Pangaea Logistics Solutions Ltd. 10-K

ITEM 1. BUSINESS Introduction Pangaea Logistics Solutions Ltd. and its subsidiaries (collectively, “Pangaea” or the “Company”) provides seaborne drybulk logistics and transportation services. Pangaea utilizes its logistics expertise to service a broad base of industrial customers who require the transportation of a wide variety of drybulk cargoes, including grains, coal, iron ore, pig iron, hot briquetted iron, bauxite, alumina, cement clinker, dolomite and limestone. The Company addresses the logistics needs of its customers by undertaking a comprehensive set of services and activities, including cargo loading, cargo discharge, vessel chartering, voyage planning, and vessel technical management. Business overview and Recent Developments The Company provides logistics and transportation services to clients utilizing an ocean-going fleet of motor vessels ("m/v") in the Handymax, Supramax, Ultramax and Panamax segments. At any time, this fleet may be comprised of a total of 45-60 vessels that are owned or chartered-in on a short-term basis. During 2022, the Company operated 26 vessels which were wholly-owned or partially-owned through joint ventures. The Company uses this fleet to transport approximately 23 million tons of cargo annually to nearly 250 ports around the world, averaging approximately 49 vessels in service daily in 2022 and 55 during 2021. The Company’s ocean logistics services provide cargo loading, cargo discharge, vessel chartering, voyage planning, and technical vessel management to vessel and cargo owners. Our logistics capabilities provide a wide array of services which allow our customers to extend their own services, to more efficiently transport their cargo, and to extend relationships with their own suppliers and customers. For some customers, the Company acts as their ocean logistics department, providing scheduling, terminal operations, port services, and marketing functions. For other customers, the Company transports supplies used in mining or processing in addition to cargo transport. The Company has worked with other customers on design, construction, and operation of loading and discharge facilities. In addition, the Company focuses on fixing cargo and cargo contracts for transportation on backhaul routes. Backhaul routes position vessels for cargo discharge in typical loading areas. Backhaul routes allow us to reduce ballast days and instead earn revenues at times and on routes that are typically traveled without paying cargo. The Company is a leader in the high ice class sector, secured by its control of a majority of the world's large (over 60,000 DWT) dry bulk vessels with Ice-Class 1A designation. High ice class trading includes service in ice-restricted areas in the Northern Hemisphere during both the winter (Baltic Sea and Gulf of St. Lawrence) and summer (Arctic Ocean). Trading during the ice seasons have historically provided superior profit margins, rewarding the Company for its investment in the specialized ships and the expertise it has developed working in these harsh environments. The Company derives substantially all of its revenue from contracts of affreightment, “ COAs ”, voyage charters, and time charters. The Company transports a wide range of fundamental global commodities including grains, coal, iron ore, pig iron, hot briquetted iron, bauxite, alumina, cement clinker, dolomite, limestone, and other minor bulk cargo. The Company’s COAs typically extend for a period of one to five years, although some extend for longer periods. A voyage charter is a contract for the carriage of a specific amount and type of cargo on a load port to discharge port basis, subject to various cargo handling terms. COAs and voyage charters provide voyage revenue to the Company. A time charter is a contract under which the Company is paid to provide a vessel on a per day basis for a specified period of time. Time charters provide charter revenues to the Company. Active risk management is an important part of our business model. The Company believes its active risk management allows it to reduce the sensitivity of its revenues to market fluctuations and helps it to secure its long-term profitability and lower relative 4 volatility of earnings. We manage market risk by chartering in vessels for periods of less than nine months on average and through a portfolio approach based upon owned vessels, chartered-in vessels, COAs, voyage charters, and time charters. The Company tries to identify routes and ports for efficient bunkering to minimize its fuel expense. The Company also seeks to hedge a portion of its exposure to changes in the price of marine fuels, or bunkers, through fuel swaps; and to fluctuating future freight rates through forward freight agreements. The Company has also entered into interest rate agreements to fix a portion of our interest rate exposure. The Company employs the technical management services of Seamar Management S.A. which is 51% owned by the Company, and Bernard Schulte Shipmanagment, a third party, for its ice class 1A fleet. Business Strategy The Company’s principal business objectives are to profitably grow its business and increase shareholder value. The Company expects to achieve these objectives through the following strategies: • Focus on increasing strategic COAs. COA is an agreement providing for the transportation between specified points for a specific quantity of cargo over a specific time period but without designating specific vessels or voyage schedules, thereby allowing flexibility in scheduling since no vessel designation is required. COAs can either have a fixed rate or a market-related rate. The Company intends to increase our COA business, in particular, COAs for cargo discharge in traditional loading areas (backhaul), by leveraging its relationships with existing customers and attracting new customers. The Company believes that its dedication to solving its customer’s logistics problems, and its reputation and experience in carrying a wide range of cargoes and transiting less common routes and ports, increases its likelihood of securing strategic COAs. COA’s provide a consistent cargo base and revenue for our transportation services, around which we attempt to structure other logistics offerings. • Expand capacity and flexibility by renewing its owned fleet and invest in ice class niche. The Company is continually looking to acquire additional high-quality vessels suited for its business strategy, the needs of its customers and growth opportunities the Company identifies. The Company believes that its experience as a reliable and serious counterparty in the purchase and sale market for second-hand vessels positions it as a candidate for acquisition of high quality vessels. The Company currently controls (owns or has an ownership interest in) a fleet of 24 bulk carriers as of March 15, 2023. The current fleet includes six Ice-Class 1A Panamax, four Post Panamax Ice Class 1A, three Panamax, two Ultramax Ice Class 1C, one Ultramax and eight Supramax drybulk vessels. • Increase backhaul focus, expand and defend its presence in the niche ice trades and increase fleet efficiency. The Company continues to focus on backhaul cargoes, including backhaul cargoes associated with COAs, to reduce ballast days and increase expected earnings for well-positioned vessels. In addition, the Company intends to continue to charter in vessels for periods of less than nine months, on average, to permit it to match its variable costs to demand. The Company believes that increased vessel utilization and positioning efficiency will enhance its profitability. The Company demonstrated its commitment to remain the leader in high ice class large bulk carriers by taking delivery of its four newbuilding Post Panamax Ice Class vessels in 2021. • Focus on customized and complete logistics solutions within targeted dry bulk trades. The Company intends to leverage its experience in designing custom loading and discharging systems in critical ports and optimizing vessel operations in ports to provide complete logistics solutions to its clients. The Company continues to look for opportunities to transport cargo for clients from, or to, rarely used or underdeveloped port facilities to expand its operations. The Company believes this operational expertise and complete logistics solutions will enhance the services offered, strengthen our client relationships and generate increased operating margins for the Company. Competitive Strengths The Company believes that it possesses a number of competitive strengths in its industry, including: • Expertise in certain niche markets and routes. The Company has developed expertise and a major presence in selected niche markets and less commoditized routes, especially the Baltic Sea in winter, the Northern Sea Route between Europe and Asia in summer, and the trade route between Jamaica and the United States, as well as selected ports, particularly in Newfoundland and Baffin Island. The Company believes that there is less competition to carry “minor,” as compared to traditional “major,” bulk cargoes, and, similarly, that there is less competition on less commoditized routes. The Company believes that its experience in carrying a wide range of cargoes and transiting less common routes and ports increases its likelihood of securing higher rates and margins than those available for more commoditized cargoes and routes. The Company believes it operates assets well suited to certain of these routes, including its Ice- 5 Class 1A Panamax, Post Panamax Ice Class 1A and Ice-Class 1C Ultramax vessels. The ice-class fleet has historically produced margins that are superior to the average market rate. • Enhanced vessel utilization and profitability through strategic backhaul and triangulation methods. The Company enhances vessel utilization and profitability through selecting COAs and other contracts to carry cargo on what would normally be backhaul or ballast legs. In contrast to the typical practice of incurring charter hire and bunker costs to position an empty vessel in a port or area where cargo is normally loaded, the Company instead actively works with its customers to secure cargoes for discharge in traditional loading areas (backhaul). This practice allows the Company to position vessels for loading at lower costs than it would bear if it positioned such vessels by traveling unladen or if the Company chartered in vessels in a loading area. The Company believes that this focus on backhaul cargoes permits them to benefit from ballast bonuses that are paid to position vessels for fronthaul cargoes or, alternatively, to earn a premium for delivering ships that are in position for fronthaul cargoes. • Strong relationships with major industrial customers. The Company has developed strong commercial relationships with a number of major industrial customers. These customer relationships are based upon the Company’s reputation and specific history