may adopt their own climate change regulatory initiatives. The IMO’s Marine Environment Protection Committee adopted two sets of mandatory requirements to address greenhouse gas emissions from shipping that entered into force in January 2013. The Energy Efficiency Design Index establishes minimum energy efficiency levels per capacity mile and applies to new vessels of 400 gross tons or greater.
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Currently operating vessels must develop and implement Ship Energy Efficiency Plans. By 2025, all new ships built must be 30% more energy efficient than those built in 2014, but it is likely that the IMO will increase these requirements such that new ships must be up to 50% more energy efficient than those built in 2014 by 2022. These new requirements could cause us to incur additional costs to comply. Draft MARPOL amendments released in November 2020 and adopted in June 2021 built on the EEDI and SEEMP by requiring ships to reduce carbon intensity based on a new Energy Efficiency Existing Ship Index (EEXI) and reduce operational carbon intensity reductions based on a new operational carbon intensity indicator, in line with the IMO strategy which aims to reduce carbon intensity of international shipping by 40% by 2030. The EEXI, which entered into force in January 2023, requires alterations to a vessel’s design, machinery or arrangements to meet a certain goal of CO2 grams emitted per capacity tonne mile under certain reference conditions. This measure accounts for the vessel’s engine power, fuel consumption and CO2 conversion capacity, all of which make it impossible to effect EEXI compliance by merely reducing the ship’s speed or cargo load. Alongside the EEXI, a mandatory Carbon Intensity Indicator (“CII”) was introduced on January 1, 2023. This measure of annual efficiency is used to rate vessels based on the grams of CO2 they emit per dwt-mile, giving all cargo vessels above 5,000 GT a rating of A to E every year. The rating thresholds will become increasingly stringent towards 2030. For ships that achieve a D rating for three consecutive years or an E rating, a corrective action plan needs to be developed as part of the SEEMP and approved. These changes were accompanied by the introduction of the so-called “Enhanced SEEMP,” a strengthened version of SEEMP that includes new mandatory content, such as a CII target implementation plan, on top of being subject to approval by appropriate authorities. These new requirements for existing ships will be reviewed by the end of 2025, with particular focus on the enforcement of the carbon intensity rating requirements. The IMO is also considering the development of market-based mechanisms for limiting greenhouse gas emissions from ships, but it is impossible to predict the likelihood of adoption of such a standard or the impact on our operations. In April 2015, the EU adopted regulations requiring the monitoring and reporting of greenhouse gas emissions from marine vessels (of over 5,000 gross tons) which went into effect in January 2018. In June 2022, the European Union revised proposed amendments to these regulations which would effectively impose an Emissions Trading System (“ETS”) on Marine Shipping going through ports or routes under the E.U.’s regulatory jurisdiction. If adopted, these amendments would impose an additional regulatory burden on us to ensure that our vessels meet the revised EU requirements, as well as potential additional costs related to the ETS. The EPA has issued a finding that greenhouse gas emissions endanger the public health and safety and has adopted regulations under the Clean Air Act to limit emissions of greenhouse gases from certain mobile sources and proposed regulations to limit greenhouse gas emissions from large stationary sources, although the mobile source regulations do not apply to greenhouse gas emissions from vessels. Any passage of climate control initiatives by the IMO, the EU or the individual countries in which we operate that limit greenhouse gas emissions from vessels could require us to limit our operations or make significant financial expenditures that we cannot predict with certainty at this time. Passage of climate control initiatives that affect the demand for oil may also materially affect our business. Even in the absence of climate control legislation and regulations, our business may be materially affected to the extent that climate change may result in sea level changes or more intense weather events.
The China Maritime Safety Administration (the “China MSA”) issued the Regulation on Data Collection of Energy Consumption for Ships in November 2018. This regulation is effective as of January 1, 2019 and requires ships calling on Chinese ports to report fuel consumption and transport work details directly to the China MSA. This regulation also contains additional requirements for Chinese-flagged vessels (domestic and international) and other non-Chinese-flagged international navigating vessels. In November 2022, the China MSA published an additional Regulation of Administrative Measures of Ship Energy Consumption Data and Carbon Intensity, which came into effect on December 22, 2022. This regulation was essentially enacted to implement MARPOL Annex VI to Chinese-flagged vessels, though a few of its provisions also apply to foreign ships with a gross tonnage of at least 400 entering and exiting Chinese ports. This Regulation essentially applies more stringent rules around that collection and reporting of data related to ships’ energy consumption, as is already required by the 2018 regulation.
On June 29, 2017, the Global Industry Alliance, or the GIA, was officially inaugurated. The GIA is a program, under the Global Environmental Facility-United Nations Development Program-IMO project, which supports shipping, and related industries, as they move towards a low carbon future. Organizations including, but not limited to, ship owners, operators, classification societies, and oil companies, signed to launch the GIA.
In addition, the United States is currently experiencing changes in its environmental policy, the results of which have yet to be fully determined. Additional legislation or regulation applicable to the operation of our ships that may be implemented in the future could negatively affect our profitability. Furthermore, recent action by the IMO’s Maritime Safety Committee and U.S. agencies indicate that cybersecurity regulations for the maritime industry are likely to be further developed in the near future in an attempt to combat cybersecurity threats, as described below. This might cause companies to cultivate additional procedures for monitoring cybersecurity, which could require additional expenses and/or capital expenditures. However, the impact of such regulations is difficult to predict at this time.
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Vessel Security Regulations
Since the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, there have been a variety of initiatives intended to enhance vessel security. On November 25, 2002, the Maritime Transportation Security Act of 2002, or MTSA, came into effect in the United States. To implement certain portions of the MTSA, in July 2003, the United States Coast Guard issued regulations requiring the implementation of certain security requirements aboard vessels operating in waters subject to the jurisdiction of the United States. Similarly, in December 2002, amendments to the International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea, or SOLAS, created a new chapter of the convention dealing specifically with maritime security. The chapter went into effect in July 2004, and imposes various detailed security obligations on vessels and port authorities, most of which are contained in the newly created International Ship and Port Facilities Security or, ISPS, Code. Among the various requirements are:
| • | on-board installation of automatic information systems, or AIS, to enhance vessel-to-vessel and vessel-to-shore communications; |
| • | on-board installation of ship security alert systems; |
| • | the development of vessel security plans; and |
| • | compliance with flag state security certification requirements. |
The United States Coast Guard regulation’s aim to align with international maritime security standards exempted non-United States vessels from MTSA vessel security measures provided such vessels have on board, by July 1, 2004, a valid International Ship Security Certificate (“ISSC”) that attests to the vessel’s compliance with SOLAS security requirements and the ISPS Code. We have obtained ISSCs for all of our vessels and implemented the various security measures addressed by the MTSA, SOLAS and the ISPS Codes to ensure that our vessels attain compliance with all applicable security requirements within the prescribed time periods. We do not believe these requirements will have a material financial impact on our operations.
IMO Cyber Security
The Maritime Safety Committee, at its 98th session in June 2017, adopted Resolution MSC.428(98)—Maritime Cyber Risk Management in Safety Management Systems. The resolution encourages administrations to ensure that cyber risks are appropriately addressed in existing safety management systems (as defined in the ISM Code) no later than the first annual verification of the company’s Document of Compliance after January 1, 2021. Owners risk having ships detained if they have not included cyber security in the SMS of ships.
Vessel Recycling Regulations
The EU has adopted a regulation that seeks to facilitate the ratification of the IMO Recycling Convention and sets forth rules relating to vessel recycling and management of hazardous materials on vessels. In addition to new requirements for the recycling of vessels, the new regulation contains rules for the control and proper management of hazardous materials on vessels and prohibits or restricts the installation or use of certain hazardous materials on vessels. The new regulation applies to vessels flying the flag of an EU member state and certain of its provisions apply to vessels flying the flag of a third country calling at a port or anchorage of a member state. For example, when calling at a port or anchorage of a member state, a vessel flying the flag of a third country will be required, among other things, to have on board an inventory of hazardous materials that complies with the requirements of the new regulation and the vessel must be able to submit to the relevant authorities of that member state a copy of a statement of compliance issued by the relevant authorities of the country of the vessel’s flag verifying the inventory. The new regulation took effect on non-EU-flagged vessels calling on EU ports of call beginning on December 31, 2020.
Classification and Inspection
All our vessels are certified as being “in class” by a classification society member of the International Association of Classification Societies such as Lloyds Register of Shipping and Bureau Veritas. All new and secondhand vessels that we purchase must be certified prior to their delivery under our standard contracts and memoranda of agreement. If the vessel is not certified on the date of closing, we have no obligation to take delivery of the vessel. Most insurance underwriters make it a condition for insurance coverage that a vessel be certified as “in class” by a classification society that is a member of the International Association of Classification Societies. Every vessel’s hull and machinery is “classed” by a classification society authorized by its country of registry. The classification society certifies that the vessel has been built and maintained in accordance with the rules of such classification society and complies with applicable rules and regulations of the country of registry of the vessel and the international conventions of which that country is a member. Each vessel is inspected by a surveyor of the classification society every year—an annual survey, every two to three years—an intermediate survey, and every four to five years—a special survey. Vessels also may be required, as part of the intermediate survey process, to be drydocked every 30 to 36 months for inspection of the underwater parts of the vessel and for necessary repairs related to such inspection; alternatively, such requirements may be dealt concurrently with the special survey.
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In addition to the classification inspections, many of our customers, including the major oil companies, regularly inspect our vessels as a pre-condition to chartering voyages on these vessels. We believe that our well-maintained, high quality tonnage should provide us with a competitive advantage in the current environment of increasing regulations, and customer emphasis on quality of service.
All areas subject to surveys as defined by the classification society, are required to be surveyed at least once per class period, unless shorter intervals between surveys are prescribed elsewhere. The period between two subsequent surveys of each area must not exceed five years.
Vessels are dry docked for the special survey for inspection of the underwater parts and for repairs related to inspections. If any defects are found, the classification surveyor will issue a “recommendation” which must be rectified by the ship owner within the prescribed time limits.
Risk of Loss and Liability Insurance
General
The operation of any cargo vessel includes amongst others the handling and management of situations such as mechanical failure and/or physical damage to the ship, collision, third party property loss, cargo loss or damage, business interruption due to political circumstances in foreign countries, hostilities and labor strikes. In addition, there is always an inherent possibility of marine disaster, including environmental mishaps, and the liabilities arising from owning and operating vessels in international trade. While we believe that our present insurance coverage is adequate, not all risks can be insured, and there can be no guarantee that any specific claim will be paid, or that we will always be able to obtain adequate insurance coverage at reasonable rates.
We procure hull and machinery insurance, protection and indemnity insurance, which include environmental damage and pollution insurance coverage, war risk and other insurance coverage for our fleet with insurance carriers that also provide insurance coverage for ships owned by affiliated entities, including StealthGas and private Vafias family interests. Accordingly, if one of our ships, or other ships managed by Brave Maritime or Stealth Maritime and owned by an affiliated entity of Brave Maritime or Stealth Maritime, including StealthGas, were to incur significant costs from an accident, spill or other environmental liability or were subject to insurance fraud or other incident, our insurance premiums and costs could increase significantly or we may not be able to obtain insurance for our ships.
Hull and Machinery Insurance
We have in place Fleet Marine Hull and Machinery and Fleet War Risk insurance policies, providing cover for particular damage to the vessel, salvage and towage costs following a casualty as well as for vessel Actual or Constructive Total Loss, subject to a deductible of $150,000 or $200,000 (depending on the ship) per incident.
We also maintain Increased Value insurance. Under the Increased Value insurance, in case of total loss of a vessel, we will be able to recover the sum insured under the Increased Value policy in addition to the sum insured under the Hull and Machinery policy. Increased Value insurance also covers excess liabilities which are not recoverable in full by the Hull and Machinery policies by reason of under insurance.
For each ship the sum of the values insured under the Hull Machinery and Increased Value policies represent its fair market value.
Protection and Indemnity Insurance
Protection and indemnity insurance, is a form of mutual indemnity insurance, which is designed to cover third party liabilities likely to arise out of our shipping activities. It is provided by non-profit-making insurance organizations commonly known as Protection and Indemnity Associations or “ PI Clubs”. This insurance aims to respond towards third-party liability claims and other related expenses arising amongst others from injury or death of crew, shore personnel working on board the ships during cargo operations and other third parties, loss of or damage to cargoes, claims arising from collisions with other vessels, damage to third-party properties, pollution arising from oil or other substances, salvage costs to the extent that they aim to control or mitigate the environmental effect following a casualty, Wreck removal and other discretionary costs.
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Our current Protection and Indemnity insurance provides cover for Oil Pollution up to $1.0 billion per vessel per incident. The 13 PI Associations that comprise the International Group insure approximately 90% of the world’s commercial tonnage and have entered into a pooling agreement to reinsure each association’s liabilities. Claims pooling between the clubs is regulated by the Pooling Agreement which defines the risks that can be pooled and how losses are to be shared between the participating clubs. The Pool provides a mechanism for sharing all claims in excess of US$10 million up to, approximately US$3.1 billion.
Under the current structure, clubs’ contributions to claims in the lower pool layer i.e from $10 million to $30 million are assessed on a tripartite formula which takes account of each club’s contributing tonnage, premium and claims record. For claims falling in the upper pool layer from $50 million to $100 million, 7.5% is retained by the club bringing the claim and 92.5% is shared by all on a tonnage-weighted basis.
The International Group clubs arrange a common market reinsurance contract to provide reinsurance for claims which exceed the upper limit of the pool (US $100 million) up to an amount of US $3.1 billion any one claim (US $1 billion for Oil Pollution claims). It is said to be the largest single marine reinsurance contract in the market. Claims from $30 million to $100 million are reinsured from a captive, named Hydra.
As members of Mutual PI Associations, we may become subject to unbudgeted supplementary calls payable to the PI Club depending on its financial year results that they are determined by 3 main parameters, i.e., their exposure from payment of claims, the income through premium and the income arising from investments. Our aim at every renewal is to conclude our PI insurance with “A rated” PI clubs as this, amongst other benefits, eliminates the risk of unbudgeted supplementary calls being imposed.
Competition
We operate in a highly competitive global market based primarily on supply and demand of vessels and cargoes.
Ownership of medium range product tankers and crude oil tankers capable of transporting crude oil and refined petroleum products, such as gasoline, diesel, fuel oil and jet fuel, as well as edible oils and chemicals, is highly diversified and is divided among many independent tanker owners. Many oil companies and other oil trading companies, the principal charterers of our product tankers and crude oil tankers, also operate their own vessels and transport oil for themselves and third-party charterers in direct competition with independent owners and operators. Competition for charters, including for the transportation of oil and oil products, can be intense and depends on price as well as on the location, size, age, condition, specifications and acceptability of the vessel and its operator to the charterer and is frequently tied to having an available vessel with the appropriate approvals from oil majors. Principal factors that are important to our charterers include the quality and suitability of the vessel, its age, technical sophistication, safety record, compliance with IMO standards and the heightened industry standards that have been set by some energy companies, and the competitiveness of the bid in terms of overall price.
The drybulk sector is characterized by relatively low barriers to entry, and ownership of drybulk vessels is highly fragmented. In general, we compete with other owners of drybulk vessels for charters based upon price, customer relationships, operating expertise, professional reputation and size, age, location and condition of the vessel. We negotiate the terms of our charters (whether voyage charters, period time charters, bareboat charters or pools) based on market conditions. In the drybulk sector we currently compete primarily with other owners of drybulk vessels, many of which may have more resources than us and may operate vessels that are newer, and therefore more attractive to charterers than vessels we may operate. We currently compete primarily with owners of drybulk vessels in the handymax and handysize class sizes.
Seasonality
Tanker markets are typically stronger in the winter months as a result of increased oil consumption in the northern hemisphere, but weaker in the summer months as a result of lower oil consumption in the northern hemisphere and refinery maintenance. In addition, unpredictable weather patterns in these months tend to disrupt vessel scheduling and supplies of certain commodities. As a result, our revenues may be stronger in fiscal quarters ended December 31 and March 31 and relatively weaker during the fiscal quarters ended June 30 and September 30.
Coal, iron ore and grains, which are the major bulks of the drybulk shipping industry, are somewhat seasonal in nature. The energy markets primarily affect the demand for coal, with increases during hot summer periods when air conditioning and refrigeration require more electricity and towards the end of the calendar year in anticipation of the forthcoming winter period. The demand for iron ore tends to decline in the summer months because many of the major steel users, such as automobile makers, reduce their level of production significantly during the summer holidays. Grain trades are seasonal as they are driven by the harvest within a climate zone. Because three of the five largest grain producers (the United States of America, Canada and the European Union) are located in the northern hemisphere and the other two (Argentina and Australia) are located in the southern hemisphere, harvests occur throughout the year and grains transportation requires drybulk shipping accordingly.
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The Tanker Industry
In broad terms, demand for oil and oil products traded by sea is primarily affected by global and regional economic conditions, as well as other factors such as changes in the location of productive capacity, and variations in regional prices. Demand for shipping capacity is a product of the physical quantity of the cargo (measured, depending on the cargo in terms of tons or cubic metrics), together with the distance the cargo is carried. Demand cycles move broadly in line with developments in the global economy, with growth rate of demand for products slowing significantly and becoming negative in some years in the period immediately after the onset of the global economic downturn in late 2008, before recovering gradually from 2011 with general improvement in the global macro-economic environment. Low crude prices between 2015 and 2017 induced greater consumption, which led to increased seaborne trade of crude oil as well as refined products. Growth in seaborne trade slowed in 2018 because of inventory drawdown in crude as well as refined products. In 2019, the decline in seaborne trade was on account of lower refinery runs and weaker economic growth. Refineries underwent maintenance in the first half of 2019 to prepare for low sulfur fuel oil and MGO demand related with IMO 2020 regulations on the control of Sulphur emission, while refinery runs were lower in the second half of 2019 due to weaker economic growth.
The outbreak of COVID-19 severely affected the demand for crude oil and refined petroleum products in 2020 and 2021 as several major economies enforced lockdowns to contain the spread of the virus and mitigate the damage caused by the pandemic. The decline in trade was mainly led by a sharp decline in both crude oil and oil products trade following restrictions enforced by authorities in several major economies. In 2022, oil demand and trade improved significantly as Covid-19 restrictions were being eased out and longer haul routes started emerging as a result of the war in Ukraine. Specifically, in 2022, 3,369 million tons of crude oil, products and vegetable oils/chemicals were moved by sea. Of this, crude shipments constituted 1,967 million tons of cargo and products 1,032 million tons, with the balance made up of other bulk liquids, including vegetable oils, chemicals and associated products. Products trades have received a boost in the last decade as a result of developments in exploration and production activity in the U.S. Horizontal drilling and hydraulic fracturing have triggered a shale oil revolution and rising crude oil production has also ensured the availability of cheaper feedstocks to local refineries. As a result, the U.S. has become a major net exporter of products.
Crude oil is transported in uncoated vessels, which range upwards in size from 55,000 dwt. Products are carried predominantly in coated ships and include commodities such as gas oil, gasoline, jet fuel, kerosene and naphtha (often referred to as ‘clean products’), and fuel oil and vacuum gas oil (often referred to as ‘dirty products’). In addition, some product tankers are also able to carry bulk liquid chemicals and edible oils and fats if they have the appropriate International Maritime Organization (IMO) certification. These vessels are classified as product/chemical tankers, and as such, they represent a swing element in supply, having the ability to move between trades depending on market conditions. Clean petroleum products are therefore carried by non-IMO product tankers and IMO certified product/chemical tankers. IMO tankers will also carry, depending on their tank coatings, a range of other products including organic and inorganic bulk liquid chemicals, vegetable oils and animal fats and special products such as molasses.
Two other important factors are likely to affect product tanker supply in the future. The first is the requirement to retrofit Ballast Water Management Systems (BWTS) to existing vessels. In February 2004, the IMO adopted the International Convention for the Control and Management of Ships’ Ballast Water and Sediments. The IMO Ballast Water Management (BWM) Convention contains an environmentally protective numeric standard for the treatment of a ship’s ballast water before it is discharged. This standard, detailed in Regulation ‘D-2’ of the BWM Convention, sets out the numbers of organisms allowed in specific volumes of treated discharge water. The IMO ‘D-2’ standard is also the standard that has been adopted by the U.S. Coast Guard’s ballast water regulations and the U.S. EPA’s Vessel General Permit. The BWM Convention also contains an implementation schedule for the installation of IMO member state type approved treatment systems in existing ships and in new vessels, requirements for the development of vessel ballast water management plans, requirements for the safe removal of sediments from ballast tanks, and guidelines for the testing and type approval of ballast water treatment technologies. In July 2017, the IMO extended the regulatory requirement of compliance to the BWM Convention from September 8, 2017 to September 8, 2019. Vessels trading internationally will have to comply with the BWM Convention upon their next special survey after that date. Expenditure of this kind has become another factor impacting the decision to scrap older vessels after BWM Convention came into force in 2019.
The second factor that is likely to impact future vessel supply is the drive to control sulfur emission from ships. Heavy fuel oil (HFO) has been the main fuel of the shipping industry for many years. It is relatively inexpensive and widely available, but it is ‘dirty’ from an environmental point of view. The sulfur content of HFO consumed by ships has been about 3.5% until the end of 2019. It is the reason that maritime shipping accounts for 8% of global emissions of sulfur dioxide (SO2), an important source for acid rain, as well as respiratory diseases. In some port cities, such as Hong Kong, shipping is the largest single source of SO2 emissions, as well as emissions of particulate matter (PM), which are directly tied to the sulfur content of the fuel. One estimate suggests that PM emissions from maritime shipping led to 87,000 premature deaths worldwide in 2012.
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Vessel chartering
Product tankers and crude oil tankers are ordinarily chartered either through a voyage charter or a time charter, under a longer term contract of affreightment (“COA”) or in pools. Under a voyage charter, the owner agrees to provide a vessel for the transport of cargo between specific ports in return for the payment of an agreed freight rate per ton of cargo or an agreed dollar lump sum amount. Voyage costs, such as canal and port charges and bunker expenses, are the responsibility of the owner. Under a time charter, the ship owner places the vessel at the disposal of a charterer for a given period of time in return for a specified rate (either hire per day or a specified rate per dwt capacity per month) with the voyage costs being the responsibility of the charterer. In both voyage charters and time charters, operating costs (such as repairs and maintenance, crew wages and insurance premiums), as well as drydockings and special surveys, are the responsibility of the ship owner. The duration of time charters varies, depending on the evaluation of market trends by the ship owner and by charterers. Occasionally, tankers are chartered on a bareboat basis. Under a bareboat charter, operations of the vessels and all operating costs are the responsibility of the charterer, while the owner only pays the financing costs of the vessel. A COA is another type of charter relationship where a charterer and a ship owner enter into a written agreement pursuant to which a specific cargo will be carried over a specified period of time. COAs benefit charterers by providing them with fixed transport costs for a commodity over an identified period of time. COAs benefit ship owners by offering ascertainable revenue over that same period of time and eliminating the uncertainty that would otherwise be caused by the volatility of the charter market. A shipping pool is a collection of similar vessel types under various ownerships, placed under the care of a single commercial manager. The manager markets the vessels as a single fleet and collects the earnings which are distributed to individual owners under a pre-arranged weighing system by which each participating vessel receives its share. Pools have the size and scope to combine voyage charters, time charters and COA with freight forward agreements for hedging purposes, to perform more efficient vessel scheduling thereby increasing fleet utilization.
Market cyclicality and trends
The international tanker shipping industry is cyclical and volatile, having reached historical highs in 2008 and historical lows in 2016. Charter rates improved in the first half of 2020; before declining sharply in the second half of 2020 and remaining at low levels in 2021 and early 2022, before significantly improving in the second half of 2022 and the first quarter of 2023. Tanker charter hire rates and vessel values for all tankers are influenced by the supply-demand dynamics of the tanker market. Demand for vessels depends on the international trade of oil and refined petroleum products, including the availability of crude oil. Also, in general terms, time charter rates are less volatile than spot rates as they reflect the fact that the vessel is fixed for a longer period of time. In the spot market, rates will reflect the immediate underlying conditions in vessel supply and demand, and are thus prone to more volatility.
At the same time, the supply of tankers vessels cannot be changed drastically in the short term as it takes about nine months to build a ship and, usually, there is a lag of, at least, fifteen to eighteen months between placing an order to build a vessel and its delivery. In the near term, supply is limited by the existing number of vessels and can only be adjusted by increasing or decreasing the operating speed of a vessel but various economic and operational factors could limit the range of such adjustments.
Typically, periods of high charter rates result in an increased rate of new vessel ordering, often more than what the demand levels warrant; these vessels begin to be delivered eighteen months or more later when demand growth for vessels may have slowed down thus creating oversupply and quick correction of charter rates. The cyclicality of charter rates is also reflected in vessel values.
The Drybulk Shipping Industry
The global drybulk vessel fleet is divided into four principal categories based on a vessel’s carrying capacity. These categories are:
Capesize. Capesize vessels have a carrying capacity of exceeding 100,000 dwt. Only the largest ports around the world possess the infrastructure to accommodate vessels of this size. Capesize vessels are primarily used to transport iron ore or coal and, to a much lesser extent, grains, primarily on long-haul routes.
Panamax. Panamax vessels have a carrying capacity of between 60,000 and 100,000 dwt. These vessels are designed to meet the physical restrictions of the Panama Canal locks (hence their name “Panamax” — the largest vessels able to transit the Panama Canal prior to its 2016 expansion, making them more versatile than larger vessels). These vessels carry coal, grains, and, to a lesser extent, minerals such as bauxite/alumina and phosphate rock.
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Handymax/Supramax. Handymax vessels have a carrying capacity of between 40,000 and 60,000 dwt. These vessels operate on a large number of geographically dispersed global trade routes, carrying primarily grains and minor bulks. The standard vessels are usually built with 25-30 ton cargo gear, enabling them to discharge cargo where grabs are required (particularly industrial minerals), and to conduct cargo operations in countries and ports with limited infrastructure. This type of vessel offers good trading flexibility and can, therefore, be used in a wide variety of bulk and neobulk trades, such as steel products.
Handysize. Handysize vessels have a carrying capacity of between 28,000 and to 40,000 dwt. These vessels are almost exclusively carry minor bulk cargo. Increasingly, vessels of this type operate on regional trading routes, and may serve as trans-shipment feeders for larger vessels. Handysize vessels are well suited for small ports with length and draft restrictions. Their cargo gear enables them to service ports lacking the infrastructure for cargo loading and discharging.
The supply of drybulk vessels is dependent on the delivery of new vessels and the removal of vessels from the global fleet, either through scrapping or loss. The level of scrapping activity is generally a function of scrapping prices in relation to current and prospective charter market conditions, as well as operating, repair and survey costs.
The demand for drybulk vessel capacity is determined by the underlying demand for commodities transported in drybulk vessels, which in turn is influenced by trends in the global economy. Demand for drybulk vessel capacity is also affected by the operating efficiency of the global fleet, with port congestion, which has been a feature of the market since 2004, absorbing tonnage and therefore leading to a tighter balance between supply and demand. In evaluating demand factors for drybulk vessel capacity, we believe that drybulk vessels can be the most versatile element of the global shipping fleets in terms of employment alternatives.
Drybulk Carrier Charter Hire Rates. Charter hire rates fluctuate by varying degrees among drybulk vessel size categories. The volume and pattern of trade in a small number of commodities (major bulks) affect demand for larger vessels. Therefore, charter rates and vessel values of larger vessels often show greater volatility. Conversely, trade in a greater number of commodities (minor bulks) drives demand for smaller drybulk vessels. Accordingly, charter rates and vessel values for those vessels are subject to less volatility.
Charter hire rates paid for drybulk vessels are primarily a function of the underlying balance between vessel supply and demand, although at times other factors may play a role. Furthermore, the pattern seen in charter rates is broadly mirrored across the different charter types and the different drybulk vessel categories. However, because demand for larger drybulk vessels is affected by the volume and pattern of trade in a relatively small number of commodities, charter hire rates (and vessel values) of larger ships tend to be more volatile than those for smaller vessels.
In the time charter market, rates vary depending on the length of the charter period and vessel specific factors such as age, speed and fuel consumption.
In the voyage charter market, rates are influenced by cargo size, commodity, port dues and canal transit fees, as well as commencement and termination regions. In general, a larger cargo size is quoted at a lower rate per ton than a smaller cargo size. Routes with costly ports or canals generally command higher rates than routes with low port dues and no canals to transit. Voyages with a load port within a region that includes ports where vessels usually discharge cargo or a discharge port within a region with ports where vessels load cargo also are generally quoted at lower rates, because such voyages generally increase vessel utilization by reducing the unloaded portion (or ballast leg) that is included in the calculation of the return charter to a loading area.
