Exhibit 4.13
Execution Version
REGISTRATION RIGHTS AGREEMENT
This Registration Rights Agreement (this "Registration Rights Agreement") is made and entered into February 2, 2021, by and among Star Bulk Carriers Corp., a Marshall Islands corporation (the "Company"), and Scorpio Bulkers Inc., a Marshall Islands corporation ("SALT").
RECITALS
A. WHEREAS, the Company has entered into that certain Master Agreement dated February 2, 2021 between the Company, SALT and certain other parties thereto (the "Master Agreement"). For purposes of this Registration Rights Agreement, "Common Stock" shall refer to the Company's common stock, par value $0.01 per share.
B. WHEREAS, pursuant to Clause 2 of the Master Agreement, the Company has committed to prepare and file a resale registration statement, registering offers and sales by SALT of up to 3,000,000 of the Company's shares of Common Stock (the "Warrant Shares") pursuant to Rule 415 under the Securities Act.
NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the foregoing and the mutual promises, covenants and agreements of the parties hereto, and for other good and valuable consideration the receipt and sufficiency of which are hereby acknowledged, and subject to the satisfaction or waiver of the conditions hereof, the parties hereto agree as follows:
1. Definitions. As used in this Registration Rights Agreement, the following terms shall have the following meanings:
"Advice" shall have the meaning set forth in Section 6(b).
"Affiliate" means, with respect to any person, any other person that, directly or indirectly, through one or more intermediaries, controls, is controlled by or is under common control with, such person. For purposes of this definition "control" (including the terms "controlled by" and "under common control with") means the possession, directly or indirectly, of the power to direct or cause the direction of the management or policies of a person, whether through the ownership of securities or partnership or other ownership interests, as trustee or executor, by contract or otherwise.
"Business Day" means any day except Saturday, Sunday and any day which shall be a federal legal holiday or a day on which banking institutions in Athens, Amsterdam, State of New York or Shanghai are authorized or required by law or other governmental action to close.
"Commission" means the Securities and Exchange Commission.
"Common Stock" shall have the meaning set forth in the recitals.
"Company" shall have the meaning set forth in the preamble above.
"Effectiveness Period" shall have the meaning set forth in Section 2(a).
"Exchange Act" means the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder.
"Existing Registration Rights Agreement" means the Amended and Restated Registration Rights Agreement dated July 11, 2014 (as the same may be amended, modified, or supplemented from time to time).
"Filing Deadline" shall have the meaning set forth in Section 2(a).
"Holder" or "Holders" means SALT and any permitted transferees or assignees under Section 6(f) of this Registration Rights Agreement that is an Affiliate of SALT.
"Indemnified Party" shall have the meaning set forth in Section 5(c).
"Indemnifying Party" shall have the meaning set forth in Section 5(c).
"Inspection Acceptance Notice" shall have the meaning set forth in the Master Agreement.
"Losses" shall have the meaning set forth in Section 5(a).
"Master Agreement" shall have the meaning set forth in the recitals.
"Plan of Distribution" shall have the meaning set forth in Section 2(a).
"Proceeding" means an action, claim, suit, investigation or proceeding (including, without limitation, an investigation or partial proceeding, such as a deposition), whether commenced or threatened.
"Prospectus" means the prospectus included in the Registration Statement (including, without limitation, a prospectus that includes any information previously omitted from a prospectus filed as part of an effective registration statement in reliance upon Rule 430A promulgated under the Securities Act), as amended or supplemented by any prospectus supplement, with respect to the terms of the offering of any portion of the SALT Registrable Securities covered by the Registration Statement, and all other amendments and supplements to the Prospectus, including post-effective amendments, and all material incorporated by reference or deemed to be incorporated by reference in such Prospectus.
"Registration Rights Agreement" shall have the meaning set forth in the preamble above.