of service to these customers. The Company believes that these relationships help it generate recurring business with such customers which, in some cases, are formalized through contracts for repeat business (COAs). The Company also believes that these relationships can help create new opportunities. Although many of these relationships have extended over a period of years, there is no assurance that such relationships or business will continue in the future. The Company believes that its familiarity with local regulations and market conditions at its routinely serviced ports, particularly in Newfoundland, Baffin Island and Jamaica, provides it with a strong competitive advantage and allows it to attract new customers and secure recurring business. • Logistics approach to commodity business. The Company seeks employment for its vessels in a way that utilizes its expertise in enhancing productivity of clients' supply chains. The Company focuses on movements of cargo beyond loading and discharge berths and looks for opportunities to add value in clients' supply chains. The Company believes its additional efforts in providing complete logistics provides a competitive advantage and allows it to maintain strong client relationships and generate increased operating margins for the Company. • Experienced management team. The day-to-day operations of a logistics and transportation services company requires close coordination among customers, land-based transportation providers and port authorities around the world. Its efficient operation depends on the experience and expertise of management at all levels, from vessel acquisition and financing strategy to oversight of vessel technical operations and cargo loading and discharge. The Company has a management team of senior executive officers and key employees with extensive experience and relationships in the commercial, technical, and financial areas of the drybulk shipping industry. • Strong Alignment and Transparency. The Company observes that many publicly traded shipping companies rely on service providers affiliated with senior management or dominant shareholders for fundamental activities. Beyond the operational benefits to its customers of integrated commercial and technical management, the Company believes that its shareholders are benefited by its strategy of performing many of those activities in-house. Related to these efforts to maximize alignment of interest, the Company believes that the associated transparency of ownership and authority will be attractive to current and prospective shareholders. • Risk-management discipline. The Company believes its risk management strategy allows it to reduce the sensitivity of its earnings to market changes and lower the risk of losses. The Company manages its risks primarily through short-term charter-in agreements of less than nine months, on average, through the use of forward freight agreements ("FFAs") and fuel hedges, and through modest leverage. The Company believes that shorter-term charters permit it to adjust its variable costs to match demand more rapidly than if it chartered in those vessels for longer periods. The Company may choose to manage the risks of higher rates for certain future voyages by purchasing and selling FFAs to limit the impact of changes in chartering rates. Similarly, the Company may choose to manage the risks of increasing fuel costs through bunker hedging transactions in order to limit the impact of changes in fuel prices on voyage results. Management The Company’s management team consists of senior executive officers and key employees with decades of experience in the commercial, technical, management and financial areas of the logistics and shipping industries. The Company’s Chief Executive Officer, Mark Filanowski, has over 30 years of experience in the shipping industry. Other members of its management team, Mads Boye Petersen and Gianni Del Signore, also have extensive experience in the shipping industry. The Company believes its management team and key employees are well respected in the drybulk sector of the shipping industry 6 and, over the years, has developed strong commercial relationships with industrial customers and lenders. The Company believes that the experience, reputation and background of its management team will continue to be key factors in its success. The Company provides logistics services and commercially manages its fleet primarily from offices in Newport, Rhode Island, Copenhagen, Denmark and Singapore. Logistics services and commercial management include identifying cargo for transportation, voyage planning, managing relationships, identifying vessels to charter in, and operating such vessels. The Company’s Ice-Class 1A Panamax vessels are technically managed by a third-party manager. The technical management of the remainder of the Company’s owned fleet is performed in-house by our 51% owned joint venture, Seamar Management, S.A.. The Company’s technical management personnel have experience in the complexities of oceangoing vessel operations, including the supervision of maintenance, repairs, improvements, drydocking and crewing. The technical management for the Company’s chartered-in vessels is performed by each respective third party ship owner. Operations and Assets The Company is a service business and our customers use the services we provide because they believe the Company adds and creates value for them. To add value, the Company offers a wide range of logistics services beyond the traditional loading, carriage and discharge of cargoes. The Company works with certain customers to review their contractual delivery terms and conditions, permitting those customers to reduce costs and certain risks. The Company also has a customer that is heavily dependent upon a port that was insufficiently supported by port pilots for the approach to port. To permit a large expansion of its services for this client, the Company formed a separate pilots association to increase the number of available pilots and improve access to the port. Another example of value-added services is the formation of a new port in Newfoundland, Canada to load aggregate cargo for export and a temporary port used in Greenland to load the northernmost dry bulk cargo ever carried. As a result of efforts such as these, in some cases the Company is the de facto logistics department for certain clients. The Company’s core offering is the safe, reliable, and timely loading, carriage, and discharge of cargoes for customers. This offering requires identifying customers, agreeing on the terms of service, selecting a vessel to undertake the voyage, working with port personnel to load and discharge cargo, and documenting the transfers of title upon loading or discharge of the cargo. As a result, the Company spends significant time and resources to identify and retain customers and source potential cargoes in its areas of operation. To further expand its customer base and potential cargoes, the Company has developed expertise in servicing ports and routes subject to severe ice conditions, including the Baltic Sea and the Northern Sea Route. 7 As of March 15, 2023, the Company operates its fleet of 24 owned or partially owned vessels, which are described in the table below: Vessel Name Type DWT Year Built Yard m/v Bulk Endurance Ultramax (Ice Class 1C) 59,450 2017 Oshima Shipbuilding m/v Bulk Destiny Ultramax (Ice Class 1C) 59,450 2017 Oshima Shipbuilding m/v Nordic Oasis Panamax (Ice Class 1A) 76,180 2016 Oshima Shipbuilding m/v Nordic Olympic Panamax (Ice Class 1A) 76,180 2015 Oshima Shipbuilding m/v Nordic Odin Panamax (Ice Class 1A) 76,180 2015 Oshima Shipbuilding m/v Nordic Oshima Panamax (Ice Class 1A) 76,180 2014 Oshima Shipbuilding m/v Nordic Orion Panamax (Ice Class 1A) 75,603 2011 Oshima Shipbuilding m/v Nordic Odyssey Panamax (Ice Class 1A) 75,603 2010 Oshima Shipbuilding m/v Bulk Friendship Supramax 58,738 2011 Nantong Cosco Kawasaki HI m/v Bulk Sachuest Supramax 55,618 2010 Hyundai Vinashin m/v Bulk Independence Supramax 56,548 2008 Yokohama m/v Bulk Pride Supramax 58,749 2008 Tsuneishi Group (Zhoushan) Shipbuilding Inc. m/v Bulk Trident Supramax 52,514 2006 Tsuneishi Heavy Industries (Cebu) m/v Bulk Freedom Supramax 52,454 2005 Tsuneishi Shipbuilding Co. Ltd. m/v Bulk Spirit Supramax 52,950 2009 Oshima Shipbuilding m/v Bulk Valor Supramax 58,105 2013 Tsuneishi Heavy Industries (Cebu) m/v Bulk Courageous Ultramax 61,393 2013 Imabari Shipbuilding Company Limited (Imabari) m/v Bulk Concord Panamax 76,600 2009 Shin Kasado Dockyard Co. Ltd m/v Bulk Xaymaca (1) Panamax 76,561 2006 Imabari SB Marugame m/v Bulk Promise Panamax 78,228 2013 Shin Kurushima Toyohashi Shipbuilding Company Limited Nordic Nuluujaak Post Panamax (Ice Class 1A) 95,000 2021 Guangzhou Shipyard International Company Limited Nordic Qinngua Post Panamax (Ice Class 1A) 95,000 2021 Guangzhou Shipyard International Company Limited Nordic Sanngijuq Post Panamax (Ice Class 1A) 95,000 2021 Guangzhou Shipyard International Company Limited Nordic Siku Post Panamax (Ice Class 1A) 95,000 2021 Guangzhou Shipyard International Company Limited (1) Formerly known as m/v Bulk PODS The Company owns its vessels through separate wholly-owned subsidiaries and through joint venture entities with other owners, which the Company consolidates as variable interest entities in its consolidated financial statements. On September 28, 2020, the Company acquired an additional one-third equity interest in its partially-owned consolidated subsidiary Nordic Bulk Holding Company Ltd. (“NBHC”) from one of NBHC’s shareholders. The Company owns two-thirds of NBHC after the acquisition. NBHC is a corporation that was duly organized under the laws of Bermuda in October 2012. The m/v Nordic Orion (“Orion”), the m/v Nordic Odyssey (“Odyssey”), the m/v Nordic Oshima (“Oshima”), the m/v Nordic Olympic (“Olympic”), the m/v Nordic Odin (“Odin”) and the m/v Nordic Oasis (“Oasis”) are owned by wholly-owned subsidiaries of NBHC. All of these vessels are time chartered to NBC, a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Company, at fixed rates and also have a profit share arrangement. NBC commercially operates these vessels in spot and COA trades. In September 2019, the Company entered into an LLC agreement for the formation of NBP, that, at inception is owned 75% by the Company and 25% by an independent third party. NBP was established for the purpose of constructing and owning four new-build ice class post-Panamax vessels. The Company took delivery of Nordic Nuluujaak, Nordic Qinngua, Nordic Sanngijuq and Nordic Siku during the second quarter through fourth quarters of 2021. The independent third party made additional contribution which increased their ownership interest in NBP to 50% at December 31, 2022. No change of control transactions occurred according to the NBP LLC agreement. In addition to its owned fleet, the Company operates chartered-in Panamax, including post-Panamax and Kamsarmax, Supramax, including Ultramax, Handymax and Handysize drybulk carriers. The Company employed an average of 49 vessels at any one time during 2022 and 55 in 2021. In 2022, the Company owned interests in 26 vessels and chartered in another 183 for one or more voyages. In 2021, the Company owned interests in 24 vessels and chartered in another 213 for one or more voyages. The Company generally charters in third-party vessels for periods of less than nine months and, in most cases, less than six months. Chartered-in contracts are negotiated through third-party brokers, who are paid commission on a percentage of charter cost. The Company believes that shorter-term charters afford it flexibility to match its variable costs to its customers’ service requirements and to respond quickly to market volatility. The Company also believes that this combination of owned and chartered-in vessels helps it to more efficiently match its customer demand than the Company could with only owned vessels or an entirely chartered-in fleet. 