Within the drybulk shipping industry, the charter hire rate references most likely to be monitored are the freight rate indexes issued by the Baltic Exchange. These references are based on actual charter hire rates under charters entered into by market participants as well as daily assessments provided to the Baltic Exchange by a panel of major shipbrokers.
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Legal Proceedings
To our knowledge, there are no material legal proceedings to which we are a party or to which any of our properties are subject, other than routine litigation incidental to our business. In our opinion, the disposition of these lawsuits should not have a material impact on our consolidated results of operations, financial position and cash flows.
See Note 13 “Commitments and Contingencies” to the audited financial statements included elsewhere in this report.
Properties
Other than our vessels, we do not own any material property.
C. Organizational Structure
As of March 28, 2023, we were the sole owner of all the outstanding shares of the subsidiaries listed in Exhibit 8.
D. Properties
Other than our vessels we do not have any material property. For information on our fleet, see “Item 4. Information on the Company—Business Overview.” Our vessels are subject to priority mortgages, which secure our obligations under our credit facilities. For further details regarding our credit facilities, refer to “Item 5. Operating and Financial Review and Prospects—B. Liquidity and Capital Resources—Credit Facilities.”
We have no freehold or material leasehold interest in any real property. We lease office space from an affiliated company of Stealth Maritime. See “Item 7. Major Stockholders and Related Party Transactions—B. Related Party Transactions—Office Space.”
| Item 4A. | Unresolved Staff Comments |
None.
| Item 5. | Operating and Financial Review and Prospects |
The following presentation of management’s discussion and analysis of financial condition and results of operations should be read in conjunction with our consolidated financial statements, accompanying notes thereto and other financial information, appearing elsewhere in this annual report. Imperial Petroleum Inc. was incorporated under the laws of the Republic of the Marshall Islands on May 14, 2021, and did not commence operations until the consummation of the Spin-Off on December 3, 2021. This discussion contains forward-looking statements that reflect our current views with respect to future events and financial performance. Our actual results may differ materially from those anticipated in these forward-looking statements as a result of certain factors, such as those set forth in the section entitled “Risk Factors” and elsewhere in this report. You should also carefully read the following discussion with “Risk Factors,” “Forward-Looking Statements,” and “Selected Historical Financial and Other Data.” The financial statements have been prepared in accordance with U.S. GAAP.
We use the term deadweight ton, or dwt, in describing the size of vessels. Dwt, expressed in metric tons, each of which is equivalent to 1,000 kilograms, refers to the maximum weight of cargo and supplies that a vessel can carry.
Overview
Imperial Petroleum Inc. was incorporated under the laws of the Republic of the Marshall Islands on May 14, 2021, by StealthGas Inc. to serve as the holding company of four subsidiaries, each owning one of the tanker vessels in our initial fleet, that it subsequently contributed to us in connection with the Spin-Off. On December 3, 2021, StealthGas distributed all of our outstanding common stock and 8.75% Series A Cumulative Redeemable Perpetual Preferred Shares to its stockholders, which completed our separation from StealthGas.
The accompanying consolidated financial statements presented in this Annual Report include the accounts of Imperial Petroleum Inc. and its wholly owned subsidiaries (collectively, the “Company”) using the historical carrying costs of the assets and the liabilities of the subsidiaries from their dates of incorporation. For periods up to December 3, 2021, the accompanying financial statements reflect the financial position and results of the carve-out operations of the subsidiaries that were contributed to Imperial Petroleum Inc.
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We are a provider of international seaborne transportation services to oil producers, refineries and commodities traders and producers, as well as industrial users of drybulk cargoes. As of March 28, 2023, we owned and operated a fleet of five MR refined petroleum product tankers that carry refined petroleum products such as gasoline, diesel, fuel oil and jet fuel, as well as edible oils and chemicals, one aframax tanker and two suezmax tankers that carry crude oil and four handysize drybulk carriers that transport major bulks such as iron ore, coal and grains, and minor bulks such as bauxite, phosphate and fertilizers. The total cargo carrying capacity of our twelve-vessel fleet is 807,804 dwt. We will actively manage the deployment of our fleet on a mix of period charters, including time and bareboat charters which can last up to twelve years, and spot market charters, which generally last from one to six months, according to our assessment of market conditions. Some of our vessels may participate in shipping pools, or, in some cases in contracts of affreightment, although we have not employed any of our vessels under such arrangements to date. As of March 28, 2023, we had three vessels operating under time charter contracts, with two scheduled to expire in April 2023 and one in May 2023, and nine vessels operating in the spot market.
Vessels operating on period charters, principally time and bareboat charters, provide more predictable cash flows but can yield lower profit margins than vessels operating in the spot market during periods characterized by favorable market conditions. Vessels operating in the spot market generate revenues that are less predictable but may enable us to achieve increased profit margins during periods of high rates in the charter market, although we are exposed to the risk of having to seek to employ our vessels at low prevailing rates in weak market conditions, which may have a materially adverse impact on our overall financial performance.
As described below under “—Results of Operations”, the mix of charters our vessels are deployed on, which affects our utilization, revenues, expenses and profitability, has differed in recent periods and over time we expect will continue to vary. Our fleet’s percentage of calendar days operating on time and bareboat period charters increased slightly from 72.5% in 2020, comprised of 30.5% bareboat days and 42.0% time charter days, to 77.2% in 2021, comprised of 25.0% bareboat days and 52.2% time charter days, with spot market days decreasing from 24.3% to 20.6% and fleet operational utilization declining from 95.7% to 90.5% from 2020 to 2021, reflecting, principally, the weak conditions that were prevailing in the product and crude oil tanker charter markets in 2021, in which circumstances we generally prefer not to lock-in our vessels for extended periods at the low rates then available under time or bareboat period charters. In the year ended December 31, 2022, the percentage of our fleet’s total calendar days on which our vessels operated in the spot market was 43.7%, time charter activity was 43.1% and bareboat activity was 9.8%. Our fleet total operational utilization for the year ended December 31, 2022 was 84.8%. Operating vessels in the spot market, however, can result in decreased utilization, revenues and profitability in weak charter markets, as compared to periods of stronger markets or employment on period charters entered into during more favorable market conditions. This was the case for those of our tankers operating in the spot market in the first months of 2022 until conditions in the crude oil and product tanker charter markets began to improve substantially, particularly in the second half of 2022, and may be the case for our drybulk carriers operating in the spot market in 2023, as conditions in the drybulk charter market have deteriorated significantly from the strong markets experienced from late 2020 to the latter part of 2022. With any improvement in market conditions we may seek to employ our vessels in the spot market to take advance of higher charter rates, as we have generally done with our tankers in the fourth quarter of 2022 and early 2023, or on a higher percentage of period charters, principally time charters, if attractive rates become available.
Compared to operating in the spot market both time and bareboat period charters offer (1) higher utilization rates, particularly in weaker markets, (2) lower costs, particularly for bareboat charters under which we are not responsible for voyage or operating expenses, while under time charters we are responsible for operating expenses and in the spot market we are responsible for both voyage and operating expenses, and (3) may generate higher or lower revenues and profit margins depending on market conditions in the product tanker, crude oil tanker and drybulk carrier charter markets, as applicable, with generally higher rates than spot charters in weak markets and lower rates than spot charters in stronger markets, and at what point in the charter market cycle the bareboat or time charters were entered into. The proportion of time our fleet operates on bareboat charters versus time charters affects our revenues and expenses, as vessels employed on bareboat charters generate lower revenues and expenses, because under bareboat charters we are not responsible for either voyage expenses or, unlike time charters, operating expenses, and the charter rates for bareboat charters are correspondingly lower. Profit margins for vessels employed on bareboat charters are generally somewhat lower than time charters, reflecting the lack of exposure to operational risk and the risk of operating expense increases. See “—Basis of Presentation and General Information—Revenues” for additional information regarding the different types of charters on which we employ our vessels.
We will be evaluating vessel purchase opportunities to expand our fleet accretive to our earnings and cash flow. Additionally, we will consider selling certain of our vessels when favorable sales opportunities present themselves. If, at the time of sale, the carrying value is lower than the sales price, we will realize a gain on sale, which will increase our earnings, but if, at the time of sale, the carrying value of a vessel is more than the sales price, we will realize a loss on sale, which will negatively impact our earnings. Please see “—Critical Accounting Estimates” below, for a further discussion of the consequences of selling our vessels for amounts below their carrying values.
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Factors Affecting Our Results of Operations
We believe that the important measures for analyzing trends in the results of our operations consist of the following:
| • | Calendar days. We define calendar days as the total number of days in a period during which each vessel in our fleet was in our possession including off-hire days associated with major repairs, dry dockings or special or intermediate surveys. Calendar days are an indicator of the size of our fleet over a period and affect both the amount of revenue and the amount of expense that we record during that period. In. We may also elect to sell vessels in our fleet from time to time. |
| • | Voyage days. We define voyage days as the total number of days in a period during which each vessel in our fleet was in our possession net of off-hire days associated with major repairs, dry dockings or special or intermediate surveys. The shipping industry uses voyage days (also referred to as available days) to measure the number of days in a period during which vessels are available to generate revenues. |
| • | Fleet utilization; Fleet operational utilization. We calculate fleet utilization by dividing the number of our voyage days during a period by the number of our calendar days during that period, and we calculate fleet operational utilization by dividing the number of our voyage days-excluding commercially idle days-during a period, by the number of our calendar days during that period. The shipping industry uses fleet utilization to measure a company’s efficiency in minimizing the amount of days that its vessels are off-hire for reasons such as scheduled repairs, vessel upgrades or drydockings and other surveys, and uses fleet operational utilization to also measure a company’s efficiency in finding suitable employment for its vessels. |
| • | Cyclicality. As of March 28, 2023, we had three vessels operating under time charter contracts, two scheduled to expire in April 2023 and one in May 2023, and 9 vessels operating in the spot market. Tanker charter market rates have been strong since the second half of 2022, after remaining at low levels for most periods of recent years. Conversely, drybulk charter rates, which were at high levels from late 2020 until the latter part of 2022, have deteriorated significantly and are near pre-pandemic low levels. While the global economy has begun to recover in parts of the world, driven in part by the availability of COVID-19 vaccines, the success and timing of COVID-19 containment strategies remain uncertain, particularly in light of the potential emergence of variants, and charter rates face significant downside risks, including in the event of renewed weakness in the global economy and lower demand for the seaborne transport of refined petroleum products, crude oil or drybulk cargoes, particularly resulting from failure to contain the COVID-19 pandemic. In addition, the conflict in Ukraine is disrupting energy production and trade patterns, including shipping in the Black Sea and elsewhere, and its impact on energy prices and tanker rates, which initially have increased, is uncertain, particularly if it results in an economic downturn and reduced demand for oil. |
| • | Seasonality. As of March 28, 2023, we had 3 vessels operating under time charter contracts, two of which are scheduled to expire in April 2023 and one is scheduled to expire in May 2023, and 9 vessels operating in the spot market. At the end of these charters, including if these options are not exercised by the charterer, the potential operation in the spot market or seeking period employment may expose us to seasonal changes in, as applicable, the tanker markets, which are typically stronger in the winter months as a result of increased oil consumption in the northern hemisphere but weaker in the summer months as a result of lower oil consumption in the northern hemisphere and refinery maintenance, and drybulk markets, which are typically stronger in the spring months due to grain season in the Southern Hemisphere, autumn months due to coal inventories and weaker in winter months. |
Our ability to control our fixed and variable expenses, including those for commission expenses, crew wages and related costs, the cost of insurance, expenses for repairs and maintenance, the cost of spares and consumable stores, tonnage taxes and other miscellaneous expenses also affect our financial results. Factors beyond our control, such as developments relating to market premiums for insurance and the value of the U.S. dollar compared to currencies in which certain of our expenses, primarily crew wages are denominated, can also cause our vessel operating expenses to increase. In addition, our net income is affected by any financing arrangements, including any interest rate swap arrangements.
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Below please see data regarding our fleet and average daily results for the years ended December 31, 2020, 2021 and 2022, which we use in analyzing our performance.
| Year Ended December 31, | ||||||||||||
| 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | ||||||||||
| FLEET DATA |
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| Average number of vessels(1) |
4.0 | 4.0 | 6.99 | |||||||||
| Total voyage days for fleet(2) |
1,417 | 1,428 | 2,464 | |||||||||
| Total time charter days for fleet(3) |
615 | 762 | 1,099 | |||||||||
| Total bareboat charter days for fleet(3) |
446 | 365 | 249 | |||||||||
| Total spot market days for fleet(4) |
356 | 301 | 1,116 | |||||||||
| Total calendar days for fleet(5) |
1,464 | 1,460 | 2,552 | |||||||||
| Fleet utilization(6) |
96.8 | % | 97.8 | % | 96.6 | % | ||||||
| Fleet operational utilization(7) |
95.7 | % | 90.5 | % | 84.8 | % | ||||||
| AVERAGE DAILY RESULTS |
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| Average Time Charter Equivalent daily rate(8) |
$ | 12,073 | $ | 9,649 | $ | 25,654 | ||||||
| Vessel operating expenses(9) |
4,891 | 5,091 | 6,424 | |||||||||
| General and administrative expenses(10) |
150 | 421 | 695 | |||||||||
| Management fees(11) |
344 | 361 | 410 | |||||||||
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| Total daily operating expenses(12) |
$ | 5,041 | $ | 5,512 | $ | 7,119 | ||||||
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| (1) | Average number of vessels is the number of owned vessels that constituted our fleet for the relevant period, as measured by the sum of the number of days each vessel was a part of our fleet during the period divided by the number of calendar days in that period. |
| (2) | Our total voyage days for our fleet reflect the total days the vessels we operated were in our possession for the relevant periods, net of off-hire days associated with major repairs, drydockings or special or intermediate surveys. |
| (3) | Total time and bareboat charter days for fleet are the number of voyage days the vessels in our fleet operated on time or bareboat charters for the relevant period. |
| (4) | Total spot market charter days for fleet are the number of voyage days the vessels in our fleet operated on spot market charters for the relevant period. |
| (5) | Total calendar days are the total days the vessels we operated were in our possession for the relevant period including off-hire days associated with major repairs, drydockings or special or intermediate surveys. |
| (6) | Fleet utilization is the percentage of time that our vessels were available for revenue generating voyage days, and is determined by dividing voyage days by fleet calendar days for the relevant period. |
| (7) | Fleet operational utilization is the percentage of time that our vessels generated revenue, and is determined by dividing voyage days (excluding commercially idle days) by fleet calendar days for the relevant period. |
| (8) | Average time charter equivalent daily rate is a measure of the average daily revenue performance of a vessel on a per voyage basis. We determine the average time charter equivalent daily rate by dividing voyage revenues net of voyage expenses (the “Time charter equivalent revenues”) by voyage days for the relevant time period. Voyage expenses primarily consist of port, canal and fuel costs that are unique to a particular voyage and are payable by us under a spot charter (which would otherwise be paid by the charterer under a time or bareboat charter contract), as well as commissions or any voyage costs incurred while the vessel is idle. Time charter equivalent revenues and average time charter equivalent daily rate are non-GAAP measures which provide additional meaningful information in conjunction with voyage revenues, the most directly comparable GAAP measure to time charter equivalent revenues, because they assist Company management in making decisions regarding the deployment and use of its vessels and in evaluating their financial performance. They are also standard shipping industry performance measures used primarily to compare period-to-period changes in a shipping company’s performance despite changes in the mix of charter types (i.e., spot charters or time charters, but not bareboat charters) under which the vessels may be employed between the periods. Our calculation of time charter equivalent revenues and average time charter equivalent daily rate may not be comparable to that reported by other companies in the shipping or other industries. Under bareboat charters, we are not responsible for either voyage expenses, unlike spot charters, or vessel operating expenses, unlike spot charters and time charters; Reconciliation of time charter equivalent revenues as reflected in the consolidated statements of operations and calculation of average time charter equivalent daily rate follow: |
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| Year Ended December 31, | ||||||||||||
| 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | ||||||||||
| Voyage revenues |
$ | 20,302,052 | $ | 17,362,669 | $ | 97,019,878 | ||||||
| Voyage expenses |
$ | 3,194,312 | $ | 3,584,415 | $ | 33,807,342 | ||||||
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| Time Charter Equivalent revenues |
$ | 17,107,740 | $ | 13,778,254 | $ | 63,212,536 | ||||||
| Total voyage days for fleet |
1,417 | 1,428 | 2,464 | |||||||||
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| Average Time Charter Equivalent daily rate |
$ | 12,073 | $ | 9,649 | $ | 25,654 | ||||||
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| (9) | Vessel operating expenses, including related party vessel operating expenses, consist of crew costs, provisions, deck and engine stores, lubricating oil, insurance, maintenance and repairs, is calculated by dividing vessel operating expenses by fleet calendar days for the relevant time period. |
| (10) | Daily general and administrative expenses are calculated by dividing total general and administrative expenses by fleet calendar days for the relevant period. |
| (11) | Management fees are based on a fixed rate management fee of $440 per day for each vessel in our fleet under spot or time charter and a fixed rate fee of $125 per day for each of the vessels operating on bareboat charter. Daily management fees are calculated by dividing total management fees by fleet calendar days for the relevant period. |
| (12) | Total operating expenses, or “TOE”, is a measurement of our total expenses associated with operating our vessels. TOE is the sum of vessel operating expenses and general and administrative expenses. Daily TOE is calculated by dividing TOE by fleet calendar days for the relevant time period. |
Impact of COVID-19 on our Business
The spread of the COVID-19 virus, which was declared a pandemic by the World Health Organization in March 2020, has caused and may continue to cause substantial disruptions in the global economy and trade, including reduced demand for energy, with many countries, ports and organizations, including those where we conduct a large part of our operations, having previously implemented measures to combat the outbreak, such as quarantines and travel restrictions. It also negatively impacted global economic activity and demand for energy, including refined petroleum products and oil, in the second half of 2020, 2021 and the first half of 2022, and may again negatively impact global economic activity and demand for energy and drybulk commodities. The global response to the outbreak and the economic impact thereof, in particular decreased energy demand and lower oil prices, adversely affected our ability to secure tanker charters at profitable rates from the second half of 2021 until the third quarter in 2022, and may again do so. In addition, the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, including the “Zero COVID” policy strictly enforced by China until recently, contributed to reduced demand for drybulk carriers in the second half of 2022 and early 2023, and may continue to do so if again imposed, particularly for our drybulk vessels operating in the spot market or with charters expiring in 2023 that may then operate in the spot market, as demand for additional charters may continue to be affected.
Our business, and the tanker and drybulk shipping industry as a whole, may also be impacted by delays in crew changes as well as delays in the construction of new-build vessels, scheduled drydockings, intermediate or special surveys of vessels and ship repairs and upgrades, as well as reducing the availability of financing. Complications relating to changing crews due to restrictions in various ports throughout the world increased the costs related to these activities in 2021 and 2022, and may continue to do so in 2023. The extent to which COVID-19 will impact our future results of operations and financial condition will depend on future developments, which are highly uncertain and cannot be predicted, including new information which may emerge concerning the duration and severity of the pandemic and the actions to contain or treat its impact.
In response to the pandemic, we instituted enhanced safety protocols such as regular disinfection of our on-shore facilities, regular employee COVID-19 testing, digital temperature reading facilities, limitation of on-site visitors and travel, mandatory self-isolation of personnel returning from travel and replacing physical meetings with virtual meetings. We expect to continue such measures, which have not had a significant impact on our expenses, to some degree until the pandemic abates. In addition, interest rates, which were at low levels in 2020 and 2021 in part due to actions taken by central banks to stimulate economic activity in the face of the pandemic, increased significantly in 2022 and may increase further, as central banks have repeatedly increased benchmark rates in an effort to combat inflation.
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Basis of Presentation and General Information
Revenues
Our voyage revenues are driven primarily by the number of vessels in our fleet, the number of voyage days during which our vessels generate revenues, the mix of charters our vessels are employed on and hire that our vessels earn under charters which, in turn, are affected by a number of factors, including our decisions relating to vessel acquisitions and disposals, the amount of time that we spend positioning our vessels, the amount of time that our vessels spend in drydock undergoing repairs, maintenance and upgrade work, the age, condition and specifications of our vessels and the levels of supply and demand in the product tanker and crude oil tanker charter markets and, since our acquisition of two drybulk carriers in the third and fourth quarter of 2022, the drybulk carrier charter markets.
We employ our vessels under time, bareboat and spot charters. Bareboat charters provide for the charterer to bear the cost of operating the vessel and as such typically market rates for bareboat charters are lower than those for time charters. Vessels operating on period charters, principally time and bareboat charters, provide more predictable cash flows, but can yield lower profit margins than vessels operating in the spot charter market during periods characterized by favorable market conditions. As a result, during the time our vessels are committed on period charters we will be unable, during periods of improving charter markets, to take advantage of improving charter rates as we could if our vessels were employed only on spot charters. Vessels operating in the spot charter market generate revenues that are less predictable but may enable us to capture increased profit margins during periods of high rates in the charter market, although we are exposed to the risk of having to seek to employ our vessels at low prevailing rates in weak market conditions, and may have a materially adverse impact on our overall financial performance. If we commit vessels on period charters, future spot market rates may be higher or lower than those rates at which we have time chartered our vessels.
Voyage Expenses
Voyage expenses include port and canal charges, bunker (fuel oil) expenses and commissions. These charges and expenses increase in periods during which vessels are employed on the spot market or in periods during which vessels are not employed, because during such periods, these expenses are paid by the vessel owner. Under period charters, these charges and expenses, including bunkers (fuel oil) but excluding commissions which are always paid by the vessel owner, are paid by the charterer. Bunkers (fuel oil) accounted for 71.6% of total voyage expenses for the year ended December 31, 2022, 55.6% of total voyage expenses for the year ended December 31, 2021 and 50.6% of total voyage expenses for the year ended December 31, 2020. Commissions on hire are paid to our manager Stealth Maritime and/or third-party brokers. Stealth Maritime receives a fixed brokerage commission of 1.25% on freight, hire and demurrage for each vessel based on our management agreement. As of March 28, 2023, we had 9 vessels operating in the spot market.
Vessel Operating Expenses
Vessel operating expenses include crew wages and related costs, the cost of insurance, expenses for repairs and maintenance, the cost of spares and consumable stores, tonnage taxes and other miscellaneous expenses. Our ability to control these fixed and variable expenses, also affects our financial results. In addition, the type of charter under which our vessels are employed (time, bareboat or spot charter) also affects our operating expenses because we do not pay the operating expenses of vessels that we deploy on bareboat charters. Factors beyond our control, some of which may affect the shipping industry in general, including, for instance, developments relating to market prices for insurance and regulations related to safety and environmental matters may also cause these expenses to increase.
Management Fees
During each of the years ended December 31, 2020, 2021 and 2022, we paid Stealth Maritime, our fleet manager, a fixed rate management fee of $440 per day for each vessel in our fleet under spot or time charter and a fixed rate fee of $125 per day for each of the vessels operating on bareboat charter. These rates remain the same after the Spin-Off, under our new management agreement with Stealth Maritime. Our Manager also receives a fee equal to 1.0% calculated on the price stated in the relevant memorandum of agreement for any vessel bought or sold by them on our behalf.
General and Administrative Expenses
We incur general and administrative expenses that consist primarily of legal fees, audit fees, office rental fees, officers and board remuneration or reimbursement, directors’ and officers’ insurance, listing fees and other general and administrative expenses. Our general and administrative expenses also include our direct compensation expenses and the value of non-cash executive services
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provided through, and other expenses arising from, our management agreement with Stealth Maritime, our directors’ compensation and the value of the lease expense for the space we rent from Stealth Maritime. For our compensation expenses, pursuant to our management agreement, we will initially reimburse Stealth Maritime for its payment of the compensation of our executive officers for the first 12 months following the spin- off and then our Board will agree upon any further management compensation. For periods up to December 3, 2021, an allocation of general and administrative expenses incurred by StealthGas Inc. has been included in General and administrative expenses based on the number of calendar days the vessels to be contributed operated under StealthGas Inc.’s fleet compared to the number of calendar days of the total StealthGas Inc.’s fleet. The aggregate cash compensation to our officers in 2022 was $0.3 million, and we expect such cash compensation to be approximately $0.4 million in 2023. The remaining unrecognized stock-based compensation cost relating to the $1,000,000 of restricted shares of common stock granted under our equity compensation plan in 2022, amounting to $882,744 as of December 31, 2022, is expected to be recognized over the remaining period of 1.5 years, according to the contractual terms of those non-vested share awards.
Inflation
Inflation has had only a moderate effect on our expenses in 2021 however the effect became more intense in early 2022 following the outbreak of Russian war against Ukraine. The pressure on energy prices brought upon by the Russian invasion in Ukraine has resulted in inflationary effects mainly on financing expenses and operating expenses, as well as bunker costs for which we are responsible when our vessels operate in the spot market or are unemployed. Although these impacts have normalized, a resumption of increased inflationary pressures would increase our financing, operating voyage and administrative expenses further.
Depreciation and Dry docking
The carrying value of our vessels includes the original cost of the vessels plus capitalized expenses since acquisition relating to improvements and upgrading of the vessels, less accumulated depreciation and less any impairment. We depreciate our vessels on a straight-line basis, from the date they were originally built over their estimated useful lives, determined to be 25 years. Depreciation is based on cost less the estimated scrap value of the vessels which equals $350 per light weight ton. We expense costs associated with drydockings and special and intermediate surveys as incurred which may affect the volatility of our results. During 2021, we did not drydock any vessels, while in 2020 we drydocked our Aframax tanker at a total cost of $0.9 million. In 2022, we drydocked one Suezmax tanker, the Suez Enchanted and one Handysize drybulk vessel, the Eco Angelbay, at a total cost of $1.9 million. In 2023, we expect to drydock three MR product tankers, namely the Clean Thrasher, the Magic Wand and the Clean Nirvana, one Suezmax tanker, the Suez Protopia, and two drybulk handysize vessel the Eco Glorieuse and the Eco Wildfire. Five of these vessels will be installed with ballast water treatment systems as part of their drydocking.
Interest Expense and Finance Costs
As of December 31, 2022 we had $70.0 million of outstanding indebtedness net of arrangement fees. See “—Liquidity and Capital Resources—Credit Facilities.” We will incur interest expenses under these credit facilities and any new credit facilities we enter into to finance or refinance the purchase price of additional vessels, as described in the “—Liquidity and Capital Resources” section below. We will also incur financing costs in connection with establishing those facilities, which will be deferred and amortized over the period of the facility, which we will also include in interest expense.
Critical Accounting Estimates
The discussion and analysis of our financial condition and results of operations is based upon our consolidated financial statements, which have been prepared in accordance with U.S. GAAP. The preparation of those financial statements requires us to make estimates and judgments that affect the reported amount of assets and liabilities, revenues and expenses and related disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities at the date of our financial statements. Actual results may differ from these estimates under different assumptions or conditions.
Critical accounting estimates are those that reflect significant judgments or uncertainties, and potentially result in materially different results under different assumptions and conditions. We have described below what we believe are our most critical accounting estimates that involve a high degree of judgment. For a description of our significant accounting policies, see Note 2 to our consolidated financial statements included elsewhere herein.
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Impairment of long-lived assets:
We follow the Accounting Standards Codification (“ASC”) Subtopic 360-10, “Property, Plant and Equipment” (“ASC 360-10”), which requires long-lived assets used in operations be reviewed for impairment whenever events or changes in circumstances indicate that the carrying amount of the assets may not be recoverable. On a quarterly basis, in case an impairment indicator exists, we perform an analysis of the anticipated undiscounted future net cash flows of our long-lived assets. If the carrying value of the related asset exceeds the undiscounted cash flows and the fair market value of the asset, the carrying value is reduced to its fair value and the difference is recorded as an impairment loss in the consolidated statement of operations.
We review certain indicators of potential impairment, such as vessel fair values, vessel sales and purchases, business plans and overall market conditions including any regulatory changes that may have a material impact on the vessel lives. The decline in the values of our vessels was considered to be an indicator of potential impairment. As of the end of each respective quarter of 2022, we performed step one, the undiscounted cash flow test as required by the ASC guidance. We determined undiscounted projected net operating cash flows for each vessel with carrying value exceeding its fair value and compared it to the vessel’s carrying value. This assessment was made at the individual vessel level since separately identifiable cash flow information for each vessel was available. In developing estimates of future cash flows to be generated over remaining useful lives of the vessels, we made assumptions about the future, such as: (1) vessel charter rates, (2) vessel utilization rates, (3) vessel operating expenses, (4) dry docking costs, (5) vessel scrap values at the end of vessels’ remaining useful lives and (6) the remaining useful lives of the vessels. These assumptions were based on historical trends as well as future expectations in line with our historical performance and our expectations for future fleet utilization under our current fleet deployment strategy, vessel sales and purchases, and overall market conditions.