"Registration Statement" means each registration statement required to be filed hereunder, including the Prospectus, amendments and supplements to the registration statement or Prospectus, including pre- and post-effective amendments, all exhibits thereto, and all material incorporated by reference or deemed to be incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement.
"Rule 415" means Rule 415 promulgated by the Commission pursuant to the Securities Act, as such Rule may be amended from time to time, or any similar rule or regulation hereafter adopted by the Commission having substantially the same effect as such Rule.
"Rule 424" means Rule 424 promulgated by the Commission pursuant to the Securities Act, as such Rule may be amended from time to time, or any similar rule or regulation hereafter adopted by the Commission having substantially the same effect as such Rule.
"SALT" shall have the meaning set forth in the preamble above.
"SALT Registrable Securities" means the Warrant Shares that are issuable in respect of each Vessel for which an Inspection Acceptance Notice has been delivered to or waived by the Company as of the Filing Deadline, together with any securities issued or issuable upon any exchange, stock split, dividend or other distribution, recapitalization or similar event with respect to the foregoing; provided that SALT Registrable Securities shall cease to be SALT Registrable Securities when such securities (i) are sold pursuant to an effective Registration Statement under the Securities Act, (ii) are sold pursuant to Rule 144 or another available safe-harbor or exemption from registration, (iii) when all such SALT Registrable Securities held by SALT may be sold, transferred or otherwise disposed of pursuant to Rule 144 under the Securities Act in a single transaction without regard to volume limitation or other restrictions on transfer thereunder or (iv) shall have ceased to be outstanding.
"Securities Act" means the Securities Act of 1933, as amended.
"Suspension Certificate" shall have the meaning set forth in Section 6(d).
"Trading Market" means the New York Stock Exchange, the NASDAQ Global Market or the NASDAQ Capital Market; and, with respect to any particular date, shall mean the Trading Market on which the Common Stock is listed or quoted for trading on such date.
"Vessel" shall have the meaning set forth in the Master Agreement.
"Warrant Shares" shall have the meaning set forth in the recitals.
2. Registration. (a) No later than February 10, 2021 (the "Filing Deadline"), the Company shall file with the Commission a Registration Statement (and/or a Prospectus as applicable) covering the offering and resale of all of the SALT Registrable Securities pursuant to Rule 415, or if Rule 415 is not available for offers or sales of the SALT Registrable Securities, for such other means of distribution of SALT Registrable Securities as the Holder may reasonably request. The Registration Statement required hereunder shall be on Form F-3 (except if the Company is not then eligible to register for resale the SALT Registrable Securities on Form F-3, in which case the Registration shall be on Form F-1 or another appropriate form as shall be selected by the Company upon advice of its counsel). The Registration Statement required hereunder shall contain a "Plan of Distribution" reasonably acceptable to the Holder and the Company. The Company shall use its commercially reasonable efforts to cause the Registration Statement to be declared effective under the Securities Act as soon as practicable after the Filing Deadline, but in no event later than the earlier of (i) the 90th calendar day following the Filing Deadline if the Commission notifies the Company that it will "review" the Registration Statement and (ii)the 5th business day after the date the Company is notified (orally or in writing, whichever is earlier) by the Commission that the Registration Statement will not be "reviewed" or will not be subject to further review. The Company shall use its commercially reasonable efforts to keep such Registration Statement continuously effective under the Securities Act (including the filing of any necessary amendments, post-effective amendments and supplements) with respect to such Holder until such Holder no longer owns SALT Registrable Securities (the "Effectiveness Period"), provided, however, that the Company's obligations to include the SALT Registrable Securities in the Registration Statement are contingent upon and subject to (i) the Holder furnishing a completed and executed selling shareholders questionnaire in the form contained in the Master Agreement to the Company that contains the information required by Commission rules for a Registration Statement regarding the Holder, the securities of the Company held by the Holder, and the intended method of disposition of the SALT Registrable Securities to effect the registration of the SALT Registrable Securities no later than two Business Days prior to the Filing Deadline, (ii) the terms and conditions contained in the Existing Registration Rights Agreement and (iii) the Holder executing such other documents in connection with such registration as the Company may reasonably request that are customary of a selling stockholder in similar situations.