8 Corporate Structure The Company is a holding company incorporated under the laws of Bermuda as an exempted company on April 29, 2014. The Company’s principal executives operate from the offices of its wholly-owned subsidiary Phoenix Bulk Carriers (US) LLC, which is located at 109 Long Wharf, Newport, Rhode Island 02840.The phone number at that address is (401) 846-7790. The Company also has offices in Copenhagen, Denmark, Athens, Greece and Singapore. The Company’s corporate website address is http://www.pangaeals.com . 9 As of March 15, 2023, the Company’s significant subsidiaries are as follows: Company Name Country of Organization Proportion of Ownership Interest Americas Bulk Transport (BVI) Limited British Virgin Islands 100% (A) Phoenix Bulk Management Bermuda Limited Bermuda 100% (B) Phoenix Bulk Carriers (BVI) Limited (“PBC”) British Virgin Islands 100% (C) Bulk Ocean Shipping Company (Bermuda) Ltd. Bermuda 100% (D) Phoenix Bulk Carriers (US) LLC Delaware 100% (E) Allseas Logistics Bermuda Ltd. Bermuda 100% (F) Bulk Trident Ltd. (“Bulk Trident”) Bermuda 100% (G) Nordic Bulk Carriers A/S (“NBC”) Denmark 100% (H) Nordic Bulk Ventures (Cyprus) Limited ("NBV") Cyprus 100% (H) 109 Long Wharf LLC (“Long Wharf”) Delaware 100% (I) Bulk Nordic Oshima (MI) Corp. (“Bulk Oshima”) Bermuda 67% (J) Bulk Nordic Odin (MI) Corp. (“Bulk Odin”) Bermuda 67% (J) Bulk Nordic Olympic (MI) Corp. (“Bulk Olympic”) Bermuda 67% (J) Bulk Nordic Oasis (MI) Corp.. (“Bulk Oasis”) Bermuda 67% (J) Bulk Nordic Odyssey Corp. (MI) Marshall Islands 67% (K) Bulk Nordic Orion Corp. (MI) Marshall Islands 67% (K) Nordic Bulk Holding Company Ltd. (“NBHC”) Bermuda 67% (L) Bulk Courageous Corp. ("Bulk Courageous") Marshall Islands 100% (G) Bulk Phoenix Ltd. ("Bulk Newport") Bermuda 100% (G) Bulk Valor Corp. ("Bulk Valor") Marshall Islands 100% (G) Bulk Promise Corp. ("Bulk Promise") Marshall Islands 100% (G) Bulk Nordic Five Ltd. (“Five”) Bermuda 100% (G) Bulk Nordic Six Ltd. (“Six”) Bermuda 100% (G) Bulk Nordic Seven LLC (“Seven”) Marshall Islands 100% (G) Bulk Nordic Eight LLC (“Eight”) Marshall Islands 100% (G) Bulk Nordic Nine LLC (“Nine”) Marshall Islands 100% (G) Bulk Nordic Ten LLC (“Ten”) Marshall Islands 100% (G) Nordic Bulk Partners LLC (“NBP”) Marshall Islands 50% (M) Nordic Bulk Ventures Holding Company Ltd. (“BVH”) Bermuda 100% (A) Bulk Freedom Corp. ("Bulk Freedom") Marshall Islands 100% (G) Bulk Pride Corp. ("Bulk Pride") Marshall Islands 100% (G) Bulk Independence Corp. ("Bulk Independence") Marshall Islands 100% (G) Bulk Friendship Corp. ("Bulk Friendship") Marshall Islands 100% (G) Phoenix Bulk 25 Corp. ("Phoenix Bulk 25") Marshall Islands 100% (G) Bulk Sachuest Corp. ("Bulk Sachuest") Marshall Islands 100% (G) Venture Logistics NL Inc. ("VLNL") Canada 50% (N) Flintstone Ventures Limited ("FVL") Newfoundland and Labrador 100% (O) Seamar Management S.A. Greece 51% (P) Bulk PODS Ltd. ("Bulk PODS") Marshall Islands 100% (G) Bulk Spirit Ltd. ("Bulk Spirit") Marshall Islands 100% (G) Nordic Bulk Carriers Singapore Pte. Ltd. Singapore 100% (H) Narragansett Bulk Carriers (US) Corp. Rhode Island 100% (H) Patriot Stevedoring & Logistics, LLC Massachusetts 50% (Q) Bay Stevedoring LLC Delaware 100% (R) Pangaea Logistics Solutions (US) LLC Delaware 100% (S) (A) The primary purpose of this corporation is to manage and operate ocean going vessels. (B) The primary purpose of this entity is to perform certain administrative management functions that have been assigned by PBC. (C) The primary purpose of this corporation is to provide logistics services to customers by chartering, managing and operating ships. (D) The primary purpose of this corporation is to manage the fuel procurement for all vessels. (E) The primary purpose of this corporation is to act as the U.S. administrative agent for the Company. (F) The primary purpose of this corporation is to act as the treasury agent for the Company. (G) The primary purpose of these entities is owning bulk carriers. 10 (H) The primary purpose of these entities is to provide logistics services to customers by chartering, managing and operating ships. NBV is the holding company of NBC. (I) Long Wharf is a limited liability company duly organized under the laws of Delaware for the purpose of holding real estate located in Newport, Rhode Island. (J) The primary purpose of these entities is owning bulk carriers. These companies are wholly-owned by NBHC, which is two-third owned by the Company. (K) The primary purpose of this entity is to transfer ownership of the m/v Nordic Odyssey and m/v Nordic Orion. (L) The primary purpose of this entity is to own or lease bulk carriers through wholly-owned subsidiaries. The Company’s interest in Bulk Odyssey, Bulk Orion, Bulk Oshima, Bulk Olympic, Bulk Odin and Bulk Oasis is through its interest in NBHC. (M) The primary purpose of this entity is to own or lease bulk carriers through wholly-owned subsidiaries. (N) The primary purpose of VLNL is to own and operate the deck barge Miss Nora G. Pearl. (O) The primary purpose of FVL is the carriage of specialized cargo. (P) This entity is the technical manager of 14 vessels owned and operated by the Company. (Q) The primary purpose of the company is to manage and operate the Brayton Point Commerce Center Marine Terminal. (R) The primary purpose of the company is to manage and operate a port terminal in Louisiana. (S) The primary purpose of the company is to manage U.S.-based business activities. Crewing and Employees Each of our vessels is crewed with 20-25 independently contracted officers and crew members and, on certain vessels, directly contracted officers. Our technical managers are responsible for locating, contracting and retaining qualified officers for its vessels. The crewing agencies handle each crew member’s training, travel and payroll, and ensure that all the crew members on its vessels have the qualifications and licenses required to comply with international regulations and shipping conventions. The Company typically has more crew members on board than are required by the country of the vessel’s flag in order to allow for the performance of routine maintenance duties. The Company employs approximately 70 shore-based personnel and has approximately 500 independently contracted seagoing personnel on its owned vessels. The shore-based personnel are employed in the United States, Athens, Copenhagen and Singapore. Competition The Company operates in markets that are highly competitive and based primarily on supply and demand for ocean transport of drybulk commodities. The Company competes for COAs on the basis of service, price, route history, size, age and condition of the vessel and for charters on the basis of service, price, vessel availability, size, age and condition of the vessel, as well as on its reputation as an owner and operator. The Company principally competes with owners and operators of Panamax, Supramax, Ultramax and Handymax bulk carriers. The Company attempts to differentiate itself from other owners and operators by extending its services to support more of its customers' supply chains and concentrates on established niche markets. Seasonality Demand for vessel capacity has historically exhibited seasonal variations and, as a result, fluctuations in charter rates. This seasonality may result in quarter-to-quarter volatility in the Company's operating results. The dry bulk carrier market is typically stronger in the fall months in anticipation of increased consumption of coal and other raw materials in the northern hemisphere during the winter months. Seasonal fluctuation are also observed in harvest times in the Northern and Southern Atlantic trades. In addition, unpredictable weather patterns in these months tend to disrupt vessel scheduling and supplies of certain commodities. The Company may earn higher margins on ice-class business in winter and during severe ice trading. Permits and Authorizations The Company is required by various governmental and quasi-governmental agencies to obtain certain permits and certificates with respect to its vessels. The kinds of permits and certificates required depend upon several factors, including the commodity transported, the waters in which the vessel operates, the nationality of the vessel’s crew and the age of the vessel. The Company has been able to obtain all permits and certificates currently required to permit its vessels to operate. Additional laws and regulations, environmental or otherwise, may be adopted which could limit its ability to do business or increase the cost of doing business. 