Projected cash flows were determined for the vessels by considering the revenues from existing charters for those vessels that have long term employment, and revenue estimates based on nine-year historical average rates (base rates) for periods for which there is no charter in place. With regards to operating expenses and utilization rate, these were based on historical trends. Revenue estimates are highly subjective. We believe that the nine-year average historical average rates represent an appropriate estimation of the future revenue rates since they more accurately reflect the earnings capacity of our vessels and because they capture the volatility of the market as they include numerous market highs and lows. Furthermore, they are considered a fair estimate based on past experience.
The carrying values of our vessels may not represent their fair market value at any point in time since the market prices of second-hand vessels tend to fluctuate with changes in charter rates and the cost of new-buildings.
Sensitivity Analysis.
The impairment test is highly sensitive to variances in future charter rates. When we conducted the analysis of the impairment test as of December 31, 2022 we also performed a sensitivity analysis related to the future cash flow estimates. Set forth below is an analysis, as of December 31, 2022, of the percentage difference between the current average rates for our fleet compared with the base rates used in the impairment test as described above, as well as an analysis of the impact on our impairment analysis if we were to utilize the most recent five-year, three-year and one-year historical average rates, which shows the number of vessels whose carrying value would not have been recovered and the related impairment charge.
| Percentage difference between our average 2022 rates as compared with the base rates |
5-year historical average rate |
3-year historical average rate |
1-year historical average rate |
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| No. of vessels |
Amount ($ million) |
No. of vessels |
Amount ($ million) |
No. of vessels |
Amount ($ million) |
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| Product Tankers |
61.81 | % | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Handysize Drybulk Carriers |
151.10 | % | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||||||||||||||||||||
Although we believe that the assumptions used to evaluate potential impairment are reasonable and appropriate, such assumptions are highly subjective. There can be no assurance as to how long charter rates and vessel values will remain at their current levels or whether they will improve by any significant degree. Charter rates may remain at relatively low levels for some time, or decline, which could adversely affect our revenue and profitability, and future assessments of vessel impairment.
Based on the carrying value of each of our vessels held for use as of December 31, 2022 and as of December 31, 2021 and what we believe the charter-free market values of each of these vessels was as of these dates, five of our owned vessels in the water had current carrying values above their market values. We believe that the aggregate carrying value of these vessels, assessed separately, exceeds their aggregate charter-free market value by approximately $19 million and $39 million as of December 31, 2022 and December 31, 2021, respectively. However, we believe that with respect to each of these five vessels, we will recover their carrying values at the end of their useful lives, based on their undiscounted cash flows.
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Vessel depreciation:
We record the value of our vessels at their cost (which includes acquisition costs directly attributable to the vessel and expenditures made to prepare the vessel for its initial voyage) less accumulated depreciation and impairment, if any. We depreciate our vessels on a straight-line basis over their estimated useful lives, estimated to be 25 years from date of initial delivery from the shipyard. Depreciation is based on cost less the estimated scrap value of the vessels which equals $350 per light weight ton. We believe that a 25-year depreciable life is consistent with other product tanker and crude tanker vessel owners and reflects management’s intended use. Depreciation is based on cost less the estimated residual scrap value. An increase in the useful life of the vessel or in the residual value would have the effect of decreasing the annual depreciation charge and extending it into later periods. A decrease in the useful life of the vessel or in the residual value would have the effect of increasing the annual depreciation charge. No events or circumstances occurred in 2021 or 2022 that would require us to revise estimates related to depreciation and such revisions are not expected to occur in the future.
Implications of Being an Emerging Growth Company
We had less than $1.235 billion in revenue during our last fiscal year, which means that we qualify as an “emerging growth company” as defined in the Jumpstart Our Business Startups Act, or JOBS Act. An emerging growth company may take advantage or specified reduced reporting and other burdens that are otherwise applicable generally to public companies. These provisions include:
| • | exemption from the auditor attestation requirement in the assessment of the emerging growth company’s internal controls over financial reporting under Section 404(b) of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act; |
| • | exemption from new or revised financial accounting standards applicable to public companies until such standards are also applicable to private companies; and |
| • | exemption from compliance with any new requirements adopted by the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board, or the PCAOB, requiring mandatory audit firm rotation or a supplement to the auditor’s report in which the auditor would be required to provide additional information about the audit and financial statements. |
We may take advantage of these provisions until December 31, 2026. We will cease to be an emerging growth company if, among other things, we have more than $1.235 billion in “total annual gross revenues” during the most recently completed fiscal year. We may choose to take advantage of some, but not all, of these reduced burdens. For as long as we take advantage of the reduced reporting obligations, the information that we provide stockholders may be different from information provided by other public companies. We are choosing to “opt out” of the extended transition period relating to the exemption from new or revised financial accounting standards and as a result, we will comply with new or revised accounting standards on the relevant dates on which adoption of such standards is required for non-emerging growth public companies. Section 107 of the JOBS Act provides that our decision to opt out of the extended transition period for complying with new or revised accounting standards is irrevocable.
Results of Operations
Year ended December 31, 2022 compared to year ended December 31, 2021
The average number of vessels in our fleet was 6.99 for the year ended December 31, 2022 and 4.0 for the year ended December 31, 2021, respectively.
REVENUES—Voyage revenues for the year ended December 31, 2022 were $97.0 million compared to $17.4 million for the year ended December 31, 2021, an increase of $79.6 million, primarily due to the increase in the size of our average fleet by three vessels, the higher number of spot voyages and improved market conditions resulting in higher charter rates, particularly in the spot market. Total calendar days for our fleet were 2,552 for the year ended December 31, 2022 compared to 1,460 for the year ended December 31, 2021. Of the total calendar days in 2022, 249 or 9.8% were bareboat charter days, 1,099 or 43.1% were time charter days and 1,116 or 43.7% were spot days. This compares to 365 or 25.0% bareboat charter days, 762 or 52.2% were time charter days and 301 or 20.6% were spot days in 2021. Our fleet operational utilization was 84.8% and 90.5% for the years ended December 31, 2022 and December 31, 2021, respectively.
VOYAGE EXPENSES—Voyage expenses were $33.8 million for the year ended December 31, 2022 compared to $3.6 million for the year ended December 31, 2021. This increase of voyage expenses by $30.2 million is attributable to the increase in the spot days of our fleet by 815 days or 271% and the rise in daily bunker costs by approximately $14,000. Voyage expenses consisted largely of bunker charges amounting to $24.2 million for 2022, accounting for 71.6% of total voyage expenses. Voyage expenses also included port expenses of $5.2 million for the year ended December 31, 2022, corresponding to 15.4% of total voyage expenses, and commission to third parties which were $3.1 million, equivalent to 9.2% of total voyage expenses for year 2022. For the year ended December 31, 2021, voyage expenses included bunker charges of $2.0 million corresponding to 55.6% of total voyage expenses, port expenses of $1.0 million corresponding to 27.8% of total voyage expenses, and commission to third parties of $0.5 million corresponding to 13.9% of total voyage expenses.
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VESSEL OPERATING EXPENSES—Vessel operating expenses were $16.4 million for the year ended December 31, 2022 compared to $7.4 million for the year ended December 31, 2021, an increase of $9.0 million, or 121.6%. The increase in operating expenses was primarily due to the average size of our fleet increasing by approximately 3 vessels and one of our product tankers coming off bareboat in September 2022.
DRY DOCKING COSTS—Dry docking costs were $1.9 million for the year ended December 31, 2022 compared to $0.01 million for the year ended December 31, 2021. Dry docking costs for the year ended December 31, 2022 related to the dry docking of one of our Suezmax tankers and one of our Handysize drybulk vessels.
MANAGEMENT FEES—Management fees were $1.0 million for the year ended December 31, 2022 compared to $0.5 million for the year ended December 31, 2021, an increase of $0.5 million or 100%. The increase was due to the increase in the average size of our fleet by approximately three vessels. The daily management fees per vessel did not change during these periods and remained at $440 per day for vessels under time and spot charter and $125 per day for vessels under bareboat charter.
GENERAL AND ADMINISTRATIVE EXPENSES—General and administrative expenses for the year ended December 31, 2022 were $1.8 million compared to $0.6 million for the year ended December 31, 2021, an increase of $1.2 million or 200%, mainly due to the increased reporting costs related to being a public reporting company.
DEPRECIATION—Depreciation expenses for the year ended December 31, 2022 were $12.3 million while for the year ended December 31, 2021 depreciation expenses were $8.7 million. The $3.6 million increase in depreciation expenses is due to the increase in the average size of our fleet by approximately three vessels.
NET PROFIT/LOSS—As a result of the above factors, we recorded a net profit of $29.5 million for the year ended December 31, 2022 and a net loss of $3.6 million for the year ended December 31, 2021.
Year ended December 31, 2021 compared to year ended December 31, 2020
The average number of vessels in our fleet was 4.0 for the year ended December 31, 2021 and the year ended December 31, 2020, respectively.
REVENUES—Voyage revenues for the year ended December 31, 2021 were $ 17.4 million compared to $20.3 million for the year ended December 31, 2020, a decrease of $2.9 million, primarily due to lower revenues stemming from our vessels operating in the spot market as rates for tankers were weaker in 2021 when compared to 2020. Total calendar days for our fleet were 1,460 for the year ended December 31, 2021 compared to 1,464 for the year ended December 31, 2020. Of the total calendar days in 2021, 365 or 25.0% were bareboat charter days, 762 or 52.2% were time charter days and 301 or 20.6% were spot days. This compares to 446 or 30.5% bareboat charter days, 615 or 42% were time charter days and 356 or 24.3% spot days in 2020. Our fleet operational utilization was 90.5% and 95.7% for the years ended December 31, 2021 and December 31, 2020, respectively.
VOYAGE EXPENSES—Voyage expenses were $3.6 million for the year ended December 31, 2021 compared to $3.2 million for the year ended December 31, 2020. This increase of voyage expenses by $0.4 million, despite the decline in spot days is attributable to the increase of voyage costs particularly bunker costs. For the year ended December 31, 2021 our bunker charges were $2.0 million, corresponding to 55.6% of total voyage expenses, compared to $1.6 million corresponding to 50.0% of total voyage expenses for the year ended December 31, 2020. Voyage expenses also included port expenses of $1.0 million for the year ended December 31, 2021, corresponding to 27.8% of total voyage expenses, and commission to third parties which were $0.5 million, equivalent to 13.9% of total voyage expenses for year 2021. For the year ended December 31, 2020 voyage expenses also included port expenses of $0.8 million corresponding to 25% of total voyage expenses, and commission to third parties which were $0.5 million, equivalent to 15.6% of total voyage expenses for the year 2020.
VESSEL OPERATING EXPENSES—Vessel operating expenses were $7.4 million for the year ended December 31, 2021 compared to $7.2 million for the year ended December 31, 2020, an increase of $0.2 million, or 2.8%. The increase in operating expenses was primarily due to the decrease of bareboat activity in 2021, along with an increase in crew charges related to the COVID-19 pandemic such as crew medical charges and charges related to crew changes.
DRY DOCKING COSTS—Dry docking costs were $0.01 million for the year ended December 31, 2021 compared to $0.9 million for the year ended December 31, 2020, a decrease of $0.89 million. None of our vessels underwent drydocking in year 2021, while dry docking charges for the year ended December 31, 2020 related to the dry docking of our Aframax tanker.
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MANAGEMENT FEES—Management fees were $0.5 million for the year ended December 31, 2021 and the year ended December 31, 2020. The daily management fees per vessel did not change during these periods and remained at $440 per day for vessels under time and spot charter and $125 per day for vessels under bareboat charter.
GENERAL AND ADMINISTRATIVE EXPENSES—General and administrative expenses for the year ended December 31, 2021 were $0.6 million compared to $0.2 million for the year ended December 31, 2020, an increase of $0.4 million or 200%, mainly due to fact that for the year ended December 31, 2021 we incurred additional one- off charges related to the spin-off of Imperial Petroleum Inc. from StealthGas Inc.
DEPRECIATION—Depreciation expenses for the year ended December 31, 2021 was $8.7 million while for the year ended December 31, 2020, depreciation charges were $8.6 million.
NET LOSS—As a result of the above factors, we recorded a net loss of $3.6 million for the year ended December 31, 2021, compared to a net loss of $0.4 million for the year ended December 31, 2020.
Recent Accounting Pronouncements
Please refer to Note 2 of the financial statements included elsewhere in this report.
Liquidity and Capital Resources
As of December 31, 2022, we had cash and cash equivalents including time deposits of $118.9 million. Our principal sources of funds for our liquidity needs have been cash flows from operations, bank borrowings and equity offerings. During the year ended December 31, 2022, the Company raised $168,001,415 in gross proceeds, or $156,821,474 in net proceeds, from public offerings of equity securities and from the partial exercises of warrants issued in such offerings. In addition, under our at-the-market (“ATM”) program with Maxim Group LLC and Virtu Americas LLC, which we entered into in December 2022 and terminated on March 13, 2023, we sold 50,780,137 shares of common stock for net proceeds of $12.4 million ($0.4 million in 2022). Potential additional sources of funds may include additional equity offerings and bank borrowings. We expect future equity offerings and other issuances of our common shares, preferred stock or other securities, which may dilute our common shareholders if issued at lower prices than the price they acquired their shares, to be a significant component of the financing for our fleet growth plan.
Our principal use of funds has been to acquire our vessels, maintain the quality of our vessels, and fund working capital requirements.
Our liquidity needs, as of December 31, 2022, primarily relate to funding expenses for operating our vessels, any vessel improvements that may be required and general and administrative expenses, as well as the cost for any additional vessels we agree to acquire. In February 2023, we agreed to acquire two drybulk vessels for aggregate consideration consisting of $25.5 million in cash and 13,875 shares of Series C Preferred Stock. On March 10, 2023, we repaid with cash on hand the balance of $23.2 million outstanding under our DNB loan agreement, retiring the facility.
Our contractual obligations as of December 31, 2022 were:
| Payments due by period (in thousands of U.S. dollars) | ||||||||||||||||
| Total | Less than 1 year (2023) |
1-3 years (2024-2025) |
3-5 years (2026-2027) |
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| Long-term debt obligations |
$ | 70,439 | $ | 28,716 | $ | 11,040 | $ | 30,683 | ||||||||
| Interest on principal amounts outstanding (1) |
13,140 | 4,488 | 5,467 | 3,185 | ||||||||||||
| Management fees (2) |
5,706 | 1,852 | 3,854 | — | ||||||||||||
| Office lease |
62 | 62 | — | — | ||||||||||||
| Executive fees |
396 | 396 | — | — | ||||||||||||
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| Total |
$ | 89,743 | $ | 35,514 | $ | 20,361 | $ | 33,868 | ||||||||
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| (1) | Based on assumed 3M LIBOR or 3M SOFR of 5.09% or 4.79%, respectively for 2023, 3M SOFR of 4.91% for 2024 and thereafter. It is assumed that LIBOR will be phased out on June 30, 2023. |
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| (2) | Based on our management agreement with Stealth Maritime, we pay $125 per vessel per day for vessels on bareboat charter and $440 per vessel per day for vessels not on bareboat charter for our existing fleet. We also pay 1.25% of the gross freight, demurrage and charter hire collected from employment of our ships and 1% of the contract price of any vessels bought or sold on our behalf. The term of our management agreement with Stealth Maritime will expire in December 2025, but is extended on a year-to-year basis thereafter, unless six months’ written notice is provided prior to the expiration of the term. |
We have 795,878 shares of Series A Preferred Stock outstanding, which have a dividend rate of 8.75% per annum per $25.00 of liquidation preference per share, with respect to which we paid aggregate dividends of $1.7 million in the year ended December 31, 2022. On March 27, 2023, we issued 13,875 shares of Series C Convertible Preferred Stock, which have a dividend rate of 5.00% per annum per $1,000 liquidation preference per share, which is payable in cash or additional shares of Series C Preferred Stock at our option.
We believe that our working capital, together with our anticipated cash from operations, will be sufficient for our present short-term and long-term liquidity requirements. We believe that, unless there is a major and sustained downturn in market conditions applicable to our specific shipping industry segment, our internally generated cash flows will be sufficient to fund our operations, including working capital requirements, for at least 12 months taking into account any possible capital commitments, and related financing, and debt service requirements.
From time to time and depending upon market conditions, we may consider various capital raising alternatives to finance the strategic growth and diversification of our fleet. Any such capital raising transactions may be at the Imperial Petroleum Inc. or subsidiary level, to which interests in certain vessels in our fleet and rights to receive related cash flows would be transferred, as well as other capital raising alternatives available to us at that particular time. In addition, we may elect to sell one or more of our vessels or vessel-owning subsidiaries, conduct a spinoff of such vessels or subsidiaries, or contribute such vessels or vessel-owning subsidiaries to a joint venture, master limited partnership or other entity. Any such transfer may reduce our asset base and our rights to cash flows related to the transferred assets. If we contribute assets to a joint venture or master limited partnership, the joint venture or master limited partnership may be owned by or issue equity securities to public or private investors, and as part of any spin-off of assets we may be required to distribute a portion of such assets to holders of outstanding warrants pursuant to the terms of such warrants, thereby reducing our percentage interest in such assets and in the related cash flows.
Cash Flows
As of December 31, 2022, we had a working capital surplus of $109.5 million. Our cash balance including time deposits amounted to $118.9 million, as of December 31, 2022.
Net cash provided by operating activities—was $40.9 million for the year ended December 31, 2022 and $5.2 million for the year ended December 31, 2021. This mainly represents the net amount of cash, after expenses, generated by chartering our vessels. Net cash provided by operating activities increased in the year ended December 31, 2022 compared to the year ended December 31, 2021 by $35.7 million mainly due to a sharp rise in profitability as a result of the increase in average number of vessels of our fleet and a noticeable improvement in market charter rates. Net cash provided by operating activities was $5.2 million for the year ended December 31, 2021 and $8.9 million for the year ended December 31, 2020. Net cash provided by operating activities decreased in 2021 compared to 2020 by $3.7 million mainly due to the decrease of our charter equivalent revenues.
Net cash used in investing activities—was $186.7 million for the year ended December 31, 2022 and $0.1 million for the year ended December 31, 2021. Net cash used in investing activities increased in the year ended December 31, 2022 compared to the year ended December 31, 2021, as within the year, an amount of $118.7 million were utilized for the acquisition of six vessels while $68 million of available funds were placed into time deposits. Net cash used in investing activities was an outflow of $0.1 million in 2021, while net cash used in investing activities was an outflow of $0.7 million for the year ended December 31, 2020. Net cash used in investing activities decreased in 2021 compared to 2020, as in 2020 we incurred costs relating to improvements of our Aframax tanker and in 2021 we incurred costs for a water ballast system for one of our tankers.
Net cash (used in)/provided by financing activities— As part of StealthGas up to December 3, 2021, we were dependent upon StealthGas for the major part of our working capital and financing requirements as StealthGas used a centralized approach to cash management and financing of its operations. Financial transactions were accounted for through the Net Parent Investment account. Accordingly, none of StealthGas’s cash and cash equivalents or debt at the corporate level had been assigned to us. Net Parent Investment represented StealthGas’s interest in our net assets and includes our cumulative losses as adjusted for cash distributions to and cash contributions from StealthGas. The related transactions with StealthGas were reflected as cash flows as a financing activity.
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For the year ended December 31, 2022 cash inflows from financing activities amounted to $196.9 million. The increase in inflows from financing activities by $203.3 million compared to the year ended December 31, 2021 is mainly attributed to $156.8 million in net proceeds raised within 2022 from capital stock offerings along with $47.8 million of proceeds from long term debt, which were partly offset by loan repayments amounting to $5.4 million and dividends paid on our Series A Preferred Stock amounting to $1.7 million.
The decrease in the cash outflows for financing activities for the year ended December 31, 2021 by $2.9 million compared to the year ended December 31, 2020 is mainly attributed to the inflows amounting to $28.0 million from our senior secured term loan facility with DNB which was offset by net distributions to StealthGas amounting to $33.5 million in the year ended December 31, 2021.
As and when we identify assets that we believe will provide attractive returns, we generally expect to enter into specific term loan facilities and borrow amounts under these facilities as the vessels are delivered to us. Aside from the proceeds of equity offerings, this is the primary driver of the timing and amount of cash provided to us by our financing activities.
We operate in a capital intensive industry which requires significant amounts of investment, and we expect to fund a significant portion of this investment through long term debt. We will maintain debt levels we consider prudent based on our market expectations, cash flow, interest coverage and percentage of debt to capital. StealthGas, and the subsidiaries that owned the four tankers that comprised our fleet, entered into credit facilities in connection with financing the acquisition of these vessels. We entered into a senior secured credit facility with DNB to refinance the outstanding balances under these credit facilities that were entered into by StealthGas for which the four tankers served as security prior to the Spin-Off, which facility was repaid in full by cash on hand on March 10, 2023.. In September and November 2022, we entered into senior secured credit facilities to refinance part of the purchase price for the other four tankers in our fleet, which we acquired earlier in 2022. See “—Senior Secured Credit Facilities.”
Senior Secured Credit Facilities
In connection with the refinancing and consolidation of StealthGas’ existing credit facilities collateralized by the four tankers contributed to us in conjunction with the Spin-Off, we, as guarantor, and our four subsidiaries owning those tankers, as borrowers, entered into a senior secured credit facility with DNB Bank (the “2021 DNB Senior Secured Credit Facility”) for an amount equal to $27.8 million, which is secured by mortgages, among other collateral, on four vessels, the Magic Wand, the Clean Thrasher, the Clean Sanctuary (ex. Falcon Maryam) and the Stealth Berana. On March 10, 2023, we prepaid the entire outstanding principal amount of $23.2 million under our DNB loan agreement with cash on hand, retiring such facility, and releasing the mortgages on the four vessels that collateralized such facility. In September 2022, we, as guarantor, and two of our subsidiaries, as borrowers, entered into a $17.0 million senior secured credit facility with Alpha Bank (the “2022 Alpha Bank Senior Secured Credit Facility”), secured by, among other collateral, two our vessels, the Clean Nirvana and the Clean Justice. In November 2022, we, as guarantor, and two of our subsidiaries, as borrowers, entered into a $30.8 million senior secured loan agreement with the National Bank of Greece (the “2022 NBG Senior Secured Credit Facility”), secured by, among other collateral, two our vessels, the Suez Enchanted and the Suez Protopia. As of the date of this Annual Report, each of our four drybulk vessels and four of our tankers, the Magic Wand, the Clean Thrasher, the Clean Sanctuary (ex. Falcon Maryam) and the Stealth Berana, were unencumbered.
Borrowings under the 2022 Alpha Bank Senior Secured Credit Facility and the 2022 NBG Senior Secured Credit Facility bear interest at an annual interest rate of (1) SOFR plus a margin of 2.40% and (2) LIBOR plus a margin of 2.55%, respectively. The average interest rate (including the margin) on our loans was 6.28% for the year ended December 31, 2022 (2021: 2.17%). The NBG Senior Secured Credit Facility provides for a transfer of the reference rate from LIBOR to SOFR after June 30, 2023.
We are required to (1) repay principal amounts in sixteen quarterly installments with a balloon payment of $8.2 million on the final maturity date of September 29,2026, in the case of the 2022 Alpha Bank Senior Secured Credit Facility and (2) repay principal amounts in twenty quarterly installments with a balloon payment of approximately $14.2 million on the final maturity date November 29, 2027, in the case of the 2022 NBG Senior Secured Credit Facility.
Our senior secured credit facilities are secured by customary shipping industry collateral including mortgages and other security relating to our vessels collateralizing the applicable facility, pledges of the shares of our subsidiaries that own the vessels collateralizing the applicable facility and assignment of insurance.
Our senior secured credit facilities contain the collateral coverage covenants and certain financial covenants requiring us to:
| • | ensure that our leverage, which is defined as the ratio of total liabilities to total assets, does not at any time exceed 70%; |
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| • | maintain a ratio of the aggregate market value of the vessels securing the applicable loan to the principal amount outstanding under such loan (which we sometimes refer to as the value maintenance or security coverage clause) at all times in excess of 125%; |
| • | ensure that our ratio of EBITDA to interest expense over the preceding twelve months is at all times more than 2.5 times; and |
| • | maintain on a monthly basis a cash balance amounting to $1,005,827 as of December 31, 2022 representing a proportionate amount of the next instalment and relevant interest plus a minimum aggregate cash balance amounting to $5,600,000 in the earnings accounts with the relevant banks. |
Under the terms of certain of our credit facilities, if certain members of the Vafias family cease to own at least 20% of our outstanding common stock or voting rights, cease to be involved in the management and control of Imperial Petroleum, including Harry Vafias serving as Chief Executive Officer, or cease to control the conduct of the business of Imperial Petroleum, it would constitute a change of control or event of default under those credit facilities and the lenders would have the right to require us to repay all amounts outstanding thereunder. In such an event, we would have to seek to refinance such amounts, which may be difficult to do on similar terms or at all
Each of our senior secured credit facilities contains customary events of default with respect to us and our subsidiaries, including upon the non-payment of amounts due under the credit facility; breach of covenants; matters affecting the collateral under such facility; insolvency proceedings and the occurrence of any event that, in light of which, the lender considers that there is a significant risk that the borrowers are, or will later become, unable to discharge their liabilities as they fall due. Under the terms of our senior secured credit facilities, we will be generally permitted to declare or pay cash dividends on our common stock so long as we are not in default thereunder nor would be in default as a result of such dividend payment until June 30, 2023 and thereafter declare and pay dividends in amounts up to 50% of our free cash flow for the last four consecutive quarters so long as we are not in default thereunder nor would be in default as a result of such dividend payment. We are permitted to declare and pay dividends on our preferred shares as long as no event deemed as an event of default is ongoing and the Company does not have negative equity. The consent of our lenders is also required to change, or subcontract or delegate, the commercial or technical management of the vessels mortgaged thereunder.
Each of our senior secured credit facilities provides that upon the occurrence of an event of default, the lenders may require that all amounts outstanding under the credit facility be repaid immediately and terminate our ability to borrow under the applicable credit facility and foreclose on the mortgages over the vessels and the related collateral. Each of our senior secured credit facilities also contains cross-default clauses.
Capital Expenditures
We may make capital expenditures from time to time in connection with our vessel acquisitions and improvements. Please refer to section above “Liquidity and Capital Resources – Cash Flows” for a discussion of how we plan to cover our working capital requirements and possible capital commitments.
C. Research and Development, Patents and Licenses
None.
D. Trend Information
Tankers
The tanker industry is both cyclical and volatile in terms of charter rates and profitability while geopolitical events affect the demand for seaborne transportation. Indicatively, during the ten-year period from the first quarter of 2013- through the fourth quarter of 2022, average earnings for an Aframax tanker fluctuated between $3,479 to $90,991 per day on a quarterly basis. Similarly, average MR tanker earnings fluctuated between $5,809 to -$41,411 per day over the same period. Asset values are also subject to price fluctuations and market cyclicality. For example, the price of a 5-year-old Aframax tanker fluctuated between $27.0 million and $60.0 million during the ten-year period from the first quarter of 2013 through the fourth quarter of 2022 while the price of a 5-year-old MR tanker ranged between $22.0 million and $40.0 million over the same period.
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In late 2019 and during the first half of 2020, tanker shipping charter rates reached near record highs driven mainly by extraordinary floating storage demand and dropped to less than operating cost levels by the end of the year. Specifically, average Aframax tanker earnings spiked over $50,000 per day in the fourth quarter of 2019 as compared to approximately $5,700 per day in the fourth quarter of 2020, $7,648 per day in the second quarter of 2021 and $11,093 in the fourth quarter of 2021. Similarly, average MR tanker earnings stood at approximately $20,000 per day in the fourth quarter of 2019 before dropping to approximately $6,400 per day in the fourth quarter of 2020, $6,880 in the second quarter of 2021 and $7,847 in the fourth quarter of 2021. The geopolitical crisis between Russia and Ukraine has caused tanker charter rates to rise significantly. Indicatively, average Aframax tanker earnings were $32,266 per day in the first quarter of 2022, and spiked to $82,810 per day in mid-March 2023 Similarly, average MR tanker earnings stood at $9,749 per day in the first quarter of 2022, and spiked to $31,489 per day in mid-March 2023.