(b) Right to Piggyback. To the extent the Company does not maintain an effective registration statement for any portion of the SALT Registrable Securities at any time during the Effectiveness Period, if the Company proposes to register any of its common equity securities under the Securities Act (other than a registration statement on Form S-8 or on Form F-4 or any similar successor forms thereto or in connection with (A) an employee stock option, stock purchase or compensation plan or securities issued or issuable pursuant to any such plan, (B) a dividend reinvestment plan or (C) a merger or the acquisition of the securities or substantially all the assets of another entity), whether for its own account or for the account of one or more shareholders of the Company, and the registration form to be used may be used for any registration of SALT Registrable Securities (a "Piggyback Registration"), the Company shall give prompt written notice to all Holders of its intention to effect such a registration and shall, subject to Sections 2(a)(ii) and 2(c), include in such registration all such SALT Registrable Securities with respect to which the Company has received written requests for inclusion therein within fifteen (15) Business Days after the delivery of the Company's notice. The Company may postpone or withdraw the filing or the effectiveness of a Piggyback Registration at any time in its sole discretion.
(c) Priority on Primary Piggyback Registrations. If, (i) as a result of applicable law or based upon comments received by the Commission, all of the securities to be included in the registration statement for any Piggyback Registration initiated as a primary registration on behalf of the Company, cannot be so included, or (ii) a Piggyback Registration is an underwritten primary registration on behalf of the Company, and the managing underwriters advise the Company in writing that in their opinion the number of securities requested to be included in
such registration exceeds the number which can be sold in such offering without having an adverse effect on such offering, then the Company shall include in such registration statement (x) first, 100% of the securities that the Company proposes to sell, (y) second, such number of SALT Registrable Securities requested to be included therein (allocated pro rata among the Holders based on the relative number of such SALT Registrable Securities then held by each such Holder or in such manner as they may otherwise agree) and (iii) third, and only if all of the SALT Registrable Securities referred to in clause (ii) have been included in such registration, any other securities eligible for inclusion in such registration.
(d) Priority on Secondary Piggyback Registrations. If, (i) as a result of applicable law or based upon comments received by the Commission, all of the securities to be included in the registration statement for any Piggyback Registration initiated as a secondary registration on behalf of a holder of the Company's securities other than SALT Registrable Securities, cannot be so included or (ii) a Piggyback Registration is an underwritten secondary registration on behalf of a holder of the Company's securities other than SALT Registrable Securities, and the managing underwriters advise the Company in writing that, in their opinion, the number of securities requested to be included in such registration statement exceeds the number which can be sold in such offering without having an adverse effect on such offering, the Company shall include in such registration (x) first, 100% of the securities that the Company proposes to sell, (y) second, such number of SALT Registrable Securities requested to be included therein (allocated pro rata among the Holders based on the relative number of such SALT Registrable Securities then held by each such Holder or in such manner as they may otherwise agree) and (iii) third, and only if all of the SALT Registrable Securities referred to in clause (ii) have been included in such registration, any other securities eligible for inclusion in such registration.
(e) Other Registrations. If the Company has previously filed a Registration Statement with respect to the SALT Registrable Securities, and if such previous registration has not been withdrawn or abandoned, the Company shall not be obligated to cause to become effective any other registration of any of its securities under the Securities Act, whether on its own behalf or at the request of any holder or holders of such securities. Notwithstanding any provision in this agreement, the rights, including the priority rights enumerated in this Registration Rights Agreement are subject, to the extent applicable, to the terms and conditions of the Existing Registration Rights Agreement.