11 Environmental and Other Regulations Government regulation and laws significantly affect the ownership and operation of the Company's vessels. The Company is subject to international conventions and treaties, national, state and local laws and regulations in force in the countries in which its vessels may operate or are registered. These regulations relate to safety, health and environmental protection including the storage, handling, emission, transportation and discharge of hazardous and non-hazardous materials, and the remediation of contamination and liability for damage to natural resources. Compliance with such laws, regulations and other requirements entails significant expense, including vessel modifications and implementation of certain operating procedures. A variety of government and private entities subject the Company’s vessels to both scheduled and unscheduled inspections. These entities include the local port authorities (such as the U.S. Coast Guard, harbor master or equivalent), classification societies, flag state administrations (countries of registry), charterers and terminal operators. Certain of these entities require them to obtain permits, certificates or approvals for the operation of its vessels. Failure to maintain necessary permits, certificates or approvals could require it to incur substantial costs or temporarily suspend the operation of one or more of its vessels. Increasing environmental concerns have created a demand for vessels that conform to the stricter environmental standards. The Company is required to maintain operating standards for all of its vessels that emphasize operational safety, quality maintenance, continuous training of its officers and crews and compliance with United States and international regulations. The Company believes that the operation of its vessels is in substantial compliance with applicable environmental laws and regulations and that its vessels have all material permits, certificates or other approvals necessary for the conduct of its operations as of the date of this Form 10-K. However, because such laws and regulations are frequently changed and may impose increasingly strict requirements, the Company cannot predict the ultimate cost of complying with these requirements, or the impact of these requirements on the resale value or useful lives of its vessels. In addition, a future serious marine incident that results in significant oil pollution or otherwise causes significant adverse environmental impact could result in additional legislation or regulation that could negatively affect the Company’s profitability. As a global logistics provider, headquartered in the United States, we recognize the impacts of our actions and are focused on establishing safe, responsible, and sustainable policies and practices that will enhance our business for the long term. Transparency is an important step toward sustainability in our industry and we were pleased to present our second concise Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) report based on the Marine Transportation framework developed by the Sustainability Accounting Standards Board (SASB) during 2022. More specifically over the past several years we have taken steps to integrate ESG into operations, including: 1. Renewed our owned fleet with modern second hand and newbuilding vessels with lower overall fuel consumption than older vessels in order to reduce our fleet’s greenhouse gas emissions. The Company took delivery of four Post Panamax vessels in 2021, which has significantly improved the fleet's emissions profile. The improvement is measured by fuel consumption per deadweight ton. 2. We utilize performance monitoring and weather routing services on both our owned and our chartered fleet. Using sophisticated forecasting algorithms and machine learning, we optimize the speed of our vessels by considering commercial and environmental concerns while reducing the amount of fuel consumed when the ships encounter adverse weather and/or currents; 3. We have established Ship Energy Efficiency Management Plans (SEEMP) to improve the efficiency of our vessels. Through the SEEMP, we ensure that all our ships are operated efficiently by: a. Optimizing the speed of the vessels; b. Making course changes to avoid higher fuel consumption caused by rough weather; c. Hull cleaning in dry dock to improve speed and reduce fuel consumption; 4. For our chartered-in fleet we seek to employ the most fuel efficient designs available; 5. Ballast water treatment systems are currently installed on all vessels; 6. Use of environmental consultants to assess and improve terminal operations. As the Company expands its operations to ports and terminals, it becomes more exposed to environmental requirements and regulations ashore. 12 International Maritime Organization The United Nations’ International Maritime Organization, or the IMO, has adopted the International Convention for the Prevention of Marine Pollution from Ships, 1973, as modified by the Protocol of 1978 relating thereto, collectively referred to as MARPOL 73/78 and herein as “MARPOL,” the International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea of 1974 ("SOLAS Convention"), and the International Convention on Load Lines of 1966 (the "LL Convention"). MARPOL entered into force on October 2, 1983 and establishes environmental standards related to oil leakage or spilling, air emissions, garbage management, sewage, and handling and disposal of noxious liquids, including harmful substances in packaged form. It has been adopted by over 150 nations, including many of the jurisdictions in which the Company's vessels operate. MARPOL sets forth pollution-prevention requirements applicable to drybulk carriers, among other vessels, and is broken into six Annexes, each of which regulates a different source of pollution. Annex I relates to oil leakage or spilling; Annexes II and III relate to harmful substances carried, in bulk, in liquid or packaged form, respectively; and Annexes IV and V relate to sewage and garbage management, respectively. Annex VI, separately adopted by the IMO in September of 1997, relates to air emissions. New emissions standards, titled IMO-2020, took effect on January 1, 2020. In 2013, the IMO's Marine Environmental Protection Committee, or the "MEPC," adopted a resolution amending MARPOL Annex I Condition Assessment Scheme, or "CAS." These amendments became effective on October 1, 2014 and require compliance with the 2011 International Code on the Enhanced Programme of Inspections during Surveys of Bulk Carriers and Oil Tankers, or "ESP Code," which provides for enhanced inspection programs. The Company may need to make certain financial expenditures to comply with these amendments in the future, which could be significant. Air Emissions In September of 1997, the IMO adopted Annex VI to MARPOL to address air pollution from vessels. Effective May 2005, Annex VI sets limits on nitrogen oxide emissions from ships whose diesel engines were constructed (or underwent major conversions) on or after January 1, 2000. It also prohibits “deliberate emissions” of “ozone depleting substances,” defined to include certain halons and chlorofluorocarbons. Deliberate emissions are not limited to times when the ship is at sea; they can for example include discharges occurring in the course of the ship’s repair and maintenance. Emissions of “volatile organic compounds” from certain tankers, and the shipboard incineration (from incinerators installed after January 1, 2000) of certain substances (such as polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs)) are also prohibited. Annex VI also includes a global cap on the sulfur content of fuel oil (see below). The IMO’s Marine Environment Protection Committee, or MEPC, adopted amendments to Annex VI on October 10, 2008, which amendments were entered into force on July 1, 2010. The Amended Annex VI seeks to further reduce air pollution by, among other things, implementing a progressive reduction of the amount of sulfur contained in any fuel oil used onboard ships. On October 27, 2016, at its 70th session, the MEPC agreed to implement a global 0.5% m/m sulfur oxide emissions limit (reduced from 3.50%) starting from January 1, 2020. This limitation can be met by using low-sulfur compliant fuel oil, alternative fuels, or certain exhaust gas cleaning systems. Ships are now required to obtain bunker delivery notes and International Air Pollution Prevention (“IAPP”) Certificates from their flag states that specify sulfur content. Additionally, at MEPC 73, amendments to Annex VI to prohibit the carriage of bunkers above 0.5% sulfur on ships were adopted and will take effect March 1, 2020, with the exception of vessels fitted with exhaust gas cleaning equipment ("scrubbers") which can carry fuel of higher sulfur content. These regulations subject ocean-going vessels to stringent emissions controls, and may cause us to incur substantial costs, including those related to the purchase, installation and operation of scrubbers and the purchase of compliant fuel oil. Beginning January 1, 2015, ships operating within an emission control area ("ECA") were not permitted to use fuel with sulfur content in excess of 0.1% (from 1.0%). Amended Annex VI establishes procedures for designating new ECAs. Currently, the Baltic Sea, the North Sea, certain coastal areas of North America and areas of the United States Caribbean Sea adjacent to Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands are designated ECAs. Ocean-going vessels in these areas are subject to stringent emissions controls, which may cause the Company to incur additional costs. In December 2021, the member states of the Convention for the Protection of the Mediterranean Sea Against Pollution (the "Barcelona Convention") agreed to support the designation of a new ECA in the Mediterranean Sea. On December 15, 2022, MEPC 79 adopted the designation of a new ECA in the Mediterranean Sea, with an effective date of May 1, 2025. Additional legislation or regulations applicable to the operation of its vessels that may be implemented in the future could adversely affect its business. MEPC 75 introduced draft amendments to Annex VI which impose new regulations to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from ships. These amendments introduce requirements to assess and measure the energy efficiency of all ships and set the required attainment values, with the goal of reducing the carbon intensity of international shipping. To achieve a 40% reduction in 13 carbon emissions by 2023 compared to 2008, shipping companies are required to include: (i) a technical requirement to reduce carbon intensity based on a new Energy Efficiency Existing Ship Index (“EEXI”), and (ii) operational carbon intensity reduction requirements, based on a new operational carbon intensity indicator (“CII”). The EEXI is required to be calculated for ships of 400 gross tonnage and above. The IMO and MEPC will calculate “required” EEXI levels based on the vessel’s technical design, such as vessel type, date of creation, size and baseline. Additionally, an “attained” EEXI will be calculated to determine the actual energy efficiency of the vessel. A vessel’s attained EEXI must be less than the vessel’s required EEXI. Non-compliant vessels will have to upgrade their engine to continue to travel. With respect to the CII, the draft amendments would require ships of 5,000 gross tonnage to document and verify their actual annual operational CII achieved against a determined required annual operational CII. The vessel’s attained CII must be lower than its required CII. Vessels that continually receive subpar CII ratings will be required to submit corrective action plans to ensure compliance. MEPC 79 also adopted amendments to MARPOL Annex VI, Appendix IX to include the attained and required CII values, the CII rating and attained EEXI for existing ships in the required information to be submitted to the IMO Ship Fuel Oil Consumption Database. The amendments will enter into force on May 1, 2024. Additionally, MEPC 75 proposed draft amendments requiring that, on or before January 1, 2023, all ships above 400 gross tonnage must have an approved Ship Energy Efficiency Management Plan, or SEEMP, on board. For ships above 5,000 gross tonnage, the SEEMP would need to include certain mandatory