Seaborne oil trade was affected by the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic through disruptions arising from lockdowns in many countries and OPEC+ production cuts. Crude oil trade contracted by 1.6% to 293.6 million dwt in 2021 as compared to 298.2 million dwt in 2020. On the contrary, products trade increased by approximately 6.8% to 101.9 million dwt in 2021 as compared to 95.4 million dwt in 2020.
The tanker market fundamentals appear encouraging as Covid-19 pandemic related restrictions are being lifted resulting in an improved Chinese crude oil demand environment. Furthermore, the ongoing war in Ukraine and the embargo imposed by the European Union to Russian crude oil and refined petroleum products is creating shifts in trade patterns, benefiting longer-haul routes and thus supporting tanker tonne-mile demand and tanker vessel charter rates. Specifically, crude tanker dwt demand is estimated to have increased by 6.6% in 2022 and is currently expected to increase by 6.7% in 2023, and product tanker demand is estimated to have increased by approximately 3.1% in 2022 supported by increasing demand for oil products and is currently expected to increase by around 10.1% in 2023 as demand for oil transportation recovers further, refinery capacity in key exporting regions further expands and Russia looks for alternative markets to outsource its refined petroleum products. On the supply side, the crude tanker trading fleet is expected to grow by approximately 2.0% in 2023 while the product tanker fleet is expected to grow by approximately 0.5%.
Drybulk Carriers
Over the course of 2022, the BDI registered a low of 965 on August 31, 2022 and a high of 3,369 on May 23, 2022. Since the start of the financial crisis in 2008 the performance of the BDI has been characterized by high volatility, as the growth in the size of the drybulk fleet outpaced growth in vessel demand for an extended period of time.
Specifically, in the period from 2010 to 2020, the size of the fleet in terms of deadweight tons grew by an annual average of about 6.0% while the corresponding growth in tonne-mile demand for drybulk carriers grew by 4.2%, resulting in a drop of about 61% in the value of the BDI over the period. In 2022, the total size of the drybulk fleet in deadweight tons rose by about 2.8%, compared to a decline in tonne-mile demand of 1.8%, which resulted in a year over year drop of about 34% in the value of the BDI. According to preliminary industry estimates, the total size of the drybulk fleet is expected to rise by about 1.9% in 2023, compared to tonne-mile demand growth of 2.2%.
Meanwhile, the war in Ukraine has amplified the volatility in the drybulk market with the BDI ranging between 965 and 3,369 in 2022. Specifically, the BDI ranged from a low of 965 on August 31, 2022 and a high of 3,369 on May 23, 2022 while it stood at 1,424 on March 10, 2023. Similarly, average handysize drybulk carrier spot rates ranged from a low of $10,833 per day on December 30, 2022 and a high of $33,333 per day on March 25, 2022. In the short term, the effect of the invasion of Ukraine has been mildly positive for the drybulk market, yet the overall longer-term effect on ton-mile demand is uncertain given that cargoes such as grains, coal and iron ore exported previously from Ukraine and Russia will need to be substituted by cargoes from different sources. Overall, the BDI declined significantly in the second half of 2022, which was attributed in part to the easing of port congestion which positively affected the drybulk carrier demand in 2021 as well as to the weakening Chinese demand for drybulk commodities, a trend which is currently expected to continue in 2023.
In addition, the continuing war in Ukraine led to increased economic uncertainty amidst fears of a more generalized military conflict or significant inflationary pressures, due to the increases in fuel and grain prices following the sanctions imposed on Russia. Whether the present dislocation in the markets and resultant inflationary pressures will transition to a long-term inflationary environment is uncertain, and the effects of such a development on charter rates, vessel demand and operating expenses in the sector in which we operate are uncertain. As described above, the initial effect of the invasion in Ukraine on the drybulk freight market ranged from neutral to positive, despite the short-term volatility in charter rates and increases on specific items of operating costs, mainly in the context of increased crew costs. If these conditions are sustained, the longer-term net impact on the drybulk freight
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market and our business would be difficult to predict. Historically, a positive relationship is registered between global inflation and drybulk vessel freight rates, and therefore the inflationary trends have not, and we do not expect them to have, a material impact on our results of operations. However, such events may have unpredictable consequences, and contribute to instability in global economy, a decrease in supply or cause a decrease in worldwide demand for certain goods and, thus, shipping. Regarding the possible impact of supply chain disruptions that have or may emanate from the military conflict in Ukraine, our operations have not been affected materially and we do not expect them to be in the future. Our vessels have made three voyages in 2022 carrying cargoes originating in the Russian ports of St. Petersburg and Ust-Luga, with a total of 16 days in those Russian ports, and may from time to time in the future carry cargoes originating in Russia, Ukraine or sanctioned countries, to the extent permitted by sanctions. It is possible that such cargoes, despite our belief that they are compliant with applicable sanctions, are alleged to have originated from sources that are not in compliance with such sanctions, which could result in penalties against us, including blacklisting of a vessel which would preclude chartering or selling such vessel, and negatively impact our acceptability to potential charterers and harm our business. In addition, it may not be possible for us to obtain war risk or other insurances for any vessel loading cargoes originating in such countries. Another potential area of impact has to do with the crewing of our vessels, as Ukraine, Russia and Belarus are all major crewing hubs for the shipping industry. As a result, we expect disruptions and increased costs might be encountered in sourcing crew members for our fleet. This is expected to be a general issue for the shipping industry, which we do not expect will materially worsen our competitive position in the market. See “Risk Factors—Regulatory and legal risks as a result of our global operations, including with respect to sanctioned countries, could have a material adverse effect on our business, results of operations and financial conditions.”
See “Business—The Tanker Industry” and “Business—The Drybulk Carrier Industry.”
E. Critical Accounting Estimates
Please see “—Critical Accounting Estimates” above.
| Item 6. | Directors, Senior Management and Employees |
A. Directors, Senior Management and Employees
The following table sets forth, as of March 28, 2023, information for each of our directors and executive officers.
| Name |
Age | Positions |
Year Became Director |
Year Director’s Current Term Expires |
||||||||||
| Harry N. Vafias |
44 | Chief Executive Officer, President and Class III Director | 2021 | 2024 | ||||||||||
| John Kostoyannis |
55 | Class II Director | 2021 | 2023 | ||||||||||
| George Xiradakis |
58 | Class I Director | 2021 | 2025 | ||||||||||
| Ifigeneia (Fenia) Sakellari |
42 | Interim Chief Financial Officer | ||||||||||||
Certain biographical information about each of these individuals is set forth below.
Harry N. Vafias has been a member of the Board of Directors and Chief Executive Officer and President of Imperial Petroleum since its inception on May 14, 2021. He has also been the President and Chief Executive Officer and a member of the Board of Directors of StealthGas since its inception in December 2004 and its Chief Financial Officer since January 2014. Mr. Vafias has been actively involved in the tanker and gas shipping industry since 1999. Mr. Vafias worked at Seascope, a leading ship brokering firm specializing in sale and purchase of vessels and chartering of oil tankers. Mr. Vafias also worked at Braemar, a leading ship brokering firm, where he gained extensive experience in tanker and dry cargo chartering. Seascope and Braemar merged in 2001 to form Braemar Seascope Group plc, a public company quoted on the London Stock Exchange and one of the world’s largest ship brokering and shipping service groups. From 2000 until 2004, he worked at Brave Maritime and Stealth Maritime, companies providing comprehensive ship management services, where Mr. Vafias headed the operations and chartering departments of Stealth Maritime and served as manager for the sale and purchase departments of both Brave Maritime and Stealth Maritime. Mr. Vafias graduated from City University Business School in the City of London in 1999 with a B.A. in Management Science and from Metropolitan University in 2000 with a Masters degree in Shipping, Trade and Transport.
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John Kostoyannis has been a member of our Board of Directors since November 2021. He has also been a member of the Board of Directors of StealthGas since 2010. Mr. Kostoyannis is a Managing Director at Allied Shipbroking Inc., a leading shipbroking house in Greece, providing Sale and Purchase and Chartering services in the shipping industry. Before joining Allied Shipbroking, from 1991 until September 2001, Mr. Kostoyannis worked in several prominent shipbroking houses in London and Piraeus. He is a member of the Hellenic Shipbrokers Association. Mr. Kostoyannis graduated from the City of London Polytechnic in 1988 where he studied Shipping and Economics.
George Xiradakis has been a member of our Board of Directors since November 2021. Mr. Xiradakis is the founder and Managing Director of XRTC Business Consultants Ltd. (“XRTC”) (January 1999). The company was established in order to represent financial institutions in the Greek territory and initially acted as the exclusive Shipping Representative of Credit Lyonnais Group in Greece. XRTC expanded its scope as Financial and Advisor Consultant for Greek Shipping, offering its services in national and International Institutions and Organizations. From February 2005 to 2008, XRTC acted as shipping finance consultant of the French banking group NATIXIS. He is also the General Secretary of the Association of Banking and Financial Executives of Hellenic Shipping, Vice President of China Hellenic Chamber (HCCI), Vice President (International and Financial Relations) of the China-Greece Association. He served as the President of the International Propeller Club, Port of Piraeus from 2013 to 2019 and he acted as a VP of the International Propeller Club of the United States. He is now Emeritus President of International Propeller Club, Port of Piraeus, Emeritus Member of The Piraeus Chamber of Commerce Industry, Member of the Mediterranean Committee of China Classification Society, Piraeus Marine Club, Hellenic Maritime Museum and Hellas Liberty Floating Museum. He has also been a Board Member of other US listed shipping companies.
Ifigeneia (Fenia) Sakellari is our Interim Chief Financial Officer. Ms. Sakellari has 18 years of experience in finance and has been a finance officer of StealthGas since 2015. Prior to this, Ms. Sakellari was employed for seven years with Piraeus Bank where she held positions in both its credit departments (corporate and project finance) and in its private equity investment arm. Ms. Sakellari holds a Bachelor Degree in Management Sciences from the London School of Economics and a Masters Degree in finance from SDA Bocconi.
Our President and Chief Executive Officer Harry Vafias, and the other individuals providing services to us or our subsidiaries may face a conflict regarding the allocation of their time between our business and the other business interests of StealthGas or its affiliates. The amount of time our officers and such other individuals providing services to us will allocate between our business and the business of StealthGas and its affiliates will vary from time to time depending on various circumstances and needs of the businesses, such as the level of strategic activity of each business. While there will be no formal requirements or guidelines for the allocation of time spent between our business and the other businesses they are involved in, the performance of their duties will be subject to the ongoing oversight of our board of directors.
B. Compensation of Directors and Senior Management
Our Chief Executive Officer who also serves as a Board Director will not receive additional compensation for his service as a director. Each independent director receives annualized fees of $25,000 plus reimbursement of their out-of-pocket expenses incurred in attending meetings of our Board of Directors or any committee of our Board of Directors. We have no direct employees. The services of our Chief Executive Officer and Interim Chief Financial Officer was provided under the management agreement with Stealth Maritime initially for the first 12 months following the spin-off and then our Board agreed upon management compensation for subsequent periods. Stealth Maritime compensates each of these individuals for their services and we, in turn, reimburse Stealth Maritime for their compensation. The aggregate cash compensation to our officers in 2022 was $0.3 million, and we expect such cash compensation to be approximately $0.4 million in 2023. Prior to the Spin-Off, neither we nor Stealth Maritime has paid any compensation to our executive officers. Our executive officers and directors are also eligible to receive awards under our equity compensation plan described below under “—Equity Compensation Plan.” On November 21, 2022, we granted a total of $1,000,000 worth of shares of our common stock to our Chief Executive Officer under our 2021 Equity Compensation Plan. The number of shares granted was calculated based on the closing price of the Company’s share at the grant date. As a result, a total of 2,857,142 shares of restricted common stock were issued, 50% of which vest on July 17, 2023 and the remaining 50% of which vest on July 15, 2024, subject to satisfaction of the vesting terms. We recognized non-cash stock-based compensation expense of $117,256 in 2022, relating to these stock awards.
We have no service contracts with any of our directors that provide for benefits upon termination of employment.
C. Board Practices
We have three members on our board of directors. The board of directors may change the number of directors to not less than three, nor more than 15, by a vote of a majority of the entire board. Each director shall be elected to serve until the third succeeding annual meeting of stockholders and until his or her successor shall have been duly elected and qualified, except in the event of death, resignation or removal. A vacancy on the board created by death, resignation, removal (which may only be for cause), or failure of the
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stockholders to elect the entire class of directors to be elected at any election of directors or for any other reason, may be filled only by an affirmative vote of a majority of the remaining directors then in office, even if less than a quorum, at any special meeting called for that purpose or at any regular meeting of the board of directors. The current term of our Class I director expires in 2024, the term of our Class II director expires in 2023 and the term of our Class III director expires in 2025.
Corporate Governance
Our Board of Directors and our Company’s management reviews our corporate governance practices in order to oversee our compliance with the applicable corporate governance rules of the Nasdaq Stock Market and the SEC.
We have adopted a number of key documents that are the foundation of our corporate governance, including:
| • | a Code of Business Conduct and Ethics; |
| • | a Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee Charter; |
| • | a Compensation Committee Charter; and |
| • | an Audit Committee Charter. |
We will provide a paper copy of any of these documents upon the written request of a stockholder. Stockholders may direct their requests to the attention of Investor Relations, c/o Harry Vafias, Imperial Petroleum Inc., 331 Kifissias Avenue, Erithrea 14561 Athens, Greece. These documents are also available on our website at www.imperialpetro.com under the heading “Corporate Governance.”
To promote open discussion among the independent directors, our independent directors will meet in regularly scheduled executive sessions without participation of our Company’s management. Stockholders who wish to send communications on any topic to the Board of Directors or to the independent directors may do so by writing to Imperial Petroleum Inc., 331 Kifissias Avenue, Erithrea 14561 Athens, Greece.
We are a “foreign private issuer” under the securities laws of the United States and the rules of the Nasdaq Capital Market. Under the securities laws of the United States, “foreign private issuers” are subject to different disclosure requirements than U.S. domiciled registrants, as well as different financial reporting requirements. Under the Nasdaq Capital Market rules, a “foreign private issuer” is subject to less stringent corporate governance requirements. Subject to certain exceptions, the rules of the Nasdaq Capital Market permit a “foreign private issuer” to follow its home country practice in lieu of the listing requirements of the Nasdaq Capital Market. As permitted by these exemptions, as well as by our bylaws and the laws of the Marshall Islands, we currently intend to have an audit committee composed solely of two independent committee members, whereas a domestic U.S. public company would be required to have three such independent members. In addition, in lieu of obtaining stockholder approval prior to certain issuances of designated securities, the Company will comply with provisions of the Marshall Islands Business Corporations Act, providing that the Board of Directors approves share issuances.
Committees of the Board of Directors
The Board of Directors has established an Audit Committee, a Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee and a Compensation Committee. The members of the Audit Committee are George Xiradakis (Chairman), and John Kostoyannis. The members of the Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee are John Kostoyannis (Chairman) and George Xiradakis. The members of the Compensation Committee are George Xiradakis (Chairman) and John Kostoyannis. Each of the directors on the Audit Committee has been determined by our Board of Directors to be independent.
Audit Committee
The Audit Committee is governed by a written charter, which is approved and annually adopted by the Board. The Board has determined that the members of the Audit Committee meet the applicable independence requirements of the SEC and the Nasdaq Stock Market, that all members of the Audit Committee fulfill the requirement of being financially literate and that George Xiradakis is an Audit Committee financial expert as defined under current SEC regulations.
The Audit Committee is appointed by the Board and is responsible for, among other matters overseeing the:
| • | integrity of the Company’s financial statements, including its system of internal controls; |
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| • | Company’s compliance with legal and regulatory requirements; |
| • | independent auditor’s qualifications and independence; |
| • | retention, setting of compensation for, termination and evaluation of the activities of the Company’s independent auditors, subject to any required stockholder approval; and |
| • | performance of the Company’s independent audit function and independent auditors, |
Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee
The Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee is appointed by the Board and is responsible for, among other matters:
| • | reviewing the Board structure, size and composition and making recommendations to the Board with regard to any adjustments that are deemed necessary; |
| • | identifying candidates for the approval of the Board to fill Board vacancies as and when they arise as well as developing plans for succession, in particular, of the chairman and executive officers; |
| • | overseeing the Board’s annual evaluation of its own performance and the performance of other Board committees; |
| • | retaining, setting compensation and retentions terms for and terminating any search firm to be used to identify candidates; and |
| • | developing and recommending to the Board for adoption a set of Corporate Governance Guidelines applicable to the Company and to periodically review the same. |
Compensation Committee
The Compensation Committee is appointed by the Board and is responsible for, among other matters:
| • | establishing and periodically reviewing the Company’s compensation programs; |
| • | reviewing the performance of directors, officers and employees of the Company who are eligible for awards and benefits under any plan or program and adjust compensation arrangements as appropriate based on performance; |
| • | reviewing and monitoring management development and succession plans and activities; |
| • | reporting on compensation arrangements and incentive grants to the Board; |
| • | retaining, setting compensation and retention terms for, and terminating any consultants, legal counsel or other advisors that the Compensation Committee determines to employ to assist it in the performance of its duties; and |
| • | preparing any Compensation Committee report included in our annual proxy statement. |
Code of Ethics
We have adopted a code of ethics that complies with the applicable guidelines issued by the SEC, copies of which are available on our website: www.imperialpetro.com under “Investor Relations” and upon written request by our stockholders at no cost.
D. Employees
We have no salaried employees. Our manager employs and provides us with the services of our Chief Executive Officer, Interim Chief Financial Officer and any other management executives the Company may require. In each case their services are provided under the management agreement with Stealth Maritime. Stealth Maritime compensates each of these individuals for their services and we, in turn, reimburse Stealth Maritime for their compensation. For our compensation expenses, pursuant to our management agreement, we reimburse Stealth Maritime for its payment of the compensation of our Chief Executive Officer and Interim Chief Financial Officer as described above.
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As of December 31, 2022, 87 officers and 130 crew members served on board the vessels in our fleet. However, these officers and crew are not directly employed by the Company.
E. Share Ownership
The shares of common stock beneficially owned by our directors and senior managers and/or companies affiliated with these individuals are disclosed in “Item 7. Major Stockholders and Related Party Transactions” below.
Equity Compensation Plan
We have an equity compensation plan administered by our Board of Directors which can make awards totaling in aggregate up to 10% of the number of shares of common stock outstanding at the time any award is granted. Officers, directors and employees (including any prospective officer or employee) of the Company and its subsidiaries and affiliates and consultants and service providers to (including persons who are employed by or provide services to any entity that is itself a consultant or service provider to) the Company and its subsidiaries and affiliates will be eligible to receive awards under the equity incentive plan. Awards may be made under the expected equity compensation plan in the form of incentive stock options, non-qualified stock options, stock appreciation rights, dividend equivalent rights, restricted stock, unrestricted stock, restricted stock units and performance shares.
On November 21, 2022, $1,000,000 of shares of common stock was granted to our Chief Executive Officer under our 2021 Equity Compensation Plan. The number of shares granted was calculated based on the closing price of the Company’s common stock on the grant date. As a result, a total of 2,857,142 shares of restricted common stock were issued, 50% of which vest on July 17, 2023 and the remaining 50% of which vest on July 15, 2024, subject to satisfaction of the vesting criteria. On March 21, 2023, 4,205,882 shares of restricted common stock were issued under our 2021 Equity Compensation Plan, 50% of which vest on July 17, 2023 and the remaining 50% of which vest on July 15, 2024, to employees and individuals proving services to the Company.
| Item 7. | Major Stockholders and Related Party Transactions |
A. Major Stockholders
The following table sets forth certain information regarding the beneficial ownership of our outstanding shares of common stock as of March 28, 2023 by:
| • | each person or entity that we know beneficially owns 5% or more of our shares of common stock; |
| • | our Chief Executive Officer and our other executive officers; |
| • | each of our directors; and |
| • | all of our current directors and executive officers as a group. |
The table also includes information regarding the beneficial ownership of our outstanding Series A Preferred Stock by each of directors and executive officers individually and as a group. Beneficial ownership is determined in accordance with the rules of the SEC.
In general, a person who has or shares voting power and/or dispositive power with respect to securities is treated as a beneficial owner of those securities. It does not necessarily imply that the named person has the economic or other benefits of ownership. For purposes of this table, shares subject to options, warrants or rights currently exercisable or exercisable within 60 days of March 28, 2023 are considered as beneficially owned by the person holding such options, warrants or rights. The applicable percentage of ownership for each stockholder is based on 243,891,313 shares of Common Stock and 795,878 8.75% Series A Cumulative Redeemable Perpetual Preferred Shares were issued and outstanding. As of March 28, 2023, we also had outstanding Class A Warrants to purchase up to 43,000 shares of common stock at an exercise price of $1.25 per share, Class B Warrants to purchase up to 11,802,000 shares of common stock at an exercise price of $1.60 per share, Class C Warrants to purchase up to 78,278,862 shares of common stock at an exercise price of $0.55 per share, Class D Warrants to purchase up to 31,150,000 shares of common stock at an exercise price of $0.80 per share, and underwriters warrants to purchase up to 552,000 shares of common stock at an exercise price of $1.375 per share, 1,724,998 shares of common stock at an exercise price of $2.00 per share, and 2,090,909 shares of common stock at an exercise price of $0.6875 per share, and Series C Convertible Preferred Stock, which on and after September 28, 2023, will be
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convertible, at their holder’s option, to our common stock, in whole or in part, at any time and from time to time after the six-month anniversary of the issuance date, at a conversion price equal to the lower of (i) $0.50 and (ii) the VWAP of our common stock over the 10 consecutive trading day period expiring on the trading day immediately prior to the date of delivery of written notice of the conversion; provided, that, in no event shall the conversion price be less than $0.10.
Information for certain holders is based on their latest filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission or information delivered to us. All of our stockholders, including the stockholders listed in this table, are entitled to one vote for each share of common stock held. Series A Preferred Stock and Series C Preferred Stock generally have no voting rights, other than in very limited circumstances. See “Item 10. Additional Information—Authorized Capital—Description of Series A Preferred Stock.”
| Common Stock Beneficially Owned |
Series A Preferred Stock Beneficially Owned |
|||||||||||||||
| Name of Beneficial Owner |
Number | Percentage | Number | Percentage | ||||||||||||
| Principal Stockholders |
||||||||||||||||
| None. |
||||||||||||||||
| Executive Officers and Directors |
||||||||||||||||
| Harry N. Vafias(1) |
3,889,524 | 1.6 | % | 172,063 | 21.6 | % | ||||||||||
| John Kostoyannis |
1,412 | * | 235 | * | ||||||||||||
| George Xiradakis |
— | * | — | * | ||||||||||||
| Ifigeneia (Fenia) Sakellari(2) |
30,399 | * | 66 | * | ||||||||||||
| All executive officers and directors as a group (four persons) |
3,921,335 | 1.6 | % | |
172,364 |
|
21.7 | % | ||||||||
| * | Less than 1%. |
| (1) | Includes 2,857,142 shares of restricted common stock, 50% of which vest on July 17, 2023 and the remaining 50% of which vest on July 15, 2024, subject to satisfaction of the vesting criteria. Harry N. Vafias also holds 16,000 shares of Series B Preferred Stock, each of which entitles the holder hereof to 25,000 votes per share on all matters submitted to a vote of the shareholders of the Company, provided however, that no holder of Series B preferred shares may exercise voting rights pursuant to Series B preferred shares that would result in the aggregate voting power of any beneficial owner of such shares and its affiliates (whether pursuant to ownership of Series B preferred shares, common shares or otherwise) to exceed 49.99% of the total number of votes eligible to be cast on any matter submitted to a vote of shareholders of the Company. Harry N. Vafias, through Flawless Management Inc., also owns 13,875 shares of Series C Convertible Preferred Stock, which on and after September 28, 2023, will be convertible, at their holder’s option, into our common stock, in whole or in part, at any time and from time to time, at a conversion price equal to the lower of (i) $0.50 and (ii) the VWAP of our common stock over the 10 consecutive trading day period expiring on the trading day immediately prior to the date of delivery of written notice of the conversion; provided, that, in no event shall the conversion price be less than $0.10. |
| (2) | Includes 30,000 shares of restricted common stock, 50% of which vest on July 17, 2023 and the remaining 50% of which vest on July 15, 2024, subject to satisfaction of the vesting criteria. |
Our common stock and Series A Preferred Stock began regular-way trading on the Nasdaq Capital Market on December 6, 2021. As of March 28, 2023, we had approximately 20 common stockholders of record. Five of the common stockholders of record were located in the United States and held in the aggregate 240,002,824 shares of common stock representing approximately 98.4% of our outstanding shares of common stock. However, the five United States stockholders of record include CEDEFAST, which, as nominee for The Depository Trust Company, is the record holder of 239,975,794 shares of common stock. Accordingly, we believe that the shares held by CEDEFAST include shares of common stock beneficially owned by both holders in the United States and non-United States beneficial owners. As a result, these numbers may not accurately represent the number of beneficial owners in the United States. We are not aware of any arrangements the operation of which may at a subsequent date result in a change of control of the Company.
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B. Related Party Transactions
Pursuant to our Audit Committee Charter, our Audit Committee is responsible for establishing procedures for the approval of all related party transactions involving executive officers and directors. Our Code of Business Conduct and Ethics requires our Audit Committee to review and approve any “related party” transaction as defined in Item 7.B of Form 20-F before it is consummated.
Contribution Agreement
We entered into the Contribution Agreement with StealthGas in connection with the Spin-Off. The Contribution Agreement sets forth the agreements between us and StealthGas regarding the contribution of the subsidiaries owning the vessels comprising our initial fleet and the refinancing of the existing indebtedness of StealthGas securing the vessels comprising our fleet with borrowings under our 2021 DNB Senior Secured Credit Facility, which were the principal transaction necessary to separate us from StealthGas.
The Contribution Agreement also provided for the settlement or extinguishment of certain liabilities and other obligations between us and StealthGas, if any. Following the Spin-Off, StealthGas and Imperial Petroleum will operate independently, and neither will have any ownership interest in the other nor will there be any ongoing relationships between StealthGas and Imperial Petroleum after the separation. Pursuant to the Contribution Agreement, on the distribution date of December 3, 2021, StealthGas distributed to its stockholders all 4,775,272 of our common stock and all 795,878 of our Series A Preferred Stock, with one of our common stock and one of our Series A Preferred Stock being distributed for every eight shares and forty-eight shares, respectively, of StealthGas common stock held by StealthGas stockholders.
The Contribution Agreement provided that the Spin-Off and the transfer of StealthGas’ product and crude oil tanker vessel-owning subsidiaries to us, was subject to, among other things, the approval of StealthGas’ Board of Directors, our entry into our 2021 DNB Senior Secured Credit Facility and the application of borrowings thereunder to refinance the existing indebtedness of StealthGas securing the vessels comprising our fleet, approval of our request for our common stock and Series A Preferred Stock to be listed on Nasdaq and the effectiveness of the registration statement relating to the Spin-Off distribution. The fulfillment of the foregoing conditions did not create any obligation on the part of StealthGas to effect the Spin-Off. StealthGas had the right not to complete the Spin-Off if, at any time, the board of directors of StealthGas determined, in its sole discretion, that the Spin-Off was not in the best interests of StealthGas or its stockholders, or that market conditions are such that it was not advisable to effect the Spin-Off.
We and StealthGas agreed to take all actions reasonably necessary or desirable to consummate and make effective the transactions contemplated by the Contribution Agreement. The Contribution Agreement provided that it may be terminated by StealthGas at any time prior to the separation by and in the sole discretion of StealthGas without the approval of us or the stockholders of StealthGas.
Any and all agreements, arrangements, commitments and understandings, between us and our subsidiaries and other affiliates, on the one hand, and StealthGas and its subsidiaries and other affiliates (other than us and our affiliates), on the other hand, terminated as of the distribution date of December 3, 2021.
Management Affiliations
Harry Vafias, our president, chief executive officer and one of our directors, is an officer, director and the sole stockholder of Flawless Management Inc., our largest stockholder immediately after completion of the Spin-Off. He is also the son of the principal and founder of Brave Maritime, an affiliate of Stealth Maritime, which is our management company. Stealth Maritime may subcontract the technical management of some of our vessels to Brave Maritime in the future.
Management and Other Fees
In connection with the Spin-Off, we entered into a management agreement with Stealth Maritime, pursuant to which Stealth Maritime provides us with technical, administrative, commercial and certain other services, on substantially the same terms, including the same fee levels, as Stealth Maritime provides these services to the vessel-owning subsidiaries of StealthGas contributed to us in connection with the Spin-Off. In relation to the technical services, Stealth Maritime is responsible for arranging for the crewing of the vessels, the day to day operations, inspections and vetting, supplies, maintenance, repairs, bunkering drydocking and insurance. Administrative functions include but are not limited to accounting, back-office, reporting, legal and secretarial services. In addition,
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Stealth Maritime provides services for the chartering of our vessels and monitoring thereof, freight collection, and sale and purchase. In providing most of these services, Stealth Maritime pays third parties and receives reimbursement from us. Under the management agreement Stealth Maritime subcontracts certain of its obligations. For our drybulk vessels, Stealth Maritime subcontracts these services to its affiliate Brave Maritime.