3. Registration Procedures.
In connection with the Company's registration obligations hereunder, the Company shall:
(a) Not less than two (2) Business Days prior to the filing of the Registration Statement or any related Prospectus or any amendment or supplement thereto, (i) furnish to the Holders copies of all such documents proposed to be filed (including documents incorporated or deemed incorporated by reference to the extent requested by such person and not already filed by the Company with the Commission) which documents will be subject to the review of such Holders, and (ii) cause its officers and directors, counsel and independent certified public accountants to respond to such inquiries as shall be necessary, in the reasonable opinion of respective legal counsel to conduct a reasonable investigation within the meaning of the Securities Act. The Company shall not file the Registration Statement or any such Prospectus or any amendments or supplements thereto to which the Holders of a majority of the SALT Registrable Securities shall reasonably object in good faith; provided, however, that any period of time which the Registration Statement is delayed due to a willful breach of this Registration Rights Agreement by the Company will be added to such filing date.
(b) (i) Prepare and file with the Commission such amendments, including post-effective amendments, to the Registration Statement and the Prospectus used in connection therewith as may be necessary to keep the Registration Statement continuously effective as to the SALT Registrable Securities for the Effectiveness Period; (ii) cause the related Prospectus to be amended or supplemented by any required Prospectus supplement, and as so supplemented or amended to be filed pursuant to Rule 424; (iii) consistent with Section 2(a) above, respond as promptly as reasonably possible to any comments received from the Commission with respect to the Registration Statement or any amendment thereto; and (iv) comply in all material respects with the provisions of the Securities Act and the Exchange Act with respect to the disposition of all SALT Registrable Securities covered by the Registration
Statement in accordance with the intended methods of disposition by the Holders thereof set forth in the Registration Statement as so amended or in such Prospectus as so supplemented.
(c) Notify the Holders of SALT Registrable Securities to be sold as promptly as reasonably possible (and, in the case of (i)(A) below, not less than two (2) Business Days prior to such filing) and (if requested by any such person) confirm such notice in writing promptly following the day (i) (A) when a Prospectus or any Prospectus supplement or post-effective amendment to the Registration Statement is proposed to be filed; (B) when the Commission notifies the Company whether there will be a "review" of the Registration Statement and whenever the Commission comments in writing on the Registration Statement (the Company shall upon request provide true and complete copies thereof and all written responses thereto as promptly as reasonably possible to each of the Holders who so requests provided such requesting Holders agree to keep such information confidential until it is publicly disclosed); and (C) with respect to the Registration Statement or any post-effective amendment, when the same has become effective; (ii) of any request by the Commission or any other Federal or state governmental authority during the period of effectiveness of the Registration Statement for amendments or supplements to the Registration Statement or Prospectus or for additional information; (iii) of the issuance by the Commission or any other federal or state governmental authority of any stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement covering any or all of the SALT Registrable Securities or the initiation of any Proceedings for that purpose; (iv) of the receipt by the Company of any notification with respect to the suspension of the qualification or exemption from qualification of any of the SALT Registrable Securities for sale in any jurisdiction, or the initiation or threatening of any Proceeding for such purpose, and (v) of the occurrence of any event or passage of time that makes the financial statements included in the Registration Statement ineligible for inclusion therein or any statement made in the Registration Statement or Prospectus or any document incorporated or deemed to be incorporated therein by reference untrue in any material respect or that requires any revisions to the Registration Statement, Prospectus or other documents so that, in the case of the Registration Statement or the Prospectus, as the case may be, it will not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein, in light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading (provided that such Holder of SALT Registrable Securities agrees to keep such information confidential until it is publicly disclosed).
(d) Use its commercially reasonable efforts to avoid the issuance of, or, if issued, obtain the withdrawal of (i) any order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement, or (ii) any suspension of the qualification (or exemption from qualification) of any of the SALT Registrable Securities for sale in any jurisdiction, at the earliest practicable moment.