content. MEPC 75 also approved draft amendments to MARPOL Annex I to prohibit the use and carriage for use as fuel of heavy fuel oil by ships in Arctic waters on and after July 1, 2024. The draft amendments introduced at MEPC 75 were adopted at the MEPC 76 session held on June 2021, entered into force on November 1, 2022 and became effective on January 1, 2023. The Company is currently assessing the impact of these regulations on its fleet operations. MEPC 77 adopted a non-binding resolution which urges Member States and ship operators to voluntarily use distillate or other cleaner alternative fuels or methods of propulsion that are safe for ships and could contribute to the reduction of Black Carbon emissions from ships when operating in or near the Arctic. Safety Management System Requirements The IMO also adopted the International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea, or SOLAS, and the International Convention on Load Lines, or the LL Convention, which impose a variety of standards that regulate the design and operational features of ships. The IMO periodically revises the SOLAS and LL Convention standards. May 2012 SOLAS amendments entered into force as of January 1, 2014. The operation of the Company’s ships is also affected by the requirements set forth in Chapter IX of SOLAS, which sets forth the IMO’s International Management Code for the Safe Operation of Ships and Pollution Prevention, or the ISM Code. The ISM Code requires ship owners and ship managers to develop and maintain an extensive Safety Management System ("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. The Company relies upon the safety management system that the Company and its technical managers have developed for compliance with the ISM Code. The failure of a ship owner to comply with the ISM Code may subject such party to increased liability, may decrease available insurance coverage for the affected vessels and may result in a denial of access to, or detention in, certain ports. As of the date of this filing, each of its vessels is ISM code-certified. The ISM Code requires that vessel operators obtain a safety management certificate, or SMC, for each vessel they operate. This certificate evidences compliance by a vessel’s operators with the ISM Code requirements for an SMS. No vessel can obtain an SMC under the ISM Code unless its manager has been awarded a document of compliance, or DOC, issued in most instances by the vessel's flag state. The Company’s appointed ship managers have obtained documents of compliance for their offices and safety management certificates for all of its vessels for which the certificates are required by the IMO. The document of compliance, or the DOC, and ship management certificate, or the SMC, are renewed as required. Furthermore, recent action by the IMO’s Maritime Safety Committee and United States agencies indicates that cybersecurity regulations for the maritime industry are likely to be further developed in the near future in an attempt to combat cybersecurity threats. For example, cyber-risk management systems must be incorporated by ship-owners and managers by 2021. This might cause companies to create additional procedures for monitoring cybersecurity, which could require additional expenses and/or capital expenditures. The impact of such regulations is hard to predict at this time. 14 The IMO continues to review and introduce new regulations. It is impossible to predict what additional regulations, if any, may be passed by the IMO and what effect, if any, such regulations might have on the Company’s operations. Pollution Control and Liability Requirements The IMO has negotiated international conventions that impose liability for pollution in international waters and the territorial waters of the signatories to such conventions. For example, the IMO adopted the International Convention for the Control and Management of Ships’ Ballast Water and Sediments, or the BWM Convention, in February 2004. The BWM 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 entered into force on September 8, 2017 at which time mid-ocean ballast exchange or ballast water treatment systems became mandatory. The Company’s vessels will be required to be equipped with a ballast water treatment system that meets mandatory concentration limits not later than the first intermediate or renewal survey, whichever occurs first, after the anniversary date of delivery of the vessel in 2014, for vessels with ballast water capacity of 1500 – 5000 cubic meters, or after such date in 2016, for vessels with ballast water capacity of greater than 5000 cubic meters. The Company's current fleet of vessels are equipped with these systems. The IMO adopted the International Convention on Civil Liability for Bunker Oil Pollution Damage, or the Bunker Convention, to impose strict liability on ship owners for pollution damage in jurisdictional waters of ratifying states caused by discharges of bunker fuel. The Bunker Convention 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). With respect to non-ratifying states, liability for spills or releases of oil carried as fuel in ship’s bunkers typically is determined by the national or other domestic laws in the jurisdiction where the events or damages occur. Noncompliance with the ISM Code or other IMO regulations may subject the Company to increased liability, lead to decreases in available insurance coverage for affected vessels or result in the denial of access to, or detention in, some ports. As of the date of this report, each of the Company’s vessels is ISM Code certified. However, there can be no assurance that such certificate will be maintained. International Code for Ships Operating in Polar Waters The IMO in November 2014 adopted the International Code for Ships Operating in Polar Waters (the “Polar Code”), and related amendments to the International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea (“SOLAS”) to make it mandatory. The Polar Code is mandatory under both SOLAS and MARPOL because it contains both safety and environment related provisions. The MEPC adopted the Polar Code and associated MARPOL amendments in May 2015. The U.S. Oil Pollution Act of 1990 and Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act The Oil Pollution Act of 1990, ("OPA"), established an extensive regulatory and liability regime for the protection and cleanup of the environment from oil spills. OPA affects all “owners and operators” whose vessels trade with the United States, its territories and possessions or whose vessels operate in United States waters, which includes the United States’ territorial sea and its 200 nautical mile exclusive economic zone around the United States. 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. Both OPA and CERCLA impact the Company’s operations. Under OPA, vessel owners and operators are “responsible parties” and are jointly, severally and strictly liable (unless the spill 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 oil from their vessels. OPA defines these other damages broadly to include: 15 • injury to, destruction or loss of, or loss of use of, natural resources and related assessment costs; • injury to, or economic losses resulting from, the destruction of real and personal property; • net loss of taxes, royalties, rents, fees or net profit revenues resulting from injury, destruction or loss of real or personal property, or natural resources; • loss of subsistence use of natural resources that are injured, destroyed or lost; • lost profits or impairment of earning capacity due to injury, destruction or loss of real or personal property or natural resources; and • net cost of increased or additional public services necessitated by removal activities following a discharge of oil, such as protection from fire, safety or health hazards, and loss of subsistence use of natural resources. OPA contains statutory caps on liability and damages; such caps do not apply to direct cleanup costs. Effective December 31, 2015, the U.S. Coast Guard adjusted the limits of OPA liability for non-tank vessels (e.g. drybulk) to the greater of $1,200 per gross ton or $997,100 (subject to periodic adjustment for inflation). Effective March 23, 2023, the new adjusted limits of OPA liability for non-tank vessels, edible oil tank vessels, and any oil spill response vessels, to the greater of $1,300 per gross ton or $1,076,000 (subject to periodic adjustment for inflation). These limits of liability do not apply if an incident was proximately caused by the violation of an applicable U.S. federal safety, construction or operating regulation by a responsible party (or its agent, employee or a person acting pursuant to a contractual relationship), or a responsible party’s gross negligence or willful misconduct. The limitation on liability similarly does not apply if the responsible party fails or refuses to (i) report the incident where the responsibility party knows or has reason to know of the incident; (ii) reasonably cooperate and assist as requested in connection with oil removal activities; or (iii) without sufficient cause, comply with an order issued under the Federal Water Pollution Act (Section 311 (c), (e)) or the Intervention on the High Seas Act. CERCLA contains a similar liability regime whereby owners and operators of vessels are liable for cleanup, removal and remedial costs, as well as damages 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 $5.0 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. OPA and CERCLA both require owners and operators of vessels to establish and maintain with the U.S. Coast Guard evidence of financial responsibility sufficient to meet the maximum amount of liability to which the particular responsible person may be subject. Vessel owners and operators may satisfy their financial responsibility obligations by providing a proof of insurance, a surety bond, qualification as a self-insurer or a guarantee. Incidents such as the 2010 Deepwater Horizon oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico may result in additional regulatory initiatives or statutes, including the raising of liability caps under OPA (which were raised on December 31, 2015). Compliance with any new requirements of OPA may substantially impact the Company’s cost of operations or require it to incur additional expenses to comply with any new regulatory initiatives or statutes. Additional legislation or regulations applicable to the operation of its vessels that may be implemented in the future could adversely affect its business. The Company currently maintains pollution liability coverage insurance in the amount of $1.0 billion per incident for each of the Company’s vessels. If the damages from a catastrophic spill were to exceed the Company’s insurance coverage it could have an adverse effect on its business and results of operation. 