Stealth Maritime also provides crew management services to certain of our vessels. The majority of these services have been subcontracted by Stealth Maritime to an affiliated ship-management company, Hellenic Manning Overseas Inc. (formerly known as Navis Maritime Services Inc.), which is 25% owned by an affiliate of Stealth Maritime. The Company pays to Stealth Maritime a fixed monthly fee of $2,500 per vessel for these crew management services, all of which fees are passed on to Hellenic Manning Overseas Inc. For the years ended December 31, 2020, 2021 and 2022, these crew management fees were $0.04 million, $0.06 million and $0.14 million, respectively. As of March 28, 2023, all of our drybulk carriers, our product tankers and suezmax tankers were being manned by Hellenic Manning Overseas Inc., while for our Aframax tanker, crewing services were provided by Bernard Shulte Management with a lumpsum monthly fee of $0.1 million. We are not responsible for crewing vessels deployed on bareboat charters.
In the years ended December 31, 2020, 2021 and 2022, Stealth Maritime received a fixed management fee of $440 per vessel per day operating under a voyage or time charter, and a fixed fee of $125 per vessel per day for each of our vessels operating on bareboat charter, in each case, pro-rated for the calendar days vessels were owned, with respect to the vessels in our fleet. In addition, our manager arranges for supervision onboard the vessels, when required, by superintendent engineers and when such visits exceed a period of five days in a twelve-month period we are charged $500 for each additional day. We pay our manager, Stealth Maritime, a fee equal to 1.25% of the gross freight, demurrage and charter hire collected from the employment of our vessels. Stealth Maritime also receives a fee equal to 1.0% calculated on the price as stated in the relevant memorandum of agreement for any vessel bought or sold by them on our behalf. Under our management agreement with Stealth Maritime which we entered into in conjunction with the Spin-Off, we pay management fees and commissions at the same rate.
The above management fees for the years ended December 31, 2020, 2021 and 2022 were $0.5 million, $0.5 million and $1.0 million, respectively. We also paid $0.01 million, $0.03 million and $0.03 million, respectively, in the years ended December 31, 2020, 2021 and 2022 related to onboard supervision which were included in our operating expenses – related party. For the years ended December 31, 2020, 2021 and 2022, total brokerage commissions of 1.25% amounted to $0.25 million, $0.22 million and $1.2 million, respectively, and in each period were included in voyage expenses – related party.
We also reimburse Stealth Maritime for its payment for services related to our executive officers.
Additional vessels that we may acquire in the future may be managed by Stealth Maritime or other unaffiliated management companies.
Under the management agreement we have agreed to keep Stealth Maritime and its employees, agents and sub-contractors indemnified and to hold them harmless against all actions, proceedings, claims, demands or liabilities whatsoever or howsoever arising which may be brought against them or incurred or suffered by them arising out of or in connection with the performance of the management agreement and against and in respect of all costs, loss, damages, and expenses, which they may suffer or incur, during the course of the performance of the management agreement.
The initial term of our management agreement with Stealth Maritime will expire on December 31, 2025 and will be extended on a year-to-year basis thereafter unless six-month written notice of termination is provided by either party prior to the expiration of the term.
Stealth Maritime may terminate the management agreement prior to the end of its term if any money payable by us is not paid within 30 days following demand by Stealth Maritime. The management agreement will also terminate (1) upon an order being made or resolution passed for the winding up, dissolution, liquidation or bankruptcy of us or Stealth Maritime (otherwise than for the purpose of reconstruction or amalgamation) or if a receiver is appointed, or if we or Stealth Maritime suspends payment, ceases to carry on business, or makes any special arrangement or composition with creditors or (2) in the case of the sale of all of our vessels or if all of our vessels become a total loss or are declared as a constructive or compromised or arranged total loss or are requisitioned.
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Office Space
Stealth Maritime provided our office space to us without charge for the first year after the completion of the Spin-Off, and thereafter the lease rate has been €5,000 per month. The lease ends on January 1, 2024, and may be terminated by tenant upon eight weeks’ notice to landlord.
Vessel Acquisition Agreements; Series C Preferred Stock
On March 4, 2022, we entered into agreements to acquire two MR product tankers, built 2008 and 2011, from Brave Maritime, an entity affiliated with the father of our Chief Executive Officer, for an aggregate purchase price of $31.0 million, which were delivered to us in March and May 2022, respectively. The transaction was approved by the Company’s audit committee comprised of independent directors.
On July 7, 2022, we entered into agreements to acquire two handysize drybulk carriers from entities affiliated with the family of our Chief Executive Officer for an aggregate purchase price of $39.0 million, which were delivered to us in the second half of 2022. The transaction was approved by the Company’s audit committee comprised of independent directors.
On February 14, 2023, we entered into agreements to acquire two handysize drybulk carriers from entities affiliated with our Chief Executive Officer for aggregate cash consideration of $25.5 million and 13,875 shares of Series C Cumulative Convertible Perpetual Preferred Stock. Delivery of the vessels on a charter-free basis, and closing of the transactions, occurred in March 2023. The Series C Convertible Preferred Stock has a dividend rate of 5.00% per annum per $1,000 liquidation preference per share, which is payable in cash or additional shares of Series C Convertible Preferred Stock at our election, and is convertible, at the holder’s option, after the six-month anniversary of issuance into shares of our common stock at a conversion price equal to the lower of $0.50 and the ten-day volume weighted average price of the common stock. The transaction was approved by a committee comprised of independent directors, which received a fairness opinion from an independent financial advisor in connection with the issuance of the Series C Convertible Preferred Stock in the transaction. See “Item 10. Additional Information A. Share Capital – Description of Series C Convertible Preferred Stock.”
Series B Preferred Stock
On October 21, 2022, we entered into a stock purchase agreement and issued 16,000 shares of our newly-designated Series B Preferred Stock, par value $0.01 per share, to our Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Harry Vafias, in return for cash consideration of $200,000. The issuance of the Series B Preferred Stock was approved by an independent committee of the Board of Directors of the Company, which received a fairness opinion from an independent financial advisor that the transaction was fair from a financial point of view to the Company. See “Item 10. Additional Information A. Share Capital – Description of Series B Preferred Stock” for a description of the Series B Preferred Stock.
C. Interest of Experts and Counsel
Not applicable
| Item 8. | Financial Information |
See “Item 18. Financial Statements” below.
Significant Changes. Other than as described in Note 15 “Subsequent Events” to our consolidated financial statements included in this Annual Report, no significant change has occurred since the date of such consolidated financial statements.
Legal Proceedings. To our knowledge we are not currently a party to any material lawsuit that, if adversely determined, would have a material effect on our financial position, results of operations or liquidity. From time to time in the future we may be subject to legal proceedings and claims in the ordinary course of business, principally personal injury and property casualty claims. Those claims, even if lacking merit, could result in the expenditure of significant financial and managerial resources. We have not been involved in any legal proceedings which may have, or have had a material effect on our financial position, results of operations or liquidity, nor are we aware of any proceedings that are pending or threatened which may have a significant effect on our financial position, results of operations or liquidity. See Note 13 “Commitments and Contingencies” to our consolidated financial statements included elsewhere in this Annual Report.
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| Item 9. | The Offer and Listing |
Trading on the Nasdaq Stock Market
Following the Spin-Off, regular way trading in our common stock and Series A Preferred Stock began on the Nasdaq Capital Market on December 6, 2021, under the symbols “IMPP” and “IMPPP”, respectively.
| Item 10. | Additional Information |
A. Share Capital
Authorized Capitalization
Under our amended and restated articles of incorporation, our authorized capital stock consists of 2,000,000,000 shares of common stock, par value $0.01 per share, and 200,000,000 shares of preferred stock, par value $0.01 per share. All of our shares of stock are in registered form. As of March 28, 2023, 243,891,313 shares of common stock, 795,878 8.75% Series A Cumulative Redeemable Perpetual Preferred Stock, 16,000 shares of Series B Preferred Stock, and 13,875 shares of Series C Convertible Preferred Stock were issued and outstanding, as well as Class A Warrants to purchase up to 43,000 shares of common stock at an exercise price of $1.25 per share, Class B Warrants to purchase up to 11,802,000 shares of common stock at an exercise price of $1.60 per share, Class C Warrants to purchase up to 78,278,862 shares of common stock at an exercise price of $0.55 per share, Class D Warrants to purchase up to 31,150,000 shares of common stock at an exercise price of $0.80 per share, and underwriters warrants to purchase up to 552,000 shares of common stock at an exercise price of $1.375 per share, 1,724,998 shares of common stock at an exercise price of $2.00 per share and 2,090,909 shares of common stock at an exercise price of $0.6875 per share.
Common Stock
Under our amended and restated articles of incorporation, we are authorized to issue up to 2,000,000,000 shares of common stock, par value $0.01 per share, of which there were 194,585,376 shares issued and outstanding as of December 31, 2022 and 243,891,313 shares outstanding as of March 28, 2023. As of March 28, 2023, we also had outstanding Class A Warrants to purchase up to 43,000 shares of common stock at an exercise price of $1.25 per share, Class B Warrants to purchase up to 11,802,000 shares of common stock at an exercise price of $1.60 per share, Class C Warrants to purchase up to 78,278,862 shares of common stock at an exercise price of $0.55 per share, Class D Warrants to purchase up to 31,150,000 shares of common stock at an exercise price of $0.80 per share, and underwriters warrants to purchase up to 552,000 shares of common stock at an exercise price of $1.375 per share, 1,724,998 shares of common stock at an exercise price of $2.00 per share and 2,090,909 shares of common stock at an exercise price of $0.6875 per share.
Each outstanding share of common stock is entitled to one vote, either in person or by proxy, on all matters that may be voted upon by their holders at meetings of the stockholders. Holders of our common stock (i) have equal ratable rights to dividends from funds legally available therefore, if declared by the Board of Directors; (ii) are entitled to share ratably in all of our assets available for distribution upon liquidation, dissolution or winding up; and (iii) do not have preemptive, subscription or conversion rights or redemption or sinking fund provisions. All issued common stock when issued will be fully paid for and non-assessable.
Our stockholders have approved the amendment of the Company’s amended and restated articles of incorporation to effect one or more reverse stock splits of the shares of our common stock issued and outstanding at the time of the reverse split at an exchange ratio of between one-for-two and one-for-five hundred, with the Board of Directors to determine, in its sole discretion, whether to implement any reverse stock split, as well as the specific timing and ratio, within such approved range of ratios; provided that any such split is implemented prior to the third anniversary of the Spin-Off.
Dividends. We currently intend to retain our future earnings, if any, to fund the development and growth of our business. Our board of directors will, however, evaluate our dividend policy consistent with our cash flows and liquidity requirements and we may consider paying dividends on our common stock depending on future performance of our business and financial condition. Declaration and payment of any future dividend is subject to the discretion of our Board of Directors. The timing and amount of dividend payments will be dependent upon our earnings, financial condition, cash requirements and availability, restrictions in our loan agreements, or other financing arrangements, the provisions of Marshall Islands law affecting the payment of distributions to stockholders and other factors, and will be subject to the priority of our Series A Preferred Stock, which, as described elsewhere in this report, earn dividends at a dividend rate of 8.75% per annum per $25.00 of liquidation preference per share, and Series C Convertible Preferred Stock. Because we are a holding company with no material assets other than the stock of our subsidiaries, our ability to pay dividends will depend on the earnings and cash flow of our subsidiaries and their ability to pay dividends to us. Marshall Islands law generally prohibits the payment of dividends other than from surplus or while a company is insolvent or would be rendered insolvent upon the payment thereof.
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Warrants
General. As of March 28, 2023, we had outstanding Class A Warrants to purchase up to 43,000 shares of common stock at an exercise price of $1.25 per share, Class B Warrants to purchase up to 11,802,000 shares of common stock at an exercise price of $1.60 per share, Class C Warrants to purchase up to 78,278,862 shares of common stock at an exercise price of $0.55 per share, Class D Warrants to purchase up to 31,150,000 shares of common stock at an exercise price of $0.80 per share, and underwriters warrants to purchase up to 552,000 shares of common stock at an exercise price of $1.375 per share, 1,724,998 shares of common stock at an exercise price of $2.00 per share and 2,090,909 shares of common stock at an exercise price of $0.6875 per share.
The following summary of certain terms and provisions of the Class A Warrants, Class B Warrants, Class C Warrants and Class D Warrants is not complete and is subject to, and qualified in its entirety by the provisions of the forms of Class A Warrants, Class B Warrants, Class C Warrants and Class D Warrants, respectively, which are each filed as an exhibit to this Annual Report.
Exercisability. The Class A Warrants are exercisable at any time after their original issuance, of February 2, 2022, up to the date that is five years after their original issuance (February 2, 2027). The Class B Warrants are exercisable at any time after their original issuance, of March 23, 2022, up to the date that is five years after their original issuance (March 23, 2027). The Class C Warrants are exercisable at any time after their original issuance, of May 19, 2022, up to the date that is five years after their original issuance (May 19, 2027). The Class D Warrants are exercisable at any time after their original issuance, of June 15, 2022, up to the date that is five years after their original issuance (June 15, 2027). The Class A Warrants, Class B Warrants, Class C Warrants and Class D Warrants are exercisable, at the option of each holder, in whole or in part by delivering to us a duly executed exercise notice and, at any time a registration statement registering the issuance of the common stock underlying the Class A Warrants, Class B Warrants, Class C Warrants, or Class D Warrants under the Securities Act is effective and available for the issuance of such shares, or an exemption from registration under the Securities Act is available for the issuance of such shares, by payment in full in immediately available funds for the number of shares of common stock purchased upon such exercise. If a registration statement registering the issuance of the common stock underlying the Class A Warrants, Class B Warrants, Class C Warrants, or the resale of the common stock underlying the Class D Warrants, under the Securities Act is not effective or available and, in the case of the Class A Warrants, Class B Warrants and Class C Warrants, an exemption from registration under the Securities Act is not available for the issuance of such shares, the holder may, in its sole discretion, elect to exercise the Class A Warrant, Class B Warrants, Class C Warrants or Class D Warrants through a cashless exercise, in which case the holder would receive upon such exercise the net number of shares of common stock determined according to the formula set forth in the Class A Warrant, Class B Warrants, Class C Warrants or Class D Warrants. No fractional shares of common stock will be issued in connection with the exercise of a Class A Warrant, Class B Warrant, Class C Warrant or Class D Warrant. In lieu of fractional shares, we will pay the holder an amount in cash equal to the fractional amount multiplied by the exercise price.
Exercise Limitation. A holder will not have the right to exercise any portion of the Class A Warrants, Class B Warrants, Class C Warrants or Class D Warrants if the holder (together with its affiliates) would beneficially own in excess of 4.99% (or, upon election by a holder prior to the issuance of any Class A warrants, Class B Warrants, Class C Warrants and Class D Warrants, 9.99%) of the number of shares of our common stock outstanding immediately after giving effect to the exercise, as such percentage ownership is determined in accordance with the terms of the warrants. However, any holder may increase or decrease such percentage to any other percentage not in excess of 9.99%, upon at least 61 days’ prior notice from the holder to us with respect to any increase in such percentage.
Exercise Price. The exercise price per whole share of common stock purchasable upon exercise of the Class A Warrants is $1.25 per share, upon exercise of the Class B Warrants is $1.60 per share, upon exercise of the Class C Warrants is $0.55 per share and upon exercise of the Class D Warrants is $0.80 per share. The exercise price and number of shares of common stock issuable upon exercise will adjust in the event of certain stock dividends and distributions, stock splits, stock combinations, reclassifications or similar events affecting our common stock.
Transferability. Subject to applicable laws, the Class A Warrants, Class B Warrants, Class C Warrants and Class D Warrants may be offered for sale, sold, transferred or assigned without our consent.
Exchange Listing. We do not intend to apply for the listing of the Class A Warrants, Class B Warrants, Class C Warrants or Class D Warrants on any stock exchange. Without an active trading market, the liquidity of the Class A Warrants, Class B Warrants, Class C Warrants and Class D Warrants will be limited.
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Rights as a Stockholder. Except as otherwise provided in the Class A Warrants, Class B Warrants, Class C Warrants or Class D Warrants or by virtue of such holder’s ownership of our common stock, the holder of a Class A Warrant, Class B Warrant, Class C Warrants or Class D Warrants does not have the rights or privileges of a holder of our common stock, including any voting rights, until the holder exercises the warrant.
Fundamental Transactions. In the event of a fundamental transaction, as described in the Class A Warrants, Class B Warrants, Class C Warrants and Class D Warrants and generally including, with certain exceptions, any reorganization, recapitalization or reclassification of our common stock, the sale, transfer or other disposition of all or substantially all of our properties or assets, our consolidation or merger with or into another person, the acquisition of more than 50% of our outstanding common stock, or any person or group becoming the beneficial owner of 50% of the voting power represented by our outstanding common stock, the holders of the Class A Warrants, Class B Warrants, Class C Warrants and Class D Warrants will be entitled to receive upon exercise of the warrants the kind and amount of securities, cash or other property that the holders would have received had they exercised the warrants immediately prior to such fundamental transaction. Additionally, as more fully described in the Class A Warrant, Class B Warrant, Class C Warrants and Class D Warrants, as applicable, in the event of certain fundamental transactions, the holders of the Class A Warrants, Class B Warrants, Class C Warrants and Class D Warrants will be entitled to receive consideration in an amount equal to the Black Scholes value of the Class A Warrants, Class B Warrants, Class C Warrants or Class D Warrants, respectively, on the date of consummation of such transaction.
Governing Law. The Class A Warrants, Class B Warrants, Class C Warrants and Class D Warrants and related warrant agency agreement are governed by New York law.
Underwriter’s Warrants. The 552,000 February 2022 Representative’s Purchase Warrants, issued to the representative of the underwriters of our February 2022 underwritten public offering, have substantially similar terms as the Class A Warrants other than that they will be exercisable at any time, and from time to time, in whole or in part, during the period commencing July 31, 2022 and expiring January 31, 2027 at an exercise price of $1.375 per share. These warrants are governed by New York law.
The 1,724,998 March 2022 Representative’s Purchase Warrants, issued to the representative of the underwriters of our March 2022 underwritten public offering, have substantially similar terms as the Class B Warrants other than that they will be exercisable at any time, and from time to time, in whole or in part, during the period commencing September 18, 2022 and expiring March 18, 2027 at an exercise price of $2.00 per share. These warrants are governed by New York law.
The 2,090,909 May 2022 Representative’s Purchase Warrants, issued to the representative of the underwriters of our May 2022 underwritten public offering, have substantially similar terms as the Class C Warrants other than that they will be exercisable at any time, and from time to time, in whole or in part, during the period commencing November 12, 2022 and expiring May 16, 2027 at an exercise price of $0.6875 per share. These warrants are governed by New York law. The 1,724,998 Representative’s Purchase Warrants, issued to the representative of the underwriters of our March 2022 underwritten public offering, have substantially similar terms as the Class B Warrants other than that they will be exercisable at any time, and from time to time, in whole or in part, during the period commencing September 18, 2022 and expiring March 18, 2027 at an exercise price of $2.00 per share. These warrants are governed by New York law.
Preferred Stock
Under our amended and restated articles of incorporation, we are authorized to issue up to 200,000,000 shares of preferred stock, par value $0.01 per share, of which 800,000 shares have been designated as Series A Preferred Stock, of which 795,878 shares of Series A Preferred Stock are outstanding as of December 31, 2022 and March 28, 2023; 16,000 shares have been designated as Series B Preferred Stock, all of which were outstanding as of December 31, 2022 and March 28, 2023 and 13,875 shares have been designated as Series C Convertible Preferred Stock, none of which were outstanding as of December 31, 2022 and 13,875 of which were outstanding as of March 28, 2023. The preferred stock may be issued in one or more series and our Board of Directors, without further approval from our stockholders, is authorized to fix the dividend rights and terms, conversion rights, voting rights, redemption rights, liquidation preferences and other rights and restrictions relating to any series. Issuances of preferred stock, while providing flexibility in connection with possible financings, acquisitions and other corporate purposes, could, among other things, adversely affect the relative voting power of the holders of our common stock. See “Description of Series A Preferred Stock”, “Description of Series B Preferred Stock” and “Description of Series C Convertible Preferred Stock” below.
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Transfer Agent and Registrar
American Stock Transfer Trust Company, LLC is the transfer agent and registrar for Imperial Petroleum common stock and Series A Preferred Stock, and the warrant agent for the Class A, B and C warrants.
Listing
Our common stock is listed on the Nasdaq Capital Market under the symbol “IMPP.” Our Series A Preferred Stock is listed on the Nasdaq Capital Market under the symbol “IMPPP.”
Description of Series A Preferred Stock
The following description of the Series A Preferred Stock does not purport to be complete and is subject to, and qualified in its entirety by reference to the Statement of Designations designating the Series A Preferred Stock (the “Statement of Designations”) and setting forth the rights, preferences and limitations of the Series A Preferred Stock. A copy of the Statement of Designations, is filed as an exhibit to this Annual Report.” References to “Imperial Petroleum Inc.,” “we,” “our” and “us” refer specifically to Imperial Petroleum Inc.
General
As of December 31, 2022 and March 28, 2023, there are 800,000 Series A Preferred Stock authorized, and 795,878 Series A Preferred Stock issued and outstanding. We may, without notice to or consent of the holders of the then-outstanding Series A Preferred Stock, authorize and issue additional Series A Preferred Stock as well as Parity Securities and Junior Securities and, subject to the further limitations described under “—Voting Rights”, Senior Securities.
The holders of our common stock are entitled to receive dividends out of assets legally available for that purpose at times and in amounts as our board of directors may from time to time determine. Upon the occurrence of a liquidation, dissolution or winding up the holders of common stock would be entitled to share ratably in the distribution of all of our assets remaining available for distribution after satisfaction of all our liabilities and payment to the holders of shares of any class or series of capital stock (including the Series A Preferred Stock) having preferential rights to receive distributions of our assets.
The Series A Preferred Stock entitle the holders thereof to receive cumulative cash dividends when, as and if declared by our board of directors out of legally available funds for such purpose. Each share of Series A Preferred Stock have a fixed liquidation preference of $25.00 per share plus an amount equal to accumulated and unpaid dividends thereon to the date fixed for payment, whether or not declared. Please read “—Liquidation Rights.”
The Series A Preferred Stock represents perpetual equity interests in us and, unlike our indebtedness, will not give rise to a claim for payment of a principal amount at a particular date. As such, the Series A Preferred Stock ranks junior to all of our indebtedness and other liabilities with respect to assets available to satisfy claims against us.
All the Series A Preferred Stock are represented by a single certificate issued to the Securities Depository (as defined below) and registered in the name of its nominee and, so long as a Securities Depository has been appointed and is serving, no person acquiring Series A Preferred Stock will be entitled to receive a certificate representing such shares unless applicable law otherwise requires or the Securities Depository resigns or is no longer eligible to act as such and a successor is not appointed. Please read “—Book-Entry System.”
The Series A Preferred Stock are not convertible into common stock or other of our securities and will not have exchange rights or be entitled or subject to any preemptive or similar rights. The Series A Preferred Stock will not be subject to mandatory redemption or to any sinking fund requirements. The Series A Preferred Stock will be subject to redemption, in whole or from time to time in part, at our option commencing on September 30, 2022. Please read “—Redemption.”
Ranking
The Series A Preferred Stock, with respect to dividend distributions and distributions upon the liquidation, winding-up and dissolution of our affairs, rank:
| • | senior to all classes of our common stock, and to each other class or series of stock established after the initial issue date of the Series A Preferred Stock by our board of directors, the terms of which class or series do not expressly provide that it is made senior to or on parity with the Series A Preferred Stock as to dividend distributions and distributions upon the liquidation, dissolution or winding-up of our affairs, whether voluntary or involuntary (collectively, the “Junior Securities”); |
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| • | on a parity with any class or series of stock established after the initial issue date of the Series A Preferred Stock by our board of directors, the terms of which class or series are not expressly subordinated or senior to the Series A Preferred Stock as to dividend distributions and distributions upon the liquidation, dissolution or winding-up of our affairs, whether voluntary or involuntary (collectively, the “Parity Securities”); and |
| • | junior to (i) all of our indebtedness and other liabilities with respect to assets available to satisfy claims against us, and (ii) each class or series of capital stock expressly made senior to the Series A Preferred Stock as to the payment of dividends and amounts payable upon liquidation, dissolution or winding up, whether voluntary or involuntary (such shares described in this clause (ii), the “Senior Securities”). |
Under the Statement of Designations, we may issue Junior Securities and, so long as cumulative dividends on the Series A Preferred Stock are not in arrears, Parity Securities from time to time in one or more series without the consent of the holders of the Series A Preferred Stock. Our board of directors has the authority to determine the preferences, powers, qualifications, limitations, restrictions and special or relative rights or privileges, if any, of any such series before the issuance of any shares of that series. Our board of directors will also determine the number of shares constituting each series of securities. Our ability to issue additional Senior Securities is limited as described under “—Voting Rights.”
Liquidation Preference
The holders of issued and outstanding Series A Preferred Stock will be entitled, in the event of any liquidation, dissolution or winding up of our affairs, whether voluntary or involuntary, to receive the liquidation preference of $25.00 per share in cash plus an amount equal to accumulated and unpaid dividends thereon to (but not including) the date fixed for payment of such amount (whether or not declared), and no more, before any distribution will be made to the holders of our common stock or any other Junior Securities. A consolidation or merger of us with or into any other entity, individually or in a series of transactions, will not be deemed a liquidation, dissolution or winding up of our affairs for this purpose. In the event that our assets available for distribution to holders of the issued and outstanding Series A Preferred Stock and any Parity Securities are insufficient to permit payment of all required amounts, our assets then remaining will be distributed among the Series A Preferred Stock and any Parity Securities, as applicable, ratably on the basis of their relative aggregate liquidation preferences. After payment of all required amounts to the holders of the outstanding shares of Series A Preferred Stock and Parity Securities, our remaining assets and funds will be distributed among the holders of the common stock and any other Junior Securities then issued and outstanding according to their respective rights.
Voting Rights
The Series A Preferred Stock have no voting rights except as provided by Marshall Islands law and as follows. In the event that six quarterly dividends, whether consecutive or not, payable on Series A Preferred Stock are in arrears, the holders of Series A Preferred Stock will have the right, voting separately as a class together with holders of any other Parity Securities upon which like voting rights have been conferred and are exercisable, at the next meeting of stockholders called for the election of directors, to elect one member of our board of directors, and the size of our board of directors will be increased as needed to accommodate such change (unless the size of our board of directors already has been increased by reason of the election of a director by holders of Parity Securities upon which like voting rights have been conferred and with which the Series A Preferred Stock voted as a class for the election of such director). The right of such holders of Series A Preferred Stock to elect one member of our board of directors will continue until such time as all dividends accumulated and in arrears on the Series A Preferred Stock have been paid in full, at which time such right will terminate, subject to revesting in the event of each and every subsequent failure to pay six quarterly dividends as described above. Upon any termination of the right of the holders of the Series A Preferred Stock and any other Parity Securities to vote as a class for a director, the term of office of all directors then in office elected by such holders voting as a class will terminate immediately. Any director elected by the holders of the Series A Preferred Stock and any other Parity Securities shall each be entitled to one vote per director on any matter before our board of directors.
Unless we have received the affirmative vote or consent of the holders of at least two-thirds of the outstanding Series A Preferred Stock, voting as a single class, we may not (i) adopt any amendment to our articles of incorporation or Statement of Designations, that adversely alters the preferences, powers or rights of the Series A Preferred Stock, (ii) issue any Parity Securities if the cumulative dividends payable on outstanding Series A Preferred Stock are in arrears, or (iii) create or issue any Senior Securities.
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On any matter described above on which the holders of the Series A Preferred Stock are entitled to vote as a class, such holders will be entitled to one vote per share. The Series A Preferred Stock held by us or any of our subsidiaries or affiliates will not be entitled to vote.
Dividends
General
Holders of Series A Preferred Stock will be entitled to receive, when, as and if declared by our board of directors out of legally available funds for such purpose, cumulative cash dividends from December 3, 2021.