16 OPA specifically permits individual states to impose their own liability regimes with regard to oil pollution incidents occurring within their boundaries, provided they accept, at a minimum, the levels of liability established under OPA 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 vessel owners’ responsibilities under these laws. The Company intends to comply with all applicable state regulations in the ports where its vessels call. The Company believes that it is in substantial compliance with all applicable existing state requirements. In addition, the Company intends to comply with all future applicable state regulations in the ports where its vessels call. Other Environmental Initiatives The U.S. Clean Water Act, or CWA, prohibits the discharge of oil, hazardous substances and ballast water in U.S. navigable waters unless authorized by a duly-issued permit or exemption, 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 and CERCLA. Furthermore, many U.S. states that border a navigable waterway have enacted environmental pollution laws that impose strict liability on a person for removal costs and damages resulting from a discharge of oil or a release of a hazardous substance. These laws may be more stringent than U.S. federal law. The EPA and the USCG have also enacted rules relating to ballast water discharge, compliance with which requires the installation of equipment on our vessels to treat ballast water before it is discharged or the implementation of other port facility disposal arrangements or procedures at potentially substantial costs, and/or otherwise restrict our vessels from entering U.S. Waters. The EPA will regulate these ballast water discharges and other discharges incidental to the normal operation of certain vessels within United States waters pursuant to the Vessel Incidental Discharge Act (“VIDA”), which was signed into law on December 4, 2018 and replaces the 2013 Vessel General Permit (“VGP”) program (which authorizes discharges incidental to operations of commercial vessels and contains numeric ballast water discharge limits for most vessels to reduce the risk of invasive species in U.S. waters, stringent requirements for exhaust gas scrubbers, and requirements for the use of environmentally acceptable lubricants) and current Coast Guard ballast water management regulations adopted under the U.S. National Invasive Species Act (“NISA”), such as mid-ocean ballast exchange programs and installation of approved USCG technology for all vessels equipped with ballast water tanks bound for U.S. ports or entering U.S. waters. VIDA establishes a new framework for the regulation of vessel incidental discharges under Clean Water Act (CWA), requires the EPA to develop performance standards for those discharges within two years of enactment, and requires the U.S. Coast Guard to develop implementation, compliance, and enforcement regulations within two years of EPA’s promulgation of standards. Under VIDA, all provisions of the 2013 VGP and USCG regulations regarding ballast water treatment remain in force and effect until the EPA and U.S. Coast Guard regulations are finalized. Non-military, non-recreational vessels greater than 79 feet in length must continue to comply with the requirements of the VGP, including submission of a Notice of Intent (“NOI”) or retention of a PARI form and submission of annual reports. We have submitted NOIs for our vessels where required. On October 26, 2020, the EPA published a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking for Vessel Incidental Discharge National Standards of Performance under VIDA. Within two years after the EPA publishes its final Vessel Incidental Discharge National Standards of Performance, the U.S. Coast Guard must develop corresponding implementation, compliance and enforcement regulations regarding ballast water. Compliance with the EPA, U.S. Coast Guard and state regulations could require the installation of ballast water treatment equipment on our vessels or the implementation of other port facility disposal procedures at potentially substantial cost, or may otherwise restrict our vessels from entering U.S. waters. European Union Regulations In October 2009, the European Union amended a directive to impose criminal sanctions for illicit ship-source discharges of polluting substances, including minor discharges, if committed with intent, recklessly or with serious negligence and the discharges, individually or in the aggregate, result in deterioration of the quality of water. Aiding and abetting the discharge of a polluting substance may also lead to criminal penalties. Member States were required to enact laws or regulations to comply with the directive by the end of 2010. Criminal liability for pollution may result in substantial penalties or fines and increased civil liability claims. The directive applies to all types of vessels, irrespective of their flag, but certain exceptions apply to warships or where human safety or that of the ship is in danger. The European Union has adopted several regulations and directives requiring, among other things, more frequent inspections of high-risk ships, as determined by type, age, and flag as well as the number of times the ship has been detained. The European Union also adopted and then extended a ban on substandard ships and enacted a minimum ban period and a definitive ban for repeated offenses. The regulation also provided the European Union with greater authority and control over classification societies, by imposing more requirements on classification societies and providing for fines or penalty payments for organizations that failed to comply. 17 With effect from January 1, 2010, Directive 2005/33/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of July 6, 2005, amending Directive 1999/32/EC came into force. The objective of the directive is to reduce emission of sulfur dioxide and particulate matter caused by the combustion of certain petroleum derived fuels. The directive imposes limits on the sulfur content of such fuels as a condition of their use within a Member State territory. The maximum sulfur content for marine fuels used by inland waterway vessels and ships at berth in ports in EU countries after January 1, 2010, is 0.1% by mass. As of January 1, 2015, all vessels operating within ECAs, worldwide must comply with 0.1% sulfur requirements. Currently, the only grade of fuel meeting 0.1% sulfur content requirement is low sulfur marine gas oil, or LSMGO. As of July 1, 2010, the reduction of applicable sulfur content limits in the North Sea, the Baltic Sea and the English Channel Sulfur Control Areas is 0.1%. As of January 2020, EU member states must also ensure that ships in all EU waters, except the Emission Control Area, use fuels with a 0.5% maximum sulfur content. The Company does not expect that it will be required to modify any of its vessels to meet any of the foregoing low sulfur fuel requirements. On September 15, 2020, the European Parliament voted to include greenhouse gas emissions from the maritime sector in the European Union’s carbon market. On July 14, 2021, the European Parliament formally proposed its plan, which would involve gradually including the maritime sector from 2023 and phasing the sector in over a three-year period. This will require shipowners to buy permits to cover these emissions. The Environment Council adopted a general approach on the proposal in June 2022. On December 18, 2022, the Environmental Council and European Parliament agreed to include maritime shipping emissions within the scope of the EU ETS on a gradual introduction of obligations for shipping companies to surrender allowances: 40% for verified emissions from 2024, 70% for 2025 and 100% for 2026. Most large vessels will be included in the scope of the EU ETS from the start. Big offshore vessels of 5,000 gross tonnage and above will be included in the 'MRV' on the monitoring, reporting and verification of CO2 emissions from maritime transport regulation from 2025 and in the EU ETS from 2027. General cargo vessels and off-shore vessels between 400-5,000 gross tonnage will be included in the MRV regulation from 2025 and their inclusion in EU ETS will be reviewed in 2026. Greenhouse Gas Regulation In November 2020, MEPC 75 approved draft amendments to the Anti-Fouling Convention to prohibit anti-fouling systems containing cybutryne. These amendments were adopted at MEPC 76 in June 2021 and will apply to ships from January 1, 2023. During MEPC 76 in June 2021, the IMO approved amendments to Annex VI to cut the carbon intensity of existing ships. The amendments will require ships to combine a technical and an operational approach to reduce their carbon intensity, in line with the ambition of the Initial IMO GHG Strategy, which aims to reduce carbon intensity of international shipping by 40% by 2030, compared to 2008. The amendments include (1) a technical requirement to reduce carbon intensity based on a new Energy Efficiency Existing Ship Index (“EEXI”), and (2) operational carbon intensity reduction requirements, based on a new operational carbon intensity indicator (“CII”). These amendments are expected to enter into force on November 1, 2022, with the requirements for EEXI and CII certification coming into effect from January 1, 2023. The Company has evaluated the impact of EEXI requirements and determined that the majority of our fleet will be minimally impacted with some of the oldest ships requiring the application of an engine power limitation that may reduce operational maximum speed. The Company is working with Class to complete the EEXI certification of all vessels in advance of the requirement coming into effect. EEXI requirements will ultimately lead the oldest ships in the drybulk fleet to slow down significantly which will limit drybulk supply and could probably positively impact the freight rates. The Company is evaluating the impact of CII requirements on the fleet and sees limited impact through 2026 after which further incremental decreases will be decided. The most immediate impact of CII requirements coming into effect will likely be the need for collaboration between the Company and Charterers to actively manage CII scoring and working on optimizing operations. In the United States, the EPA has issued a finding that greenhouse gases endanger the public health and safety and has adopted regulations to limit greenhouse gas emissions from certain mobile sources and large stationary sources. On November 2, 2021, the EPA issued a proposed rule under the CAA designed to reduce methane emissions from oil and gas sources. The proposed rule would reduce 41 million tons of methane emissions between 2023 and 2035 and cut methane emissions in the oil and gas sector by approximately 74 percent compared to emissions from this sector in 2005. EPA issued a supplemental proposed rule in November 2022 to include additional methane reduction measures following public input and anticipates issuing a final rule in 2023. If these new regulations are finalized, they could affect our operations. Any passage of climate control legislation or other regulatory initiatives by the IMO, European Union, the U.S. or other countries where the Company operates, or any treaty adopted at the international level to succeed the Kyoto Protocol, that restrict emissions of greenhouse gases could require the Company to make significant financial expenditures which the Company cannot predict with certainty at this time. 18 Vessel Security Regulations Since the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001 in the United States, there have been a variety of initiatives intended to enhance vessel security such as the Maritime Transportation Security Act of 2002, or MTSA. To implement certain portions of the MTSA, in July 2003, the U.S. Coast Guard issued regulations requiring the implementation of certain security requirements aboard vessels operating in waters subject to the jurisdiction of the United States. The regulations also impose requirements on certain ports and facilities, some of which are regulated by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, or the EPA. Similarly, in December 2002, amendments to SOLAS created a new chapter of the convention dealing specifically with maritime security. The new Chapter V became effective in July 2004 and imposes various detailed security obligations on vessels and port authorities, and mandates compliance with the International Ship and Port Facilities Security Code, or the ISPS Code. The ISPS Code is designed to enhance the security of ports and ships against terrorism. To trade internationally, a vessel must attain an International Ship Security Certificate, or ISSC, from a recognized security organization approved by the vessel’s flag state. Among the various requirements are: • on-board installation of automatic identification systems to provide a means for the automatic transmission of safety-related information from among similarly equipped ships and shore stations, including information on a ship’s identity, position, course, speed and navigational status; • on-board installation of ship security alert systems, which do not sound on the vessel but only alert the authorities on shore; • the development of vessel security plans; • ship identification number to be permanently marked on a vessel’s hull; • a continuous synopsis record kept onboard showing a vessel’s history including the name of the ship, the state whose flag the ship is entitled to fly, the date on which the ship was registered with that state, the ship’s identification number, the port at which the ship is registered and the name of the registered owner(s) and their registered address; and • compliance with flag state security certification requirements. Ships operating without a valid certificate may be detained at port until it obtains an ISSC, or it may be expelled from port, or refused entry at port. Furthermore, additional security measures could be required in the future which could have a significant financial impact on the Company. The U.S. Coast Guard regulations, intended to be aligned with international maritime security standards, exempt non-U.S. vessels from MTSA vessel security measures, provided such vessels have on board a valid ISSC that attests to the vessel's compliance with SOLAS security requirements and the ISPS Code. The Company intends to implement the various security measures addressed by MTSA, SOLAS and the ISPS Code, and the Company intends that its fleet will comply with applicable security requirements. The Company has implemented the various security measures addressed by the MTSA, SOLAS and the ISPS Code. International Labor Organization The International Labor Organization (ILO) is a specialized agency of the UN with headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland. The ILO has adopted the Maritime Labor Convention 2006, or MLC 2006. A Maritime Labor Certificate and a Declaration of Maritime Labor Compliance is required to ensure compliance with the MLC 2006 for all ships above 500 gross tons in international trade. The MLC 2006 entered into force on August 20, 2013. Amendments to MLC 2006 entered into force on January 18, 2017. Ships that are subject to the MLC will, after this date, be required to display certificates issued by an insurer or other financial security provider confirming that insurance or other financial security is in place for the cost and expense of crew repatriation, as well as up to four months contractually entitled arrears of wages and entitlements following abandonment. Amendments also require a certificate for liabilities for contractual claims arising from seafarer personal injury, disability or death. The Company’s vessels are in full compliance with its requirements. Inspection by Classification Societies 19 Every oceangoing vessel must be “classed” by a classification society. The classification society certifies that the vessel is “in class,” signifying that the vessel has been built and maintained in accordance with the rules of the classification society and complies with applicable rules and regulations of the vessel's country of registry and the international conventions of which that country is a member. In addition, where surveys are required by international conventions and corresponding laws and ordinances of a flag state, the classification society will undertake them on application or by official order, acting on behalf of the authorities concerned. The classification society also undertakes, as requested, other surveys that may be required by the vessel's flag state. These surveys are subject to agreements made with the vessel owner and/or to the regulations of the country concerned. For maintenance of the class certification, annual, intermediate and special surveys of hull and machinery, including the electrical plant, and any special equipment, are required to be performed as follows: • Annual Surveys: For seagoing ships, annual surveys are conducted within three months, before or after each anniversary of the class period indicated in the certificate. • Intermediate Surveys: Extended surveys are referred to as intermediate surveys and are typically conducted two and one-half years after commissioning, and two and one-half years after each class renewal. Intermediate surveys are to be carried out at or between the occasion of the second or third annual survey. • Class Renewal Surveys: Class renewal surveys, also known as special surveys, are carried out at the intervals indicated by the character of classification for the hull. At the special survey, the vessel is thoroughly examined, including audio-gauging to determine the thickness of the steel structures. If the steel thickness is found to be less than class requirements, the classification society would prescribe steel renewals which require drydocking of the vessel. The classification society may grant a one-year grace period for completion of the special survey. Substantial costs may be incurred for steel renewal in order to pass a special survey if the vessel experiences excessive wear and tear. In lieu of the special survey every four or five years, depending on whether a grace period was granted, a shipowner has the option of arranging with the classification society for the vessel’s hull or machinery to be on a continuous survey cycle, in which case every part of the vessel would be surveyed on a continuous five-year cycle. This process is referred to as continuous class renewal. All areas subject to survey, 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. Most vessels undergo regulatory inspection of the underwater parts every 30 to 36 months. If any defects are found, the classification surveyor will issue a recommendation which must be rectified by the ship owner within prescribed time limits. The Company expects to perform two special surveys in 2023 at an aggregate total cost of approximately $2.7 million. The Company expects to perform three intermediate surveys in 2023 at an aggregate total cost of approximately $0.4 million. The Company estimates that offhire related to the surveys and related repair work is ten to twenty days per vessel, depending on the size and condition 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 which is a member of the International Association of Classification Societies. All of the Company’s vessels are certified by Det Norske Veritas, Nippon Kaiji Kiokai or Bureau Veritas. All new and second-hand vessels that the Company purchases must be certified prior to delivery under its standard purchase contracts, referred to as the memorandum of agreement or ship building contracts. Certification of second-hand vessels must be verified by a Class Maintenance Certificate issued within 72 hours prior to delivery. If the vessel is not certified on the date of closing, the Company has the option to cancel the agreement on the basis of Seller’s default, and not take delivery of the vessel. Risk of Loss and Insurance General The operation of any dry bulk vessel includes risks such as mechanical failure, collision, property loss, cargo loss or damage, and business interruption due to political circumstances in foreign countries, hostilities and labor strikes. In addition, there is an inherent possibility of marine disaster, including oil spills (e.g. fuel oil) and other environmental incidents, and the liabilities arising from owning and operating vessels in international trade. OPA, which imposes virtually unlimited liability for certain oil 20 pollution accidents upon owners, operators and demise charterers of vessels trading in the United States exclusive economic zone, has made liability insurance more expensive for ship owners and operators trading in the U.S. market. The Company maintains hull and machinery insurance, war risks insurance, protection and indemnity cover and freight, demurrage and defense cover for its owned fleet at amounts it believes address the normal risks of its operations. The Company may not be able to maintain this level of coverage throughout a vessel’s useful life. Furthermore, while the Company believes that its current 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 the Company will always be able to obtain adequate insurance coverage at reasonable rates. Hull & Machinery and War Risks Insurance The Company maintains marine hull and machinery and war risks insurances, which cover the risk of actual or constructive total loss, for all of its vessels. Vessels are insured for their fair market value, at a minimum, with a deductible of $100,000 per vessel per incident. Protection and Indemnity Insurance Protection and indemnity insurance is a form of mutual indemnity insurance provided by mutual protection and indemnity associations, or P&I Associations, which insure the Company’s third party liabilities in connection with its shipping activities. This includes third-party liability and other related expenses resulting from the injury, illness or death of crew, passengers and other third parties, the loss or