Dividend Rate
Dividends on Series A Preferred Stock will be cumulative, commencing December 3, 2021 and payable on each Dividend Payment Date, commencing December 30, 2021, when, as and if declared by our board of directors or any authorized committee thereof out of legally available funds for such purpose. Dividends on the Series A Preferred Stock will accrue at a rate of 8.75% per annum per $25.00 stated liquidation preference per Series A Preferred Stock. The dividend rate is not subject to adjustment.
Dividend Payment Date
The “Dividend Payment Dates” for the Series A Preferred Stock will be each March 30, June 30, September 30 and December 30, commencing December 30, 2021. Dividends will accumulate in each dividend period from and including the preceding Dividend Payment Date or the initial issue date, as the case may be, to but excluding, the applicable Dividend Payment Date for such dividend period. If any Dividend Payment Date otherwise would fall on a day that is not a Business Day, declared dividends will be paid on the immediately succeeding Business Day without the accumulation of additional dividends. Dividends on the Series A Preferred Stock will be payable based on a 360-day year consisting of twelve 30-day months.
“Business Day” means a day on which the Nasdaq Stock Market is open for trading and which is not a Saturday, a Sunday or other day on which banks in New York City are authorized or required by law to close.
Payment of Dividends
Not later than the close of business, New York City time, on each Dividend Payment Date, we will pay those dividends, if any, on the Series A Preferred Stock that have been declared by our board of directors to the holders of such shares as such holders’ names appear on our share transfer books maintained by the Registrar and Transfer Agent on the applicable Record Date. The applicable record date (the “Record Date”), will be three Business Days immediately preceding the applicable Dividend Payment Date, except that in the case of payments of dividends in arrears, the Record Date with respect to a Dividend Payment Date will be such date as may be designated by our board of directors in accordance with our Bylaws then in effect and the Statement of Designations.
So long as the Series A Preferred Stock are held of record by the Securities Depository or its nominee, declared dividends will be paid to the Securities Depository in same-day funds on each Dividend Payment Date. The Securities Depository will credit accounts of its participants in accordance with the Securities Depository’s normal procedures. The participants will be responsible for holding or disbursing such payments to beneficial owners of the Series A Preferred Stock in accordance with the instructions of such beneficial owners.
No dividend may be declared or paid or set apart for payment on any Junior Securities (other than dividend payable solely in shares of Junior Securities) unless full cumulative dividends have been or contemporaneously are being paid or provided for on all issued and outstanding Series A Preferred Stock and any Parity Securities through the most recent respective dividend payment dates. Accumulated dividends in arrears for any past dividend period may be declared by our board of directors and paid on any date fixed by our board of directors, whether or not a Dividend Payment Date, to holders of the Series A Preferred Stock on the record date for such payment, which may not be more than 60 days, nor less than 15 days, before such payment date. Subject to the next succeeding sentence, if all accumulated dividends in arrears on all outstanding Series A Preferred Stock and any Parity Securities have not been declared and paid, or sufficient funds for the payment thereof have not been set apart, payment of accumulated dividends in arrears will be made in order of their respective dividend payment dates, commencing with the earliest. If less than all dividends payable with respect to all Series A Preferred Stock and any Parity Securities are paid, any partial payment will be made pro rata with respect to the Series A Preferred Stock and any Parity Securities entitled to a dividend payment at such time in proportion to the aggregate amounts remaining due in respect of such shares at such time. Holders of the Series A Preferred Stock will not be entitled to any dividend, whether payable in cash, property or stock, in excess of full cumulative dividends. No interest or sum of money in lieu of interest will be payable in respect of any dividend payment which may be in arrears on the Series A Preferred Stock.
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Redemption
The Series A Preferred Stock represent perpetual equity interests in us. We will have no obligation to redeem or repurchase any Series A Preferred Stock at any time.
Optional Redemption
We may redeem, at our option, in whole or from time to time in part, the Series A Preferred Stock (i) on or after June 30, 2022 and prior to June 30, 2023, at a price equal to $26.00 per Series A Preferred Stock, (ii) on or after June 30, 2023 and prior to June 30, 2024, at a price equal to $25.75 per Series A Preferred Share, (iii) on or after June 30, 2024 and prior to June 30, 2025, at a price equal to $25.50 per Series A Preferred Stock, (iv) on or after June 30, 2025 and prior to June 30, 2026, at a price equal to $25.25 per Series A Preferred Stock and (v) on or after June 30, 2026, at a price equal to $25.00 per Series A Preferred Stock, plus, in each case, an amount equal to all accumulated and unpaid dividends thereon to (but not including) the date of redemption, whether or not declared. Any such optional redemption may be effected only out of funds legally available for such purpose.
Redemption Upon a Change of Control
In connection with a Change of Control (as defined below), we may, at our option, redeem the Series A Preferred Stock, in whole but not in part, no later than 90 days after the first date on which such Change of Control occurs, at a redemption price of (1) if the “Change of Control” occurs prior to December 31, 2023, $26.50 per share and (2) if the “Change of Control” occurs on or after December 31, 2023 at the same redemption prices as apply to an optional redemption as set forth above under “Optional Redemption”, plus, in the case of either (1) or (2), an amount equal to all accumulated and unpaid dividends thereon to (but not including) the date of redemption, whether or not declared. Any such redemption may be effected only out of funds legally available for such purpose.
A “Change of Control” means the following events have occurred and are continuing:
| • | the acquisition by any “person” or “group” (within the meaning of Section 13(d)(3) of the Exchange Act) of beneficial ownership, directly or indirectly, through a purchase, merger or other acquisition transaction or series of purchases, mergers or other acquisition transactions of our shares entitling that person or group to exercise more than 50% of the total voting power of all of our shares entitled to vote generally in elections of directors (except that such person or group will be deemed to have beneficial ownership of all securities that such person or group has the right to acquire, whether such right is currently exercisable or is exercisable only upon the passage of time or occurrence of a subsequent condition); and |
| • | following the closing of any transaction referred to in the above bullet point, neither we nor the acquiring or surviving entity has a class of common securities (or American Depositary Receipts representing such securities) listed on the New York Stock Exchange (“NYSE”), the NYSE American or the Nasdaq Global Select Market, the Nasdaq Global Market or the Nasdaq Capital Market (collectively, “Nasdaq”) or listed or quoted on an exchange or quotation system that is a successor to the NYSE, the NYSE American or the Nasdaq. |
Redemption Procedure
We will give notice of any redemption by mail, postage prepaid, not less than 30 days and not more than 60 days before the scheduled date of redemption, to the holders of any shares to be redeemed as such holders’ names appear on our share transfer books maintained by the Registrar and Transfer Agent at the address of such holders shown therein. Such notice shall state: (1) the redemption date, (2) the number of shares of Series A Preferred Stock to be redeemed and, if less than all issued and outstanding Series A Preferred Stock are to be redeemed, the number (and the identification) of shares to be redeemed from such holder, (3) the redemption price, (4) the place where the Series A Preferred Stock are to be redeemed and shall be presented and surrendered for payment of the redemption price therefor, and (5) that dividends on the shares to be redeemed will cease to accumulate from and after such redemption date.
If fewer than all of the issued and outstanding Series A Preferred Stock are to be redeemed, the number of shares to be redeemed will be determined by us, and such shares will be redeemed pro rata or by lot as the Securities Depository shall determine, with adjustments to avoid redemption of fractional shares. So long as all Series A Preferred Stock are held of record by the Securities Depository or its nominee, we will give notice, or cause notice to be given, to the Securities Depository of the number of shares of Series A Preferred Stock to be redeemed and the Securities Depository will determine the number of shares of Series A Preferred Stock to be redeemed from the account of each of its participants holding such shares in its participant account.
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So long as the Series A Preferred Stock are held of record by the Securities Depository or its nominee, the redemption price will be paid by the Paying Agent to the Securities Depository on the redemption date. The Securities Depository’s normal procedures provide for it to distribute the amount of the redemption price in same-day funds to its participants who, in turn, are expected to distribute such funds to the persons for whom they are acting as agent.
If we give or cause to be given a notice of redemption, then we will deposit with the Paying Agent funds sufficient to redeem the Series A Preferred Stock as to which notice has been given by the close of business, New York City time, no later than the Business Day immediately preceding the date fixed for redemption, and will give the Paying Agent irrevocable instructions and authority to pay the redemption price to the holder or holders thereof upon surrender or deemed surrender (which will occur automatically if the certificate representing such shares is issued in the name of the Securities Depository or its nominee) of the certificates therefor. If notice of redemption shall have been given, then from and after the date fixed for redemption, unless we default in providing funds sufficient for such redemption at the time and place specified for payment pursuant to the notice, all dividends on such shares will cease to accumulate and all rights of holders of such shares as our stockholders will cease, except the right to receive the redemption price, including an amount equal to accumulated and unpaid dividends to (but not including) the date fixed for redemption, whether or not declared. We will be entitled to receive from the Paying Agent the interest income, if any, earned on such funds deposited with the Paying Agent (to the extent that such interest income is not required to pay the redemption price of the shares to be redeemed), and the holders of any shares so redeemed will have no claim to any such interest income. Any funds deposited with the Paying Agent hereunder by us for any reason, including, but not limited to, redemption of Series A Preferred Stock, that remain unclaimed or unpaid after two years after the applicable redemption date or other payment date, shall be, to the extent permitted by law, repaid to us upon our written request after which repayment the holders of the Series A Preferred Stock entitled to such redemption or other payment shall have recourse only to us.
If only a portion of the Series A Preferred Stock represented by a certificate has been called for redemption, upon surrender of the certificate to the Paying Agent (which will occur automatically if the certificate representing such shares is registered in the name of the Securities Depository or its nominee), the Paying Agent will issue to the holder of such shares a new certificate (or adjust the applicable book-entry account) representing the number of shares of Series A Preferred Stock represented by the surrendered certificate that have not been called for redemption.
Notwithstanding any notice of redemption, there will be no redemption of any Series A Preferred Stock called for redemption until funds sufficient to pay the full redemption price of such shares, including all accumulated and unpaid dividends to the date of redemption, whether or not declared, have been deposited by us with the Paying Agent.
We and our affiliates may from time to time purchase the Series A Preferred Stock, subject to compliance with all applicable securities and other laws. Neither we nor any of our affiliates has any obligation or any present plan or intention, to purchase any Series A Preferred Stock. Any shares repurchased and cancelled by us will revert to the status of authorized but unissued preferred stock, undesignated as to series.
Notwithstanding the foregoing, in the event that full cumulative dividends on the Series A Preferred Stock and any Parity Securities have not been paid or declared and set apart for payment, we may not repurchase, redeem or otherwise acquire, in whole or in part, any Series A Preferred Stock or Parity Securities except pursuant to a purchase or exchange offer made on the same terms to all holders of Series A Preferred Stock and any Parity Securities. Common stock and any other Junior Securities may not be redeemed, repurchased or otherwise acquired unless full cumulative dividends on the Series A Preferred Stock and any Parity Securities for all prior and the then-ending dividend periods have been paid or declared and set apart for payment.
No Sinking Fund
The Series A Preferred Stock do not have the benefit of any sinking fund.
Description of Series B Preferred Stock
The following description of the Series B Preferred Stock is a summary and does not purport to be complete and is qualified by reference to the Statement of Designation filed as an exhibit to this Annual Report.
On October 21, 2022, we issued 16,000 shares of our newly-designated Series B Preferred Stock, par value $0.01 per share. As of March 28, 2023, there are 16,000 shares of Series B Preferred Stock authorized, and 16,000 shares of Series B Preferred Stock issued and outstanding.
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Voting
To the fullest extent permitted by law, each share of Series B preferred stock entitles the holder hereof to 25,000 votes per share on all matters submitted to a vote of the shareholders of the Company, provided however, that no holder of Series B preferred stock may exercise voting rights pursuant to Series B preferred stock that would result in the aggregate voting power of any beneficial owner of such shares and its affiliates (whether pursuant to ownership of Series B preferred stock, common stock or otherwise) to exceed 49.99% of the total number of votes eligible to be cast on any matter submitted to a vote of shareholders of the Company. To the fullest extent permitted by law, the holder of Series B preferred stock shall have no special voting or consent rights and shall vote together as one class with the holders of the common stock on all matters put before the shareholders.
Conversion
The Series B preferred stock is not convertible into shares of common stock or any other security.
Redemption
The Series B preferred stock is not redeemable.
Dividends
The Series B preferred stock has no dividend rights.
Transferability
All issued and outstanding Series B preferred stock must be held of record by one holder, and the Series B preferred stock shall not be transferred or sold without the prior approval of our board of directors.
Liquidation Preference
Upon any liquidation, dissolution or winding up of the Company, the Series B preferred stock will rank pari-passu with the common stockholders and shall be entitled to receive a payment equal to the par value of $0.01 per share. The Series B preferred stockholder has no other rights to distributions upon any liquidation, dissolution or winding up of the Company.
Description of Series C Convertible Preferred Stock
The following description of the Series C Convertible Preferred Stock is a summary and does not purport to be complete and is qualified by reference to the Statement of Designation filed as an exhibit to this Annual Report.
On March 27, 2023, we issued 13,875 shares of our newly-designated Series C Preferred Stock, par value $0.01 per share. As of March 28, 2023, there are 13,875 shares of Series C Preferred Stock authorized, which may be increased or decreased by our Board of directors from time to time, and 13,875 shares of Series C Preferred Stock were issued and outstanding.
Conversion. The shares of Series C Preferred Stock are convertible, at the holder’s option, to our common stock, in whole or in part, at any time and from time to time after the six-month anniversary of the issuance date, at a conversion price equal to the lower of (i) $0.50 and (ii) the VWAP of our common stock over the 10 consecutive trading day period expiring on the trading day immediately prior to the date of delivery of written notice of the conversion; provided, that, in no event shall the conversion price be less than $0.10.
Redemption. The shares of Series C Preferred Stock will be perpetual and have no maturity date. The Series C Preferred Stock will not be redeemable.
Dividends. Holders of Series C Preferred Stock shall be entitled to receive cumulative cash dividends at a rate of 5.00% per annum of the liquidation preference of $1,000 per share, payable quarterly in arrears on the 15th day of each January, April, July and October, respectively, beginning on July 15, 2023. Dividends for each dividend period will be calculated on the basis of a 360-day year consisting of twelve 30-day months. Dividends will be payable in cash or, at the election of the Company, in an amount of shares of Series C Preferred Stock equal to the quarterly dividend amount for such shares divided by the Series C liquidation preference of $1,000 per share.
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Rank. The Series C Preferred Stock will represent perpetual equity interests in us and, unlike our indebtedness, will not give rise to a claim for payment of a principal amount at a particular date. The Series C Preferred Stock will rank (1) senior to our common stock and our Series B Preferred Stock and to each other class or series of capital stock established after the original issue date of the Series C Preferred Stock that is not expressly made senior to or on parity with the Series C Preferred Stock as to the payment of dividends and amounts payable upon liquidation, dissolution or winding up, whether voluntary or involuntary (“Junior Stock”); (2) pari passu with any class or series of capital stock established after the original issue date of the Series C Preferred Stock that is not expressly subordinated or senior to the Series C Preferred Stock as to the payment of dividends and amounts payable upon liquidation, dissolution or winding up, whether voluntary or involuntary (“Parity Stock”); and (3) junior to all of our indebtedness and other liabilities with respect to assets available to satisfy claims against us and to our existing 8.75% Series A Cumulative Redeemable Perpetual Preferred Stock and each other class or series of capital stock expressly made senior to the Series C Preferred Stock as to the payment of dividends and amounts payable upon liquidation, dissolution or winding up, whether voluntary or involuntary (such classes or series of capital stock, our “Senior Stock”).
Liquidation Rights. The holders of issued and outstanding Series C Preferred Stock will be entitled, upon the occurrence of a Liquidation Event (as defined below), to receive the liquidation preference of $1,000.00 per share in cash plus an amount equal to accumulated and unpaid dividends thereon to (but not including) the date fixed for payment of such amount (whether or not declared). “Liquidation Event” for purposes of the Series C Preferred Stock is (1) any liquidation, dissolution or winding up of our affairs, whether voluntary or involuntary, (2) merger or consolidation of the Company, (3) sale, lease or conveyance of all or substantially all of its consolidated assets or (4) change in control of the Company.
Voting. Holders of the Series C Preferred Stock generally have no voting rights. Unless we have received the affirmative vote or consent of the holders of at least two-thirds of the outstanding Series C Preferred Stock, voting as a single class, we may not adopt any amendment to our Restated Articles of Incorporation that adversely alters the preferences, powers or rights of the Series C Preferred Stock. Unless we have received the affirmative vote or consent of the holders of at least two-thirds of the outstanding Series C Preferred Stock, voting as a class together with holders of any other parity stock upon which like voting rights have been conferred and are exercisable, we may not issue any Parity or Senior Stock if the cumulative dividends payable on outstanding Series C Preferred Stock are in arrears.
B. Articles of Incorporation and Bylaws
Our articles of incorporation and our bylaws are filed as Exhibit 3.1 and Exhibit 3.2, respectively, hereto.
Purpose.
Our purpose is to engage in any lawful act or activity relating to the business of chartering, rechartering or operating tankers, drybulk carriers or other vessels or any other lawful act or activity customarily conducted in conjunction with shipping, and any other lawful act or activity approved by the Board of Directors of the Corporation. Our articles of incorporation and bylaws do not impose any limitations on the ownership rights of our stockholders.
Under our bylaws, annual stockholder meetings will be held at a time and place selected by our Board of Directors. The meetings may be held in or outside of the Marshall Islands. Special meetings may be called by the Board of Directors. Our Board of Directors may set a record date between 15 and 60 days before the date of any meeting to determine the stockholders that will be eligible to receive notice and vote at the meeting.
Directors.
Our directors are elected by a plurality of the votes cast at a meeting of the stockholders by the holders of shares entitled to vote in the election. There is no provision for cumulative voting.
The Board of Directors may change the number of directors by a vote of a majority of the entire board. Each director shall be elected to serve until his successor shall have been duly elected and qualified, except in the event of his death, resignation, removal, or the earlier termination of his term of office. The Board of Directors has the authority to fix the amounts which shall be payable to the members of our Board of Directors for attendance at any meeting or for services rendered to us.
Dissenters’ Rights of Appraisal and Payment.
Under the BCA, our stockholders have the right to dissent from various corporate actions, including any merger or sale of all or substantially all of our assets not made in the usual course of our business, and receive payment of the fair value of their shares. However, the right of a dissenting stockholder under the BCA to receive payment of the fair value of his shares is not available for the
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shares of any class or series of stock, which shares or depository receipts in respect thereof, at the record date fixed to determine the stockholders entitled to receive notice of and to vote at the meeting of the stockholders to act upon the agreement of merger or consolidation, were either (i) listed on a securities exchange or admitted for trading on an interdealer quotation system or (ii) held of record by more than 2,000 holders. The right of a dissenting stockholder to receive payment of the fair value of his or her shares shall not be available for any shares of stock of the constituent corporation surviving a merger if the merger did not require for its approval the vote of the stockholders of the surviving corporation. In the event of any further amendment of our articles of incorporation, a stockholder also has the right to dissent and receive payment for his or her shares if the amendment alters certain rights in respect of those shares. The dissenting stockholder must follow the procedures set forth in the BCA to receive payment. In the event that we and any dissenting stockholder fail to agree on a price for the shares, the BCA procedures involve, among other things, the institution of proceedings in the circuit court in the judicial circuit in the Marshall Islands in which our Marshall Islands office is situated. The value of the shares of the dissenting stockholder is fixed by the court after reference, if the court so elects, to the recommendations of a court-appointed appraiser.
Stockholders’ Derivative Actions.
Under the BCA, any of our stockholders may bring an action in our name to procure a judgment in our favor, also known as a derivative action, provided that the stockholder bringing the action is a holder of common stock both at the time the derivative action is commenced and at the time of the transaction to which the action relates.
Anti-takeover Provisions of our Charter Documents.
Several provisions of our articles of incorporation and bylaws may have anti-takeover effects. These provisions are intended to avoid costly takeover battles, lessen our vulnerability to a hostile change of control and enhance the ability of our Board of Directors to maximize stockholder value in connection with any unsolicited offer to acquire us. However, these anti-takeover provisions, which are summarized below, could also discourage, delay or prevent (1) the merger or acquisition of our company by means of a tender offer, a proxy contest or otherwise, that a stockholder may consider in its best interest and (2) the removal of incumbent officers and directors.
Blank Check Preferred Stock.
Under the terms of our articles of incorporation, our Board of Directors has authority, without any further vote or action by our stockholders, to issue up to 200,000,000 shares of blank check preferred stock, of which 800,000 have been designated Series A Preferred Stock and of which 795,878 are issued and outstanding as of March 28, 2023 and 16,000 have been designated Series B Preferred Stock and of which 16,000 are issued and outstanding as of March 28, 2023 and 13,875 have been designated Series C Convertible Preferred Stock and of which 13,875 are issued and outstanding as of March 28, 2023. Our Board of Directors may issue shares of preferred stock on terms calculated to discourage, delay or prevent a change of control of our company or the removal of our management.
Classified Board of Directors.
Our articles of incorporation provide for a Board of Directors serving staggered, three-year terms. Approximately one-third of our Board of Directors will be elected each year. This classified board provision could discourage a third party from making a tender offer for our shares or attempting to obtain control of our company. It could also delay stockholders who do not agree with the policies of the Board of Directors from removing a majority of the Board of Directors for two years.
Election and Removal of Directors.
Our articles of incorporation and bylaws prohibit cumulative voting in the election of directors. Our bylaws require parties other than the Board of Directors to give advance written notice of nominations for the election of directors. Our bylaws also provide that our directors may be removed only for cause and only upon the affirmative vote of the holders of at least 80% of the outstanding shares of our capital stock entitled to vote for those directors. These provisions may discourage, delay or prevent the removal of incumbent officers and directors.
Calling of Special Meetings of Stockholders.
Our bylaws provide that special meetings of our stockholders may be called only by resolution of our Board of Directors.
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Advance Notice Requirements for Stockholder Proposals and Director Nominations.
Our bylaws provide that stockholders seeking to nominate candidates for election as directors or to bring business before an annual meeting of stockholders must provide timely notice of their proposal in writing to the corporate secretary.
Generally, to be timely, a stockholder’s notice must be received at our principal executive offices not less than 90 days or more than 120 days prior to the first anniversary date of the previous year’s annual meeting. If, however, the date of our annual meeting is more than 30 days before or 60 days after the first anniversary date of the previous year’s annual meeting, a stockholder’s notice must be received at our principal executive offices by the later of (i) the close of business on the 90th day prior to the annual meeting date or (ii) the close of business on the tenth day following the date on which such annual meeting date is first publicly announced or disclosed by us. Our bylaws also specify requirements as to the form and content of a stockholder’s notice. These provisions may impede stockholders’ ability to bring matters before an annual meeting of stockholders or make nominations for directors at an annual meeting of stockholders.
Business Combinations.
Our articles of incorporation prohibit us from engaging in a “business combination” with certain persons for three years following the date the person becomes an interested stockholder. Interested stockholders generally include:
| • | persons who are the beneficial owners of 15% or more of the outstanding voting stock of the corporation; and |
| • | persons who are affiliates or associates of the corporation and who hold 15% or more of the corporation’s outstanding voting stock at any time within three years before the date on which the person’s status as an interested stockholder is determined. |
Subject to certain exceptions, a business combination includes, among other things:
| • | certain mergers or consolidations of the corporation or any direct or indirect majority-owned subsidiary of the company; |
| • | the sale, lease, exchange, mortgage, pledge, transfer or other disposition of assets having an aggregate market value equal to 10% or more of either the aggregate market value of all assets of the corporation, determined on a consolidated basis, or the aggregate value of all the outstanding stock of the corporation; |
| • | certain transactions that result in the issuance or transfer by the corporation of any stock of the corporation to the interested stockholder; |
| • | any transaction involving the corporation that has the effect of increasing the proportionate share of the stock of any class or series, or securities convertible into the stock of any class or series, of the corporation that is owned directly or indirectly by the interested stockholder; and |
| • | any receipt by the interested stockholder of the benefit (except as a stockholder) of any loans, advances, guarantees, pledges or other financial benefits provided by or through the corporation. |
These provisions of our articles of incorporation do not apply to a business combination if:
| • | before a person becomes an interested stockholder, the board of directors of the corporation approves the business combination or transaction in which the stockholder became an interested stockholder; |
| • | upon consummation of the transaction that resulted in the interested stockholder becoming an interested stockholder, the interested stockholder owned at least 85% of the voting stock of the corporation outstanding at the time the transaction commenced, other than certain excluded shares; |
| • | following a transaction in which the person became an interested stockholder, the business combination is (a) approved by the board of directors of the corporation and (b) authorized at a regular or special meeting of stockholders, and not by written consent, by the vote of the holders of at least two-thirds of the voting stock of the corporation not owned by the stockholder; or |
| • | the transaction is with a stockholder that was or became an interested stockholder prior to or at the time the Spin-Off was consummated. |
C. Material Contracts
We refer to “Item 7. Major Stockholders and Related Party Transactions—B. Related Party Transactions” for a discussion of our material agreements outside the ordinary course of our business to which we are a party. We have entered into a management agreement with Stealth Maritime as described as described in “Related Party Transactions – Management Arrangements and – Vessel Acquisition Agreements” and have entered into three senior secured credit facilities, the terms of which are described in the section of this report entitled “Item 5. Operating and Financial Review and Prospects– Liquidity and Capital Resources – Credit Facilities.”
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Other than the agreements discussed in the aforementioned section of this annual report, we have no material contracts, other than contracts entered into in the ordinary course of business, to which we or any member of the group is a party.
D. Exchange Controls and Other Limitations Affecting Stockholders
Under Marshall Islands law, there are currently no restrictions on the export or import of capital, including foreign exchange controls or restrictions that affect the remittance of dividends, interest or other payments to non-resident holders of our common stock.
We are not aware of any limitations on the rights to own our common stock, including rights of non-resident or foreign stockholders to hold or exercise voting rights on our common stock, imposed by foreign law or by our articles of incorporation or bylaws.
E. Tax Considerations
Marshall Islands Tax Consequences
The following discussion is based on the current laws of the Republic of the Marshall Islands applicable to persons who do not reside in, maintain offices in or engage in business in the Republic of the Marshall Islands.
Imperial Petroleum is incorporated in the Marshall Islands. Under current Marshall Islands law, Imperial Petroleum is not subject to tax on income or capital gains, and no Marshall Islands withholding tax will be imposed upon payments of dividends by Imperial Petroleum to holders of its common stock or Series A Preferred Stock that are not residents or domiciled or carrying any commercial activity in the Marshall Islands. The holders of Imperial Petroleum common stock and Series A Preferred Stock will not be subject to Marshall Islands tax on the sale or other disposition of such common stock or Series A Preferred Stock.
United States Federal Income Tax Consequences
The following discussion of United States federal income tax matters is based on the Code, judicial decisions, administrative pronouncements, and existing and proposed regulations issued by the United States Department of the Treasury, or the Treasury Regulations, all as of the date of this report, and all of which are subject to change, possibly with retroactive effect. This discussion is also based in part upon Treasury Regulations promulgated under Section 883 of the Code. The discussion below is based, in part, on the description of Imperial Petroleum’s business as described in “Business” above and assumes that Imperial Petroleum will conduct its business as described in that section.
United States Federal Income Taxation of Our Company
Taxation of Operating Income: In General
Unless exempt from United States federal income taxation under the rules discussed below, a foreign corporation is subject to United States federal income taxation in respect of any income that is derived from the use of vessels, from the hiring or leasing of vessels for use on a time, voyage or bareboat charter basis, from the participation in a pool, partnership, strategic alliance, joint operating agreement, code sharing arrangement or other joint venture it directly or indirectly owns or participates in that generates such income, or from the performance of services directly related to those uses, which we refer to as “shipping income,” to the extent that the shipping income is derived from sources within the United States. For these purposes, 50% of shipping income that is attributable to transportation that begins or ends, but that does not both begin and end, in the United States exclusive of certain U.S. territories and possessions constitutes income from sources within the United States, which we refer to as “U.S.-source shipping income.”
Shipping income attributable to transportation that both begins and ends in the United States is considered to be 100% from sources within the United States. We are not permitted by law to engage in transportation that produces income which is considered to be 100% from sources within the United States. Shipping income attributable to transportation exclusively between non-United States ports will be considered to be 100% derived from sources outside the United States. Shipping income derived from sources outside the United States will not be subject to any United States federal income tax.
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In the absence of exemption from tax under Section 883 of the Code, our gross U.S.-source shipping income would be subject to a 4% tax imposed without allowance for deductions as described below.
Exemption of Operating Income from United States Federal Income Taxation
Under Section 883 of the Code and the Treasury Regulations thereunder, Imperial Petroleum will be exempt from United States federal income taxation on its U.S.-source shipping income if:
| • | Imperial Petroleum is organized in a foreign country, or its country of organization, that grants an “equivalent exemption” to corporations organized in the United States; and |
either
| • | more than 50% of the value of Imperial Petroleum’s stock is owned, directly or indirectly, by “qualified shareholders,” individuals who are “residents” of a foreign country that grants an “equivalent exemption” to corporations organized in the United States, which we refer to as the “50% Ownership Test,” or |
| • | Imperial Petroleum’s stock is “primarily and regularly traded on an established securities market” in a country that grants an “equivalent exemption” to United States corporations, or in the United States, which we refer to as the “Publicly-Traded Test.” |
The Marshall Islands jurisdiction where Imperial Petroleum and certain of its shipowning subsidiaries, are incorporated, and Liberia where its other shipowning subsidiaries are incorporated, grant an “equivalent exemption” to United States corporations. Therefore, Imperial Petroleum will be exempt from United States federal income taxation in any taxable year with respect to our U.S.-source shipping income if Imperial Petroleum satisfies either the 50% Ownership Test or the Publicly-Traded Test for such taxable year.
Imperial Petroleum does not expect that it will be able to satisfy the 50% Ownership Test for any taxable year due to the anticipated, widely-held nature of its stock.
Imperial Petroleum’s ability to satisfy the Publicly-Traded Test is discussed below.
The Treasury Regulations provide, in pertinent part, that the stock of a foreign corporation will be considered to be “primarily traded” on an established securities market in a country if the number of shares of each class of stock that is traded during the taxable year on all established securities markets in that country exceeds the number of shares in each such class that is traded during that year on established securities markets in any other single country. Imperial Petroleum common stock and Series A Preferred Stock will be “primarily traded” on the Nasdaq Capital Market, which is an established securities market for these purposes.
Under the regulations, Imperial Petroleum stock will be considered to be “regularly traded” on an established securities market if one or more classes of its stock representing more than 50% of our outstanding shares, by total combined voting power of all classes of stock entitled to vote and total value, is listed on the market (the “listing threshold”). Since Imperial Petroleum common stock and Series A Preferred Stock, which are Imperial Petroleum’s sole classes of stock, will be listed on the Nasdaq Capital Market, Imperial Petroleum will satisfy the listing threshold.
It is further required that with respect to each class of stock relied upon to meet the listing threshold (i) such class of the stock is traded on the market, other than in minimal quantities, on at least 60 days during the taxable year (or 1/6 of the days in the case of a short taxable year); and (ii) the aggregate number of shares of such class of stock traded on such market is at least 10% of the average number of shares of such class of stock outstanding during such year (or as appropriately adjusted in the case of a short taxable year). Imperial Petroleum expects to satisfy the trading frequency and trading volume tests described in this paragraph. Even if this were not the case, the relevant Treasury regulations provide that the trading frequency and trading volume tests will be deemed satisfied by a class of stock if, as Imperial Petroleum expects to be the case with its common stock and Series A Preferred Stock, such class of stock is traded on an established market in the United States, such as the Nasdaq Capital Market and such class of stock is regularly quoted by dealers making a market in such stock.
Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Treasury regulations provide that, in pertinent part, a class of a non-U.S. corporation’s stock will not be considered to be “regularly traded” on an established securities market for any taxable year if 50% or more of the outstanding shares of such class of the corporation’s stock is owned, actually or constructively under specified attribution rules, on more than half the days during the taxable year by persons who each own 5% or more of such class of the corporation’s stock (the “5% Override Rule”).
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For purposes of being able to determine the persons who own 5% or more of a class of a corporation’s stock (“5% Stockholders”) the Treasury regulations permit a corporation to rely on Schedule 13-D and Schedule 13-D filings with the SEC to identify persons who have a 5% or more beneficial interest in such corporation’s common stock, which currently are our sole class of voting shares, or, if our Series A Preferred Stock are then entitled to vote, our Series A Preferred Stock. The Treasury regulations further provide that an investment company that is registered under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended, will not be treated as a 5% Stockholder for such purposes.
It is possible that 5% Stockholders may own more than 50% of the Imperial Petroleum common stock. In the event the 5% Override Rule is triggered, the Treasury regulations provide that the 5% Override Rule will nevertheless not apply if Imperial Petroleum can establish that within the group of 5% Stockholders, there are sufficient 5% Stockholders that are considered to be “qualified shareholders” for purposes of Section 883 of the Code to preclude non-qualified 5% Stockholders in the closely-held group from owning 50% or more of the corporation’s common stock for more than half the number of days during the taxable year. To establish this exception to the 5% Override Rule, 5% Stockholders owning a sufficient number of our common stock would have to provide the Corporation with certain information in order to substantiate their status as qualified shareholders. If, after the Spin-Off, 5% Stockholders were to own more than 50% of the Imperial Petroleum common stock, there is no assurance that Imperial Petroleum would be able to satisfy the foregoing requirements.
Taxation in Absence of Exemption
If the benefits of Section 883 of the Code are unavailable for any taxable year, Imperial Petroleum’s U.S. source shipping income, to the extent not considered to be “effectively connected” with the conduct of a United States trade or business, as described below, will be subject to a 4% tax imposed by Section 887 of the Code on a gross basis, without the benefit of deductions (“4% gross basis tax regime”). Since under the sourcing rules described above, no more than 50% of our shipping income is treated as being derived from United States sources, the maximum effective rate of United States federal income tax on our shipping income will not exceed 2% under the 4% gross basis tax regime.
To the extent the benefits of the Section 883 of the Code are unavailable and Imperial Petroleum’s U.S. source shipping income is considered to be “effectively connected” with the conduct of a United States trade or business, as described below, any such “effectively connected” U.S. source shipping income, net of applicable deductions, would be subject to the United States federal corporate income tax currently imposed at rates of up to 21%. In addition, Imperial Petroleum may be subject to the 30% United States federal “branch profits” taxes on earnings effectively connected with the conduct of such trade or business, as determined after allowance for certain adjustments, and on certain interest paid or deemed paid attributable to the conduct of such United States trade or business.
Imperial Petroleum’s U.S. source shipping income would be considered “effectively connected” with the conduct of a United States trade or business only if:
| • | Imperial Petroleum has, or is considered to have, a fixed place of business in the United States involved in the earning of shipping income; and |
| • | Substantially all of Imperial Petroleum’s U.S. source shipping income is attributable to regularly scheduled transportation, such as the operation of a vessel that follows a published schedule with repeated sailings at regular intervals between the same points for voyages that begin or end in the United States. |
Imperial Petroleum does not intend to have, or permit circumstances that would result in having, any vessel operating to the United States on a regularly scheduled basis. Based on the foregoing and on the expected mode of Imperial Petroleum’s shipping operations and other activities, Imperial Petroleum believes that none of its U.S. source shipping income will be “effectively connected” with the conduct of a United States trade or business.
United States Taxation of Gain on Sale of Vessels
Regardless of whether Imperial Petroleum qualifies for exemption under Section 883 of the Code, Imperial Petroleum will not be subject to United States federal income taxation with respect to gain realized on a sale of a vessel, provided the sale is considered to occur outside of the United States under United States federal income tax principles. In general, a sale of a vessel will be considered to occur outside of the United States for this purpose if title to the vessel, and risk of loss with respect to the vessel, pass to the buyer outside of the United States. It is expected that any sale of a vessel by Imperial Petroleum will be considered to occur outside of the United States.
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United States Federal Income Taxation of U.S. Holders
The following discussion regarding the material U.S. federal income tax consequences, subject to the limitations described below, to U.S. Holders (as defined below) of acquiring, and of owning and disposing, our common stock, Series A Preferred Stock, Class A Warrants, Class B Warrants, Class C Warrants and Class D Warrants, does not purport to be a comprehensive description of all tax considerations that may be relevant to a particular person.
As used herein, the term “U.S. Holder” means a beneficial owner of Imperial Petroleum common stock, Series A Preferred Stock, Class A Warrants, Class B Warrants, Class C Warrants or Class D Warrants, and that is a United States citizen or resident, United States corporation or other United States entity taxable as a corporation, an estate the income of which is subject to United States federal income taxation regardless of its source, or a trust if a court within the United States is able to exercise primary jurisdiction over the administration of the trust and one or more United States persons have the authority to control all substantial decisions of the trust, or the trust has in effect a valid election to be treated as a United States person.
This discussion does not purport to deal with the tax consequences of owning Imperial Petroleum common stock, Series A Preferred Stock Class A Warrants, Class B Warrants, Class C Warrants or Class D Warrants to all categories of investors, some of which, such as dealers in securities, investors whose functional currency is not the United States dollar and investors that own, actually or under applicable constructive ownership rules, 10% or more of our common stock, may be subject to special rules. This discussion deals only with holders who hold Imperial Petroleum common stock, Series A Preferred Stock, Class A Warrants, Class B Warrants, Class C Warrants or Class D Warrants as a capital asset. You are encouraged to consult your own tax advisors concerning the overall tax consequences arising in your own particular situation under United States federal, state, local or foreign law of the ownership of Imperial Petroleum common stock, Series A Preferred Stock, Class A Warrants, Class B Warrants, Class C Warrants or Class D Warrants.
If a partnership holds Imperial Petroleum common stock, Series A Preferred Stock, Class A Warrants, Class B Warrants, Class C Warrants or Class D Warrants, the tax treatment of a partner will generally depend upon the status of the partner and upon the activities of the partnership. If you are a partner in a partnership holding our common stock, Series A Preferred Stock, Class A Warrants, Class B Warrants, Class C Warrants or Class D Warrants, you are encouraged to consult your tax advisor.
The foregoing treatment of the common stock, Series A Preferred Stock, Class A Warrants, Class B Warrants, Class C Warrants and Class D Warrants are not binding on the IRS or the courts. \
Distributions
Subject to the discussion of passive foreign investment companies below, any distributions made by Imperial Petroleum with respect to its common stock or Series A Preferred Stock to a U.S. Holder will generally constitute dividends, which may be taxable as ordinary income or “qualified dividend income” to the extent of Imperial Petroleum’s current or accumulated earnings and profits, as determined under United States federal income tax principles. Distributions in excess of Imperial Petroleum’s current or accumulated earnings and profits will be treated first as a nontaxable return of capital to the extent of the U.S. Holder’s tax basis their common stock or Series A Preferred Stock on a dollar-for-dollar basis and thereafter as capital gain. Because Imperial Petroleum is not a United States corporation, U.S. Holders that are corporations will generally not be entitled to claim a dividends received deduction with respect to any distributions such corporate U.S. Holders receive. Dividends paid with respect to the Imperial Petroleum common stock or Series A Preferred Stock will generally be treated as “passive category income” or, in the case of certain types of U.S. Holders, “general category income” for purposes of computing allowable foreign tax credits for United States foreign tax credit purposes.
Dividends paid on the Imperial Petroleum common stock or Series A Preferred Stock to a U.S. Holder who is an individual, trust or estate (a “U.S. Individual Holder”) are expected generally to be treated as “qualified dividend income” provided certain requirements are met. Qualified dividend income is taxable to such U.S. Individual Holders at preferential tax rates provided that (1) Imperial Petroleum is not a passive foreign investment company for the taxable year during which the dividend is paid or the immediately preceding taxable year (which as discussed below, Imperial Petroleum does not believe it is, has been or will be), (2) the Imperial Petroleum common stock or Series A Preferred Stock, as applicable, are readily tradable on an established securities market in the United States (such as the Nasdaq Capital Market, on which the Imperial Petroleum common stock and Series A Preferred Stock will be listed), (3) the U.S. Individual Holder has owned the common stock or Series A Preferred Stock, as applicable, for more than
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60 days in the 121-day period beginning 60 days before the date on which the common stock or Series A Preferred Stock, respectively, become ex-dividend, and (4) the U.S. Individual Holder is not under an obligation (whether pursuant to a short sale or otherwise) to make payments with respect to positions in similar or related property. There is no assurance that any dividends paid on the Imperial Petroleum common stock or Series A Preferred Stock will be eligible for these preferential rates in the hands of a U.S. Individual Holder. Any dividends paid by Imperial Petroleum that are not eligible for these preferential rates will be taxed as ordinary income to a U.S. Individual Holder.
Special rules may apply to any “extraordinary dividend”, which is generally a dividend paid by Imperial Petroleum in an amount which is equal to or in excess of ten percent (in the case of common stock) or five percent (in the case of Series A Preferred Stock) of a stockholder’s adjusted tax basis (or fair market value in certain circumstances) in Imperial Petroleum common stock or Series A Preferred Stock. If Imperial Petroleum pays an “extraordinary dividend” on its common stock or Series A Preferred Stock that is treated as “qualified dividend income,” then any loss derived by a U.S. Individual Holder from the sale or exchange of such common stock or Series A Preferred Stock will be treated as long-term capital loss to the extent of such dividend.
For foreign tax credit purposes, if at least 50 percent of our stock by voting power or by value is owned, directly, indirectly or by attribution, by United States persons, then, subject to the limitation described below, a portion of the dividends that we pay in each taxable year will be treated as U.S.-source income, depending in general upon the ratio for that taxable year of our U.S.-source earnings and profits to our total earnings and profits. The remaining portion of our dividends (or all of our dividends, if we do not meet the 50 percent test described above) will be treated as foreign-source income and generally will be treated as passive category income or, in the case of certain types of United States holders, general category income for purposes of computing allowable foreign tax credits for United States federal income tax purposes. However, if, in any taxable year, we have earnings and profits and less than ten percent of those earnings and profits are from United States sources, then, in general, dividends that we pay from our earnings and profits for that taxable year will be treated entirely as foreign-source income. Where a United States holder that is an individual receives a dividend on our shares that is a qualifying dividend (as described in the second preceding paragraph), special rules will apply that will limit the portion of such dividend that will be included in such individual’s foreign source taxable income and overall taxable income for purposes of calculating such individual’s foreign tax credit limitation.
Sale, Exchange or other Disposition of Common Stock or Series A Preferred Stock
Assuming Imperial Petroleum does not constitute a passive foreign investment company for any taxable year, a U.S. Holder generally will recognize taxable gain or loss for U.S. federal income tax purposes upon a sale, exchange or other disposition of Imperial Petroleum common stock or Series A Preferred Stock in an amount equal to the difference between the amount realized by the U.S. Holder from such sale, exchange or other disposition and the U.S. Holder’s tax basis in such stock. Such gain or loss will generally be treated as long-term capital gain or loss if the U.S. Holder’s holding period is greater than one year at the time of the sale, exchange or other disposition. Gain or loss realized by a United States holder on the sale or exchange of common stock or Series A Preferred Stock generally will be treated as U.S.-source gain or loss for United States foreign tax credit purposes. A United States holder’s ability to deduct capital losses against ordinary income is subject to certain limitations.
Exercise of Class A Warrants, Class B Warrants, Class C Warrants and Class D Warrants
A U.S. Holder should not recognize gain or loss on the exercise of Class A Warrants, Class B Warrants, Class C Warrants or Class D Warrants and related receipt of common stock (unless cash is received in lieu of the issuance of a fractional shares of common stock). A U.S. Holder’s initial tax basis in the common stock received on the exercise of a Class A Warrant, Class B Warrant, Class C Warrants or Class D Warrants should be equal to the sum of (a) such U.S. Holder’s initial tax basis in such warrant plus (b) the exercise price paid by such U.S. Holder on the exercise of such warrant. If we were to become a PFIC, pursuant to proposed Treasury Regulations a U.S. Holder’s holding period for the common stock received will begin on the date on which such U.S. holder acquired its Class A Warrant, Class B Warrant, Class C Warrants or Class D Warrants.
In certain limited circumstances, a U.S. Holder may be permitted to undertake a cashless exercise of Class A Warrants, Class B Warrants, Class C Warrants or Class D Warrants into common stock. The U.S. federal income tax treatment of a cashless exercise of warrants into common stock is unclear, and the tax consequences of a cashless exercise could differ from the consequences upon the exercise of a Class A Warrant, Class B Warrant, Class C Warrant or Class D Warrant described in the preceding paragraph. U.S. Holders should consult their own tax advisors regarding the U.S. federal income tax consequences of a cashless exercise of Class A Warrants, Class B Warrants, Class C Warrants or Class D Warrants.
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Disposition of Class A Warrants, Class B Warrants, Class C Warrants and Class D Warrants
A U.S. Holder will recognize gain or loss on the sale or other taxable disposition of a Class A Warrant, Class B Warrant, Class C Warrant or Class D Warrant in an amount equal to the difference, if any, between the amount of cash plus the fair market value of any property received and such U.S. Holder’s tax basis in the Class A Warrant, Class B Warrant, Class C Warrant or Class D Warrant sold or otherwise disposed of. Subject to the PFIC rules discussed below, any such gain or loss generally will be a capital gain or loss, which will be long-term capital gain or loss if the Class A Warrant, Class B Warrant, Class C Warrant or Class D Warrant is held for more than one year. Deductions for capital losses are subject to complex limitations under the Code.
Expiration of Class A Warrants, Class B Warrants, Class C Warrants and Class D Warrants without Exercise
Upon the lapse or expiration of a Class A Warrant, Class B Warrant, Class C Warrant or Class D Warrant, a U.S. Holder will recognize a loss in an amount equal to such U.S. Holder’s tax basis in the Class A Warrant, Class B Warrant, Class C Warrant or Class D Warrant, respectively. Subject to the PFIC rules discussed below, any such loss generally will be a capital loss and will be long-term capital loss if the Class A Warrants, Class B Warrants, Class C Warrants or Class D Warrants are held for more than one year. Deductions for capital losses are subject to complex limitations under the Code.
Certain Adjustments to the Class A Warrants, Class B Warrants, Class C Warrants and Class D Warrants
Under Section 305 of the Code, an adjustment to the number of shares of common stock that will be issued on the exercise of the Class A Warrants, Class B Warrants, Class C Warrants or Class D Warrants, or an adjustment to the exercise price of the Class A Warrants, Class B Warrants, Class C Warrants or Class D Warrants, may be treated as a constructive distribution to a U.S. Holder of the Class A Warrants, Class B Warrants, Class C Warrants and Class D Warrants, respectively, if, and to the extent that, such adjustment has the effect of increasing such U.S. Holder’s proportionate interest in our earnings and profits or our assets, depending on the circumstances of such adjustment (for example, if such adjustment is to compensate for a distribution of cash or property to the stockholders). Adjustments to the exercise price of the Class A Warrants, Class B Warrants, Class C Warrants and Class D Warrants made pursuant to a bona fide reasonable adjustment formula that has the effect of preventing dilution of the interest of the holders of the Class A Warrants, Class B Warrants, Class C Warrants and Class D Warrants should generally not be considered to result in a constructive distribution. Any such constructive distribution would be taxable whether or not there is an actual distribution of cash or other property (see more detailed discussion of the rules applicable to distributions we make at “Distributions” above).
Passive Foreign Investment Company Status and Significant Tax Consequences
Special United States federal income tax rules apply to a U.S. Holder that holds stock, Class A Warrants, Class B Warrants, Class C Warrants or Class D Warrants in a foreign corporation classified as a passive foreign investment company, or PFIC, for United States federal income tax purposes. In general, Imperial Petroleum will be treated as a PFIC with respect to a U.S. Holder if, for any taxable year in which such holder held Imperial Petroleum common stock, Series A Preferred Stock, Class A Warrants Class B Warrants, Class C Warrants or Class D Warrants, either:
| • | at least 75% of Imperial Petroleum’s gross income for such taxable year consists of passive income (e.g., dividends, interest, capital gains and rents derived other than in the active conduct of a rental business); or |
| • | at least 50% of the average value of Imperial Petroleum’s assets during such taxable year produce, or are held for the production of, passive income, which we refer to as “passive assets”. |
For purposes of determining whether Imperial Petroleum is a PFIC, Imperial Petroleum will be treated as earning and owning our proportionate share of the income and assets, respectively, of any of its subsidiary corporations, in which Imperial Petroleum owns at least 25% of the value of the subsidiary’s stock. Income earned, or deemed earned, by Imperial Petroleum in connection with the performance of services would not constitute passive income. By contrast, rental income would generally constitute “passive income” unless Imperial Petroleum were treated under specific rules as deriving rental income in the active conduct of a trade or business.
Based on Imperial Petroleum’s anticipated operations and future projections, Imperial Petroleum does not believe that it is a PFIC for the taxable year ended December 31, 2022. Although there is no legal authority directly on point, and Imperial Petroleum is not relying upon an opinion of counsel on this issue, Imperial Petroleum’s belief is based principally on the position that, for purposes of determining whether Imperial Petroleum is a PFIC, the gross income Imperial Petroleum derives or is deemed to derive from the time chartering and voyage chartering activities of its wholly-owned subsidiaries should constitute services income, rather than rental
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income. Correspondingly, such income should not constitute passive income, and the assets that Imperial Petroleum or its wholly-owned subsidiaries own and operate in connection with the production of such income, in particular, the vessels, should not constitute passive assets for purposes of determining whether Imperial Petroleum is a PFIC. Imperial Petroleum believes there is substantial legal authority supporting its position consisting of case law and IRS pronouncements concerning the characterization of income derived from time charters and voyage charters as services income for other tax purposes. However, there is also authority which characterizes time charter income as rental income rather than services income for other tax purposes. Moreover, in the absence of any legal authority specifically relating to the statutory provisions governing PFICs, the IRS or a court could disagree with Imperial Petroleum’s position. In addition, although Imperial Petroleum intends to conduct its affairs in a manner to avoid being classified as a PFIC with respect to any taxable year, there can be no assurance that the nature of Imperial Petroleum’s operations will not change in the future.
As discussed more fully below, if Imperial Petroleum were to be treated as a PFIC for any taxable year which included a U.S. Holder’s holding period in Imperial Petroleum common stock or Series A Preferred Stock, then such U.S. Holder would be subject to different U.S. federal income taxation rules depending on whether the U.S. Holder makes an election to treat Imperial Petroleum as a “qualified electing fund” (a “QEF election”). As an alternative to making a QEF election, a U.S. Holder should be able to make a “mark-to-market” election with respect to Imperial Petroleum common stock or Series A Preferred Stock, as discussed below. In addition, if Imperial Petroleum were to be treated as a PFIC, a U.S. Holder of Imperial Petroleum common stock or Series A Preferred Stock would be required to file annual information returns with the IRS.
In addition, if a U.S. Holder owns Imperial Petroleum common stock, Series A Preferred Stock, Class A Warrants, Class B Warrants, Class C Warrants or Class D Warrants and Imperial Petroleum is a PFIC, such U.S. Holder must generally file IRS Form 8621 with the IRS
U.S. Holders Making a Timely QEF Election
A U.S. Holder who makes a timely QEF election with respect to Imperial Petroleum common stock or Series A Preferred Stock (an “Electing Holder”) would report for U.S. federal income tax purposes his pro rata share of Imperial Petroleum’s ordinary earnings and of Imperial Petroleum’s net capital gain, if any, for Imperial Petroleum’s taxable year that ends with or within the taxable year of the Electing Holder. Imperial Petroleum’s net operating losses or net capital losses would not pass through to the Electing Holder and will not offset Imperial Petroleum’s ordinary earnings or net capital gain reportable to the Electing Holder in subsequent years (although such losses would ultimately reduce the gain, or increase the loss, if any, recognized by the Electing Holder on the sale of his common stock or Series A Preferred Stock). Distributions received from Imperial Petroleum by an Electing Holder are excluded from the Electing Holder’s gross income to the extent of the Electing Holder’s prior inclusions of Imperial Petroleum’s ordinary earnings and net capital gain. The Electing Holder’s tax basis in his common stock or Series A Preferred Stock would be increased by any amount included in the Electing Holder’s income. Distributions received by an Electing Holder, which are not includible in income because they have been previously taxed, would decrease the Electing Holder’s tax basis in Imperial Petroleum common stock or Series A Preferred Stock, as applicable. An Electing Holder would generally recognize capital gain or loss on the sale or exchange of Imperial Petroleum common stock or Series A Preferred Stock. In order for an Electing Holder to make a QEF election, we would need to provide such Electing Holder with annual information regarding Imperial Petroleum. If we were aware that we were to be treated as a PFIC for any taxable year, we currently expect that we would provide each United States Holder with all necessary information, to the extent reasonably available, in order to make the QEF election described above with respect to our common stock and Series A Preferred Stock. We may elect to provide such information on our website. A QEF election will not be available with respect to Class A Warrants, Class B Warrants, Class C Warrants or Class D Warrants.
U.S. Holders Making a Timely Mark-to-Market Election
A U.S. Holder who makes a timely mark-to-market election with respect to Imperial Petroleum common stock or Series A Preferred Stock would include annually in the U.S. Holder’s income, as ordinary income, any excess of the fair market value of the common stock or Series A Preferred Stock at the close of the taxable year over the U.S. Holder’s then adjusted tax basis in the common stock or Series A Preferred Stock, respectively. The excess, if any, of the U.S. Holder’s adjusted tax basis at the close of the taxable year over the then fair market value of the common stock or Series A Preferred Stock would be deductible in an amount equal to the lesser of the amount of the excess or the net mark-to-market gains that the U.S. Holder included in income in previous years with respect to the common stock or Series A Preferred Stock, as applicable. A U.S. Holder’s tax basis in his common stock and Series A Preferred Stock would be adjusted to reflect any income or loss amount recognized pursuant to the mark-to-market election. A U.S. Holder would recognize ordinary income or loss on a sale, exchange or other disposition of the common stock or Series A Preferred Stock; provided, however, that any ordinary loss on the sale, exchange or other disposition may not exceed the net mark-to-market gains that the U.S. Holder included in income in previous years with respect to the common stock or Series A Preferred Stock. A mark-to-market election will not be available with respect to the Class A Warrants, Class B Warrants, Class C Warrants or Class D Warrants.
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U.S. Holders Not Making a Timely QEF Election or Mark-to-Market Election
A U.S. Holder who does not make a timely QEF Election or a timely mark-to-market election with respect to Imperial Petroleum common stock, Series A Preferred Stock or is holding our Class A Warrants, Class B Warrants, Class C Warrants or Class D Warrants (a “Non-Electing Holder”) would be subject to special rules with respect to (i) any “excess distribution” (generally, the portion of any distributions received by the Non-Electing Holder on the common stock, Series A Preferred Stock, Class A Warrants, Class B Warrants, Class C Warrants or Class D Warrants in a taxable year in excess of 125% of the average annual distributions received by the Non-Electing Holder in the three preceding taxable years, or, if shorter, the Non-Electing Holder’s holding period for the common stock, Series A Preferred Stock, Class A Warrants, Class B Warrants, Class C Warrants or Class D Warrants), and (ii) any gain realized on the sale or other disposition of the common stock, Series A Preferred Stock, Class A Warrants, Class B Warrants, Class C Warrants or Class D Warrants. Under these rules, (i) the excess distribution or gain would be allocated ratably over the Non-Electing Holder’s holding period for the common stock, Series A Preferred Stock, Class A Warrants, Class B Warrants, Class C Warrants or Class D Warrants; (ii) the amount allocated to the current taxable year, and any taxable year prior to the first taxable year in which we were a PFIC, would be taxed as ordinary income; and (iii) the amount allocated to each of the other prior taxable years would be subject to tax at the highest rate of tax in effect for the applicable class of taxpayer for that year, and an interest charge for the deemed tax deferral benefit would be imposed with respect to the resulting tax attributable to each such other taxable year. If a Non-Electing Holder dies while owning Imperial Petroleum common stock, Series A Preferred Stock, Class A Warrants, Class B Warrants, Class C Warrants or Class D Warrants, the Non-Electing Holder’s successor would be ineligible to receive a step-up in the tax basis of those common stock, Series A Preferred Stock, Class A Warrants, Class B Warrants, Class C Warrants or Class D Warrants.
Unearned Income Medicare Contribution Tax
Certain U.S. Holders that are individuals, estates or trusts are required to pay an additional 3.8% tax on, among other things, dividends on and capital gains from the sale or other disposition of stock, Series A Preferred Stock, Class A Warrants, Class B Warrants, Class C Warrants or Class D Warrants. U.S. Holders are encouraged to consult their own tax advisors regarding the effect, if any, of this tax on the ownership and disposition of our common stock, Series A Preferred Stock, Class A Warrants, Class B Warrants, Class C Warrants and Class D Warrants.
United States Federal Income Taxation of “Non-U.S. Holders”
A beneficial owner of Imperial Petroleum common stock or Series A Preferred Stock (other than a partnership) that is not a U.S. Holder is referred to herein as a “Non-U.S. Holder.”