damage to cargo, claims arising from collisions with other vessels, damage to other third-party property, pollution arising from oil or other substances and salvage, towing and other related costs, including wreck removal. Subject to the “capping” discussed below, the Company’s coverage, except for pollution, is unlimited. The Company’s current protection and indemnity insurance coverage for pollution is $1.0 billion per vessel per incident. The thirteen P&I 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. As a member of a P&I Association, which is a member of the International Group, the Company is subject to calls payable to the associations based on the group’s claim records as well as the claim records of all other members of the individual associations and members of the pool of P&I Associations comprising the International Group. Exchange Controls The Company is an exempted company organized under the Bermuda Companies Act. The Bermuda Companies Act differs in some material respects from laws generally applicable to United States companies and their stockholders. However, a general permission issued by the Bermuda Monetary Authority, ("BMA"), results in the Company’s common shares being freely transferable among persons who are residents and non-residents of Bermuda. Each shareholder, whether a resident or non-resident of Bermuda, is entitled to one vote for each share of stock held by the shareholder. Although the Company is incorporated in Bermuda, the Company is classified as a non-resident of Bermuda for exchange control purposes by the BMA. Other than transferring Bermuda Dollars out of Bermuda, there are no restrictions on its ability to transfer funds into and out of Bermuda or to pay dividends in currency other than Bermuda Dollars to U.S. residents (or other non-residents of Bermuda) who are holders of its common shares. In accordance with Bermuda law, share certificates may be issued only in the names of corporations, individuals or legal persons. In the case of an applicant acting in a special capacity (for example, as an executor or trustee), certificates may, at the request of the applicant, record the capacity in which the applicant is acting. Notwithstanding the recording of any such special capacity, the Company is not bound to investigate or incur any responsibility in respect of the proper administration of any such estate or trust. The Company will take no notice of any trust applicable to any of its shares or other securities whether or not the Company had notice of such trust. INDUSTRY AND MARKET CONDITIONS Market Overview Ocean going vessels represent the most efficient and often the only means of transporting large volumes of dry cargo over long distances. Dry bulk cargo includes both major and minor commodities such as coal, iron ore, grain, bauxite, cement clinker, and 21 limestone. Dry bulk trade is influenced by the underlying demand for the dry bulk commodities which in turn is influenced by the level of global economic activity. The world’s fleet of vessels dedicated to carrying dry bulk cargoes is traditionally divided into six major categories, based on a vessel’s cargo carrying capacity. These categories are: Handysize, Supramax, Ultramax, Panamax, Capesize and Very Large Ore Carrier. Certain routes and geographies are less accessible to certain vessel sizes. For example, Panamax and Supramax vessels are the main dry bulk vessel types deployed in the Baltic due to draft restrictions. Dry bulk vessels are employed through a number of different chartering options. The most common are time charters, spot charters, and voyage charters. Historically, charter rates have been volatile as they are driven by the underlying balance between vessel supply and demand. Ice class vessels, when operating in ice-bound areas, usually command a rate premium to conventional trades. Dry Bulk Shipping — the Main Participants In the dry bulk shipping industry there are multiple functions, with individual parties carrying out one or more of such functions. In general, the principal functions within dry bulk shipping are as follows: • Ship Owner or Registered Owner — Generally, this is an entity retaining the legal title of ownership over a vessel. • Ship Operator — Generally, this is an entity seeking to generate profit either through the chartering of ships (owned or chartered-in) to others, or from the transportation of cargoes. Entities focusing on the transportation of cargoes may engage in chartering of ships to other entities, but those companies focusing on chartering ships to other entities rarely act to carry cargoes for customers. • Shipmanager/Commercial Manager — This is an entity designated to be responsible for the day to day commercial management of the ship and the best contact for the ship regarding commercial matters, including post fixture responsibilities, such as laytime, demurrage, insurance and charter clauses. These companies undertake the activities of ship operators but, unlike a ship operator, they do not own or charter-in the vessels at their own risk. • Technical Manager — This is an entity specifically responsible for the technical operation and technical superintendence of a ship. This company may also be responsible for hiring, training and supervising ship officers and crew, and for all aspects of the day to day operation of the fleet, including repair work, spare parts inventory, re-engineering, surveys and dry-docking. • Cargo Owner — This is normally a producer (e.g., a miner), consumer (e.g., a steel mill) or trading house who requires transportation of cargo by a cargo focused ship operator. The Company participates in each of these capacities with the exception of cargo owner, although at rare opportunistic times the Company may purchase cargo for resale after completion of a voyage. The Freight Market Dry bulk vessels are employed in the market through a number of different chartering options. The general terms typically found in these types of contracts are described below. • Time Charter. A charter under which the vessel owner or operator is paid charterhire on a per-day basis for a specified period of time. Typically, the shipowner receives semi-monthly charterhire payments on a U.S. dollar-per-day basis and is responsible for providing the crew and paying vessel operating expenses, while the charterer is responsible for paying the voyage expenses and additional voyage insurance. The ship owner is also responsible for the vessel’s intermediate and special survey (heavy mandatory maintenance) costs. Under time charters, including trip charters, the charterer pays all voyage expenses including port, canal and bunker (fuel) costs. • Trip Charter. A time charter for a trip to carry a specific cargo from a load port to a discharge port at a set daily rate. • Voyage Charter . A charter to carry a specific amount and type of cargo on a load-port to discharge-port basis, subject to various cargo handling terms. Most of these charters are of a single voyage nature, as trading patterns do not encourage round trip voyage trading. The ship operator receives payment based on a price per ton of cargo loaded on board the 22 vessel. The ship operator is responsible for the payment of all voyage expenses, as well as the costs of owning or hiring the vessel. • Contract of Affreightment. A contract of affreightment, or COA, relates to the carriage of multiple cargoes over the same route and enables the service provider to nominate different vessels to perform the individual voyages. Essentially, it constitutes a series of voyage charters to carry a specified amount of cargo during the term of the CoA, which usually spans a number of months or years. Freight normally is agreed on a U.S. dollar-per-ton carried basis with bunker cost escalation or de-escalation adjustments. • Bareboat Charter. A bareboat charter involves the use of a vessel, usually over longer periods of time (several years). In this case, all voyage expenses and vessel operating expenses, including maintenance, crewing and insurance, are paid for by the charterer. The owner of the vessel receives monthly charterhire payments on a U.S. dollar per day basis and is responsible only for the payment of capital costs related to the vessel. A bareboat charter is also known as a “demise charter” or a “time charter by demise.” The Company primarily employs its vessels under voyage charters together with COAs and time charters. Rates In the time charter (period) market, rates vary depending on the length of the charter period and vessel specific factors such as age, speed, size and fuel consumption. In the voyage charter market, rates are influenced by cargo size, commodity, port dues, bunker prices, and canal transit fees, as well as delivery and redelivery 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. Voyages loading from a port where vessels usually discharge cargo, or discharging at a port where vessels usually load cargo, are generally quoted at lower rates. These voyages are known as “backhaul” voyages. In some cases, charters will include an additional payment known as a ballast bonus. A ballast bonus is a lump sum payment made to a shipowner or operator (by the charterer) as compensation for delivering a ship in a particular loading region of the world. For a ship to enter a loading region, an empty (ballast) leg may be required because there are no inbound cargoes. The ballast bonus should reflect the cost of the empty ballast in terms of time and fuel. A typical fixture that involves a ballast bonus might be expressed as “freight hire of $10,000 per day, plus a ballast bonus of $100,000 lump sum”. Within the dry bulk shipping industry, the freight rate indices issued by the Baltic Exchange in London are the references most likely to be monitored. 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. The Baltic Exchange, an independent organization comprised of shipbrokers, shipping companies and other shipping players, provides daily independent shipping market information and has created freight rate indices reflecting the average freight rates for the major bulk vessel trading routes. The Baltic Dry Index ("BDI"), is a composite of the Capesize, Panamax and Supramax timecharter averages. It is considered a proxy for dry bulk shipping stocks as well as a general shipping market bellwether. Dry Bulk Trades Requiring Ice Class Tonnage Ice class vessels are required to serve ports accessed by routes crossing seasonal or year-round ice-covered oceans, lakes, seas or rivers. Ice class vessels are mainly deployed in the Baltic Sea, the Northern Sea Route (NSR) and the Great Lakes/St. Lawrence Seaway. These regions have experienced strong trade growth in dry bulk cargoes, driven in particular by increased mining activities supported by strong commodity demand in Asia, decreased level of ice, and technology advancement in shipping. The Company's ice class vessels also serve a long term customers requirement in the Canadian Arctic.