Dividends on Common Stock and Series A Preferred Stock
Non-U.S. Holders generally will not be subject to United States federal income tax or withholding tax on dividends received from Imperial Petroleum with respect to its common stock or with respect to its Series A Preferred Stock, unless such income is effectively connected with the Non-U.S. Holder’s conduct of a trade or business in the United States. If the Non-U.S. Holder is entitled to the benefits of a United States income tax treaty with respect to those dividends, such income is taxable only if it is attributable to a permanent establishment maintained by the Non-U.S. Holder in the United States.
Sale, Exchange or Other Disposition of Common Stock, Series A Preferred Stock, Class A Warrants, Class B Warrants, Class C Warrants or Class D Warrants
Non-U.S. Holders generally will not be subject to United States federal income tax or withholding tax on any gain realized upon the sale, exchange or other disposition of Imperial Petroleum common stock, Series A Preferred Stock, Class A Warrants, Class B Warrants, Class C Warrants or Class D Warrants, unless:
| • | such gain is effectively connected with the Non-U.S. Holder’s conduct of a trade or business in the United States, if the Non-U.S. Holder is entitled to the benefits of a United States income tax treaty with respect to that gain, that gain is taxable only if it is attributable to a permanent establishment maintained by the Non-U.S. Holder in the United States; or |
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| • | the Non-U.S. Holder is an individual who is present in the United States for 183 days or more during the taxable year of disposition and other conditions are met. |
If the Non-U.S. Holder is engaged in a United States trade or business for United States federal income tax purposes, the income from the common stock or Series A Preferred Stock, including dividends and the gain from the sale, exchange or other disposition of the common stock, Series A Preferred Stock, Class A Warrants, Class B Warrants, Class C Warrants or Class D Warrants that is effectively connected with the conduct of that trade or business will generally be subject to regular United States federal income tax in the same manner as discussed in the previous section relating to the taxation of U.S. Holders. In addition, in the case of a corporate Non-U.S. Holder, its earnings and profits that are attributable to the effectively connected income, subject to certain adjustments, may be subject to an additional United States federal “branch profits” tax at a rate of 30%, or at a lower rate as may be specified by an applicable United States income tax treaty.
Backup Withholding and Information Reporting
In general, dividend payments, or other taxable distributions, made within the United States to you will be subject to information reporting requirements. Such payments will also be subject to backup withholding tax if a U.S. Individual Holder:
| • | fails to provide an accurate taxpayer identification number; |
| • | is notified by the IRS that he failed to report all interest or dividends required to be shown on your United States federal income tax returns; or |
| • | in certain circumstances, fails to comply with applicable certification requirements. |
Non-U.S. Holders may be required to establish their exemption from information reporting and backup withholding by certifying their status on an appropriate IRS Form W-8.
If a stockholder sells Imperial Petroleum common stock, Series A Preferred Stock, Class A Warrants, Class B Warrants, Class C Warrants or Class D Warrants to or through a United States office of a broker, the payment of the proceeds is subject to both United States backup withholding and information reporting unless the stockholder certifies that it is a non-U.S. person, under penalties of perjury, or the stockholder otherwise establishes an exemption. If a stockholder sells Imperial Petroleum common stock, Series A Preferred Stock, Class A Warrants, Class B Warrants, Class C Warrants or Class D Warrants through a non-United States office of a non-United States broker and the sales proceeds are paid outside the United States then information reporting and backup withholding generally will not apply to that payment. However, United States information reporting requirements, but not backup withholding, will apply to a payment of sales proceeds, even if that payment is made outside the United States, if a stockholder sells Imperial Petroleum common stock, Series A Preferred Stock, Class A Warrants, Class B Warrants, Class C Warrants or Class D Warrants through a non-United States office of a broker that is a United States person or has some other contacts with the United States.
Backup withholding is not an additional tax. Rather, a stockholder generally may obtain a refund of any amounts withheld under backup withholding rules that exceed the stockholder’s United States federal income tax liability by filing a refund claim with the IRS.
Individuals who are U.S. Holders (and to the extent specified in the applicable Treasury Regulations, certain individuals who are Non-U.S. Holders and certain United States entities) who hold “specified foreign financial assets” (as defined in Section 6038D of the Code and the applicable Treasury Regulations) are required to file IRS Form 8938 (Statement of Specified Foreign Financial Assets) with information relating to each such asset for each taxable year in which the aggregate value of all such assets exceeds $75,000 at any time during the taxable year or $50,000 on the last day of the taxable year. Specified foreign financial assets would include, among other assets, Imperial Petroleum common stock, Series A Preferred Stock, Class A Warrants, Class B Warrants, Class C Warrants or Class D Warrants, unless Imperial Petroleum common stock, Series A Preferred Stock, Class A Warrants, Class B Warrants, Class C Warrants or Class D Warrants were held through an account maintained with a United States financial institution. Substantial penalties apply to any failure to timely file IRS Form 8938, unless the failure is shown to be due to reasonable cause and not due to willful neglect. Additionally, the statute of limitations on the assessment and collection of United States federal income tax with respect to a taxable year for which the filing of IRS Form 8938 is required may not close until three years after the date on which IRS Form 8938 is filed. U.S. Holders (including United States entities) and Non-U.S. Holders are encouraged to consult their own tax advisors regarding their reporting obligations under Section 6038D of the Code.
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Imperial Petroleum encourages each stockholder and warrant holder to consult with his, her or its own tax advisor as to particular tax consequences to it of acquiring, holding and disposing of Imperial Petroleum common stock, Series A Preferred Stock, Class A Warrants, Class B Warrants, Class C Warrants or Class D Warrants, including the applicability of any state, local or foreign tax laws and any proposed changes in applicable law.
F. Dividends and Paying Agents
Not applicable.
G. Statement by Experts
Not applicable.
H. Documents on Display
We are subject to the informational requirements of the Exchange Act. In accordance with these requirements, we file reports and other information as a foreign private issuer with the SEC. The SEC maintains a website (http://www.sec.gov) that contains reports, proxy and information statements and other information regarding registrants that file electronically with the SEC. You may access our public filings with the SEC without charge on this website.
I. Subsidiary Information
Not applicable.
| Item 11. | Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosures About Market Risk |
Our risk management policy
Our primary market risks relate to adverse movements in freight rates for product tankers and crude oil tankers and any declines that may occur in the value of our assets which are made up primarily of product tankers and crude oil tankers. Our policy is to also continuously monitor our exposure to other business risks, including the impact of changes in interest rates, currency rates, and bunker prices on earnings and cash flows. We assess these risks and, when appropriate, enter into derivative contracts with credit-worthy counter parties to minimize our exposure to the risks. In regard to bunker prices, as our employment policy for our vessels has continued to be and is expected to continue with a high percentage of our fleet on period employment, we are not directly exposed for the majority of our fleet to increases in bunker fuel prices as these are the responsibility of the charterer under period charter arrangements. For the remainder of the fleet operating in the spot market we do not intend to enter into bunker hedging arrangements.
Interest rate risk
We are subject to market risks relating to changes in interest rates, because we have floating rate debt outstanding under our loan agreements on which we pay interest based on LIBOR or SOFR plus a margin. Currently we have, and during 2022 we had, no interest rate swap agreements outstanding.
Based on the amount of our outstanding indebtedness as of December 31, 2022, a hypothetical one percentage point increase in relevant interest rates (U.S. dollar LIBOR and SOFR) would have resulted in an increase in our finance costs of approximately $0.5 million.
Foreign exchange rate fluctuation
We generate all of our revenues in U.S. dollars and incurred about 8.4% of our expenses in currencies other than U.S. dollars in 2022 (2021: 13.8%). For accounting purposes, expenses incurred in other currencies are converted into U.S. dollars at the exchange rate prevailing on the date of each transaction. Due to our relatively low percentage exposure of any particular currency other than our base currency, which is the U.S. dollar we believe that such currency movements will not otherwise have a material effect on us. As such, we do not hedge these exposures as the amounts involved do not make hedging economic. As of March 28, 2023, we have no payment obligations related to the building of vessels in currencies other than U.S. dollars.
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We have not and do not intend to enter into foreign currency contracts for speculative purposes. Please read Note 2 (Significant Accounting Policies), Note 5 “Long -Term Debt” to our consolidated financial statements included herein, which provide additional information with respect to our existing debt agreement.
| Item 12. | Description of Securities Other than Equity Securities |
Not Applicable.
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PART II
| Item 13. | Defaults, Dividend Arrearages and Delinquencies |
Not applicable.
| Item 14. | Material Modifications to the Rights of Security Holders and Use of Proceeds |
Not applicable.
| Item 15. | Controls and Procedures |
a. Disclosure Controls and Procedures
Our management, with the participation of its Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer, has evaluated the effectiveness of the design and operation of the Company’s disclosure controls and procedures, as defined in Rules 13a-15(e) and 15d-15(e) under the Exchange Act, as of December 31, 2022. Disclosure controls and procedures are defined under SEC rules as controls and other procedures that are designed to ensure that information required to be disclosed by a company in the reports that it files or submits under the Exchange Act is recorded, processed, summarized and reported within required time periods. Disclosure controls and procedures include controls and procedures designed to ensure that information required to be disclosed by an issuer in the reports that it files or submits under the Exchange Act is accumulated and communicated to the issuer’s management, including its principal executive and principal financial officers, or persons performing similar functions, as appropriate, to allow timely decisions regarding required disclosure. There are inherent limitations to the effectiveness of any system of disclosure controls and procedures, including the possibility of human error and the circumvention or overriding of the controls and procedures. Accordingly, even effective disclosure controls and procedures can only provide reasonable assurance of achieving their control objectives.
Based on the Company’s evaluation, management concluded that the Company’s disclosure controls and procedures were effective as of December 31, 2022.
b. Management’s Report on Internal Control over Financial Reporting
The Company’s management is responsible for establishing and maintaining adequate internal control over financial reporting, as defined in Rules 13a-15(f) and 15d-15(f) under the Exchange Act, and for the assessment of the effectiveness of internal control over financial reporting. The Company’s internal control over financial reporting is a process designed to provide reasonable assurance regarding the reliability of financial reporting and the preparation of financial statements for external purposes in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles in the United States (“U.S. GAAP”).
A company’s internal control over financial reporting includes those policies and procedures that (i) pertain to the maintenance of records that, in reasonable detail, accurately and fairly reflect the transactions and dispositions of the assets of the company; (ii) provide reasonable assurance that transactions are recorded as necessary to permit the preparation of financial statements in accordance with US GAAP, and that receipts and expenditures of the company are being made only in accordance with authorizations of management and directors of the company; and (iii) provide reasonable assurance regarding prevention or timely detection of unauthorized acquisition, use, or disposition of the company’s assets that could have a material effect on the financial statements.
Because of its inherent limitations, internal control over financial reporting may not prevent or detect misstatements. Also, projections of any evaluation of effectiveness to future periods are subject to the risk that controls may become inadequate because of changes in conditions, or that the degree of compliance with the policies or procedures may deteriorate.
In making its assessment of the Company’s internal control over financial reporting as of December 31, 2022, management used the criteria set forth in Internal Control—Integrated Framework (2013) issued by the Committee of Sponsoring Organizations of the Treadway Commission (“COSO”) and evaluated the internal control over financial reporting.
Management concluded that, as of December 31, 2022 the Company’s internal control over financial reporting was effective.
c. Attestation Report of the Registered Public Accounting Firm.
This Annual Report does not include an attestation report of our independent registered public accounting firm regarding internal control over financial reporting. Our report was not subject to attestation by our independent registered public accounting firm pursuant to the rules of the Securities and Exchange Commission for “emerging growth companies” that permit us to provide only management’s report in this report.
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d. Changes in Internal Control Over Financial Reporting
Not applicable.
| Item 16A. | Audit Committee Financial Expert |
The Board has determined that George Xiradakis is an Audit Committee financial expert as defined by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission and meets the applicable independence requirements of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission and the Nasdaq Stock Market.
| Item 16B. | Code of Ethics |
We have adopted a Code of Business Conduct and Ethics, a copy of which is posted on our website, and may be viewed at http://www.imperialpetro.com. We will also provide a paper copy free of charge upon written request by our stockholders. Stockholders may direct their requests to the attention of: Investor Relations, 331 Kifissias Avenue, Erithrea 14561 Athens, Greece. No waivers of the Code of Business Conduct and Ethics were granted to any person during the fiscal year ended December 31, 2022.
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| Item 16C. | Principal Accountant Fees and Services |
Deloitte Certified Public Accountants S.A. (“Deloitte”) (PCAOB ID No. 1163), an independent registered public accounting firm, has audited our annual financial statements for fiscal years ending 2021 and 2022, acting as our independent auditor since our inception in 2021. All services provided by Deloitte (PCAOB ID No. 1163) were pre-approved by the Audit Committee. Those services provided before the completion of our Spin-Off on December 3, 2021, were pre-approved by the Audit Committee of StealthGas. The chart below sets forth the total amount billed and accrued for Deloitte (PCAOB ID No. 1163) for services performed in 2021 and 2022 and breaks down these amounts by the category of service (in thousands):
| 2021 | 2022 | |||||||
| Audit fees |
$ | 194 | $ | 486 | ||||
| Assurance/audit related fees |
— | — | ||||||
| Tax fees |
— | — | ||||||
| All other fees |
— | — | ||||||
| Total |
$ | 194 | $ | 486 | ||||
(1) Audit fees
Audit fees represent compensation for professional services rendered for (i) the audit of our annual financial statements, (ii) the review of our quarterly financial information (iii) audit services provided in connection with filing of registration statements and related consents and comfort letters and other audit services required for SEC or other regulatory filings.
(2) Assurance / Audit Related Fees
Deloitte did not provide any services that would be classified in this category in 2021 or 2022.
(3) Tax Fees
Deloitte did not provide any tax services in 2021 or 2022.
(4) All Other Fees
Deloitte did not provide any other services that would be classified in this category in 2021 or 2022.
Non-audit services
The Audit Committee of our Board of Directors has the authority to pre-approve permissible audit-related and non-audit services not prohibited by law to be performed by our independent auditors and associated fees.
Engagements for proposed services either may be separately pre-approved by the audit committee or entered into pursuant to detailed pre-approval policies and procedures established by the audit committee, as long as the audit committee is informed on a timely basis of any engagement entered into on that basis.
Approval for other permitted non-audit services has to be sought on an ad hoc basis.
Where no Audit Committee meeting is scheduled within an appropriate time frame, the approval is sought from the Chairman of the Audit Committee subject to confirmation at the next meeting.
| Item 16D. | Exemptions from the Listing Standards for Audit Committees |
None.
| Item 16E. | Purchases of Equity Securities by the Issuer and Affiliated Purchasers |
None.
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| Item 16F. | Change in Registrant’s Certifying Accountant |
Not Applicable.
| Item 16G. | Corporate Governance |
Statement of Significant Differences Between our Corporate Governance Practices and Nasdaq Corporate Governance Standards for Non-Controlled U.S. Issuers
As a foreign private issuer, we are not required to comply with certain of the corporate governance practices followed by U.S. companies under the Nasdaq corporate governance standards. We, however, voluntarily comply with all applicable Nasdaq corporate governance standards other than that, (1) we have two rather than three members on our audit committee, each of whom is independent under Nasdaq and SEC rules, and (2) while Nasdaq requires listed companies to obtain prior stockholder approval for certain issuances of authorized stock in transactions not involving a public offering, as permitted under Marshall Islands law and our articles of incorporation and bylaws, we do not need prior stockholder approval to issue shares of authorized stock.
| Item 16H. | Mine Safety Disclosures |
Not Applicable.
| Item 16I. | Disclosure Regarding Foreign Jurisdictions that Prevent Inspections. |
Not Applicable.
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PART III
| Item 17. | Financial Statements |
See Item 18
| Item 18. | Financial Statements |
Reference is made to the financial statements beginning on page F-1, which are incorporated herein by reference.
| Item 19. | Exhibits |
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SIGNATURES
The registrant hereby certifies that it meets all of the requirements for filing on Form 20-F and that it has duly caused and authorized the undersigned to sign this annual report on its behalf.
| IMPERIAL PETROLEUM INC. | ||
| By: | /s/ Harry N. Vafias | |
| Name: | Harry N. Vafias | |
| Title: | President and Chief Executive Officer | |
Date: April 3, 2023
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Pages |
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F-2 |
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F-3 |
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F-4 |
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F-5 |
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F-6 |
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F-7 |
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As of December 31, 2021 |
As of December 31, 2022 |
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Assets |
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Current assets |
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Cash and cash equivalents |
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Time deposits |
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Restricted cash |
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Receivable from related parties (Note 3) |
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Trade and other receivables |
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Other current assets (Note 10) |
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Inventories |
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Advances and prepayments |
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Total current assets |
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Non current assets |
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Vessels, net (Note 4) |
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Restricted cash |
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Total non current assets |
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Total assets |
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Liabilities and Stockholders’ Equity |
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Current liabilities |
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Trade accounts payable |
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Payable to related party (Note 3) |
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Accrued liabilities (Note 6) |
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Customer deposits |
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Deferred income |
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Current portion of long-term debt (Note 5) |
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Total current liabilities |
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Non current liabilities |
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Long-term debt (Note 5) |
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Total non current liabilities |
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Total liabilities |
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Commitments and contingencies (Note 13) |
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Stockholders’ equity |
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Capital stock, $ i ssued and outstanding at December 31, 2021 and 2022, respectively (Note 8) |
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Preferred stock, |
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| Preferred stock, Series A, $ |
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| Preferred stock, Series B, $ |
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Additional paid-in capital (Note 8) |
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(Accumulated deficit)/Retained earnings |
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Total stockholders’ equity |
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Total liabilities and stockholders’ equity |
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For the years ended December 31, |
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2020 |
2021 |
2022 |
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| Revenues |
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| Revenues (Note 10) |
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| Total revenues |
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| Expenses |
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| Voyage expenses |
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| Voyage expenses – related party (Notes 3) |
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| Vessels’ operating expenses (Note 11) |
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| Vessels’ operating expenses – related party (Notes 3, 11) |
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| Dry-docking costs |
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| Management fees – related party (Note 3) |
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| General and administrative expenses (including $ |
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| Depreciation (Note 4) |
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| Total expenses |
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| Other (expenses) / income |
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| Interest and finance costs |
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| (Loss)/Earnings per share attributable to common shareholders — basic and diluted (Note 9) |
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Capital stock |
Preferred stock |
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Number of Shares (Note 8) |
Amount (Note 8) |
Number of Shares (Note 8) |
Amount (Note 8) |
Additional Paid-in Capital (Note 8) |
(Accumulated Deficit)/Retained Earnings |
Former Parent Company Investment* |
To tal |
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| Balance, January 1, 2020 |
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| Net decrease in former Parent Company Investment |
— | — | — | — | — | — | ( |
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| Net loss for the year |
— | — | — | — | — | — | ( |
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| Balance, December 31, 2020 |
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| Net decrease in former Parent Company investment |
— | — | — | — | — | — | ( |
) | ( |
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| Net loss for the period from January 1, 2021 to Spin-Off |
— | — | — | — | — | — | ( |
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| Dividends to former Parent Company (Note 5) |
— | — | — | — | — | — | ( |
) | ( |
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| Capitalization at spin-off, including issuance of capital and preferred stock |
— | ( |
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| Issuance of Series A preferred shares over par as part of Spin-Off (Note 8) |
— | — | — | — | — | — | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Deemed contribution of Series A preferred shares as part of Spin-off (Note 8) |
— | — | — | — | ( |
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| Net loss for the period from the spin-off to December 31, 2021 |
— | — | — | — | — | ( |
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| Dividends declared on Series A preferred shares |
— | — | — | — | ( |
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| Balance, December 31, 2021 |
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| Issuance of common stock (including the exercise of warrants) net of issuance costs |
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| Issuance of restricted shares and stock based compensation |
— | — | — | — | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Issuance of Series B preferred shares |
— | — | — | — | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Net income |
— | — | — | — | — | — | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Deemed dividend on warrant inducement (Note 8) |
— | — | — | — | — | ( |
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| Incremental fair value of the Class D warrants (Note 8) |
— | — | — | — | — | — | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Dividends declared on Series A preferred shares |
— | — | — | — | ( |
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| Balance, December 31, 2022 |
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* |
For periods up to December 3, 2021, net parent investment represents StealthGas Inc.’s interest in the Company’s net assets and includes the Company’s cumulative earnings as adjusted for cash distributions to and cash contributions from StealthGas Inc. |
For the years ended December 31, |
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2020 |
2021 |
2022 |
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| Cash flows from operating activities: |
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| Net (loss)/income for the year |
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| Adjustments to reconcile net (loss)/income to net cash provided by operating activities: |
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| Depreciation |
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| Amortization of deferred finance charges |
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| Shared based compensation |
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| (Increase)/decrease in |
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| Trade and other receivables |
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( |
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| Cash flows from investing activities: |
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| Acquisition and improvement of vessels |
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| Increase in bank time deposits |
— | — | ( |
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| Proceeds from issuance of Series B preferred shares |
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| Dividends paid to former Parent Company |
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| Proceeds from equity offerings |
— | — | ||||||||||
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— | — | ( |
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| Deferred finance charges paid |
( |
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| Customer deposits paid |
( |
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| Dividends paid on Series A preferred shares |
( |
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— | — | ( |
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| Supplemental cash flow information: |
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— | — | ||||||||||
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1. |
General Information |
Company |
Date of Incorporation |
Name of Vessel Owned by Subsidiary |
Dead Weight Tonnage (“dwt”) |
Acquisition Date |
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| 7 | 8 | |||||||||||||||
| 7 | 8 | |||||||||||||||
| 08 | 9 | |||||||||||||||
| 8 | 10 | |||||||||||||||
| 22 | 22 | |||||||||||||||
| 22 | 22 | |||||||||||||||
| 22 | 22 | |||||||||||||||
| 22 | 22 | |||||||||||||||
| 22 | 22 | |||||||||||||||
| 22 | 22 | |||||||||||||||
Year ended December 31, |
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Charterer |
2020 |
2021 |
2022 |
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A |
% | |||||||||||
B |
% | % | ||||||||||
C |
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D |
% | |||||||||||
E |
% | |||||||||||
F |
% | |||||||||||
G |
% | |||||||||||
H |
% | |||||||||||
I |
% | |||||||||||
J |
% | |||||||||||
2. |
Significant Accounting Policies |
| 3. | Transactions with Related Parties |
Year ended December 31, |
||||||||||||||
Location in statement of operations |
2020 |
2021 |
2022 |
|||||||||||
Management fees |
Management fees – related party | |||||||||||||
Brokerage commissions |
Voyage expenses – related party | |||||||||||||
Superintendent fees |
Vessels’ operating expenses – related party | |||||||||||||
Crew management fees |
Vessels’ operating expenses – related party | |||||||||||||
Executive compensation |
General and administrative expenses | |||||||||||||
General and administrative expenses – Former Parent |
General and administrative expenses | |||||||||||||
Commissions – vessels purchased |
Vessels, net | |||||||||||||
| 4. | Vessels, net |
Vessel Cost |
Accumulated depreciation |
Net book value |
||||||||||
Balance as at January 1, 2021 |
$ | $ | ( |
) | $ | |||||||
Reduction in vessels improvements |
( |
) | — | ( |
) | |||||||
Depreciation for the year |
— | ( |
) | ( |
) | |||||||
Balance as at December 31, 2021 |
$ | $ | ( |
) | $ | |||||||
Acquisitions and improvements |
— | |||||||||||
Depreciation for the year |
— | ( |
) | ( |
) | |||||||
Balance as at December 31, 2022 |
$ | $ | ( |
) | $ | |||||||
5. |
Long-term Debt |
Term Loans |
Drawn |
December 31, |
||||||||||
Amount |
2021 |
2022 |
||||||||||
Issued in 1 maturing in 6 (“term loan A”) |
||||||||||||
Issued in 2 maturing in 6 (“term loan B”) |
||||||||||||
Issued in 2 maturing in 7 (“term loan C”) |
||||||||||||
Total |
||||||||||||
Current portion of long-term debt |
||||||||||||
Long-term debt |
||||||||||||
Total debt |
||||||||||||
Current portion of deferred finance charges |
||||||||||||
Deferred finance charges non-current |
||||||||||||
Total deferred finance charges |
||||||||||||
Total debt |
||||||||||||
Less: Total deferred finance charges |
||||||||||||
Total debt, net of deferred finance charges |
||||||||||||
Less: Current portion of long-term debt, net of current portion of deferred finance charges |
||||||||||||
Total long – term debt |
||||||||||||
| • | the aggregate market value of the mortgaged vessels at all times exceeds |
| • | the leverage of the Company (as defined in each term loan) should not exceed |
| • | the Interest Coverage Ratio of the Company which is EBITDA (as defined in the each term loan) to interest expense to be at all times greater than 2.5:1, |
| • | the Company should maintain on a monthly basis a cash balance amounting to $ |
December 31, |
Amount |
|||
2023 |
||||
2024 |
||||
2025 |
||||
2026 |
||||
2027 |
||||
Total |
||||
| 6. | Accrued Liabilities |
As of December 31, |
||||||||
2021 |
2022 |
|||||||
Interest on long-term debt |
||||||||
Administrative expenses |
||||||||
Voyage expenses |
||||||||
Vessel operating expenses |
||||||||
Total |
$ | |||||||
7. |
Fair Value of Financial Instruments and Concentration of Credit Risk |
| 8. | Stockholders’ Equity |
i) |
NASDAQ Notification |
ii) |
Equity Offerings |
Warrant |
Shares to be issued upon exercise of remaining warrants |
|||
Class A |
||||
Class B |
||||
Class C |
||||
Class D |
||||
Total |
||||
Series |
Description |
Initial Issuance Date |
Total Shares Outstanding |
Liquidation Preference per Share (in dollars) |
Carrying Value (1) |
Dividend Rate | ||||||
Series A |
Redeemable Perpetual |
2021 |
$ |
$ |
Preference per share | |||||||
Total |
$ |
|||||||||||
(1) |
There are no issuance costs. |
Series |
Description |
Initial Issuance Date |
Total Shares Outstanding |
Liquidation Preference per Share (in dollars) |
Carrying Value (1) |
Dividend Rate | ||||||
Series A |
2021 |
$ |
$ |
|||||||||
Series B |
2022 |
|||||||||||
| $ | $ |
|||||||||||
(1) |
There are no issuance costs. |
8.75% |
Series A cumulative redeemable perpetual preferred shares: |
9. |
(Loss)/Earnings per share |
Year Ended December 31, |
||||||||||||
2020 |
2021 |
2022 |
||||||||||
Numerator |
||||||||||||
Net (loss)/income |
( |
) | ( |
) | ||||||||
Less: Cumulative dividends on Series A Preferred Shares |
( |
) | ( |
) | ||||||||
Less: Deemed dividend on warrant inducement (Note 8) |
— | — | ( |
) | ||||||||
Less: Undistributed earnings allocated to non-vested shares |
— | — | ( |
) | ||||||||
Net (loss)/income attributable to common shareholders, basic |
( |
) | ( |
) | ||||||||
Denominator |
||||||||||||
Weighted average number of shares outstanding, basic |
||||||||||||
Weighted average number of shares outstanding, diluted |
||||||||||||
(Loss)/Earnings per share, basic and diluted |
( |
) | ( |
) | ||||||||
| 10. | Revenues |
Year ended December 31 |
||||||||||||
2020 |
2021 |
2022 |
||||||||||
Time charter revenues |
||||||||||||
Bareboat revenues |
||||||||||||
Voyage charter revenues |
||||||||||||
Other income |
||||||||||||
Total |
||||||||||||
| 11. | Vessel Operating Expenses |
Year ended December 31, |
||||||||||||
Vessels’ Operating Expenses |
2020 |
2021 |
2022 |
|||||||||
| Crew wages and related costs |
||||||||||||
| Insurance |
||||||||||||
| Repairs and maintenance |
||||||||||||
| Spares and consumable stores |
||||||||||||
| Miscellaneous expenses |
||||||||||||
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|||||||
| Total |
||||||||||||
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|||||||
| 12. | Income Taxes |
| 13. | Commitments and Contingencies |
| • | From time to time the Company expects to be subject to legal proceedings and claims in the ordinary course of its business, principally relating to personal injury and property casualty claims. Such claims, even if lacking merit, could result in the expenditure of significant financial and managerial resources. Currently, the Company is not aware of any such claims or contingent liabilities, which should be disclosed, or for which a provision should be established in the accompanying consolidated financial statements. |
Number of restricted shares |
Weighted average grant date fair value per non-vested share |
|||||||
| Non-vested, January 1, 2021 |
||||||||
| Granted |
||||||||
| Non-vested, December 31, 2022 |
||||||||