(e) To the extent requested by such Holders, furnish to each Holder, without charge, at least one conformed copy of the Registration Statement and each amendment thereto, including financial statements and schedules promptly after the filing of such documents with the Commission.
(f) Promptly deliver to each Holder, without charge, as many copies of the Prospectus or Prospectuses (including each form of prospectus) and each amendment or supplement thereto as such persons may reasonably request in connection with resales by the Holder of SALT Registrable Securities. The Company hereby consents to the use of such Prospectus and each amendment or supplement thereto by each of the selling Holders in connection with the offering and sale of the SALT Registrable Securities covered by such Prospectus and any amendment or supplement thereto, except after the giving of any notice pursuant to Section 3(c).
(g) Use its commercially reasonable efforts to register or qualify or cooperate with the selling Holders in connection with the registration or qualification (or exemption from the Registration or qualification) of such SALT Registrable Securities for the resale by the Holder under the securities or Blue Sky laws of such jurisdictions within the United States as any Holder reasonably requests in writing, to keep each of the registration or qualification (or exemption therefrom) effective during the Effectiveness Period and to do any and all other acts or things reasonably necessary to enable the disposition in such jurisdictions of the SALT Registrable Securities covered by the Registration Statement; provided, that the Company shall not be required to qualify generally to do business in any jurisdiction where it is not then so qualified, subject the Company to any material tax in any such jurisdiction where it is not then so subject or file a general consent to service of process in any such jurisdiction.
(h) If requested by the Holders, cooperate with the Holders to facilitate the timely preparation and delivery of certificates representing SALT Registrable Securities to be delivered to a transferee that were validly sold pursuant to an effective Registration Statement, which certificates shall be free, of all restrictive legends, and to enable such SALT Registrable Securities to be in such denominations and registered in such names as any such Holders may request.
(i) Upon the occurrence of any event contemplated by Section 3(c)(v), as promptly as reasonably possible, prepare a supplement or amendment, including a post-effective amendment, to the Registration Statement or a supplement to the related Prospectus or any document incorporated or deemed to be incorporated therein by reference, and file any other required document so that, as thereafter delivered, neither the Registration Statement nor such Prospectus will contain an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein, in light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading.
The Company may require each selling Holder to furnish to the Company a certified statement as to the number of shares of Common Stock beneficially owned by such Holder and the person thereof that has voting and dispositive control over the Warrant Shares, for purposes of disclosure in the "Selling Stockholder" table in the Registration Statement.
4. Registration Expenses. All fees and expenses incident to the performance of or compliance with this Registration Rights Agreement by the Company shall be borne by the Company whether or not any SALT Registrable Securities are sold pursuant to the Registration Statement. The fees and expenses referred to in the foregoing sentence shall include, without limitation, (i) all registration and filing fees (including, without limitation, fees and expenses (A) with respect to filings required to be made with the Trading Market on which the Common Stock is then listed for trading, and (B) for compliance with applicable state securities or Blue Sky laws), (ii) printing expenses (including, without limitation, expenses of printing certificates for SALT Registrable Securities and of printing prospectuses if the printing of prospectuses is reasonably requested by the Holders of a majority of the SALT Registrable Securities included in the Registration Statement), (iii) messenger, telephone and delivery expenses and (iv) fees and disbursements of counsel for the Company, (v) Securities Act liability insurance, if the Company so desires such insurance, fees and expenses of all other persons retained by the Company in connection with the consummation of the transactions contemplated by this Registration Rights Agreement. In addition, the Company shall be responsible for all of its internal and accounting expenses incurred in connection with the consummation of the transactions contemplated by this Registration Rights Agreement (including, without limitation, all salaries and expenses of its officers and employees performing legal or accounting duties and all fees and expenses of the Company's certified public accountants), the expense of the preparation of all financial statements and any audit or review thereof by the Company's accountants, including in connection with their rendering a "cold comfort" letter to the underwriters, if requested. In no event shall the Company be responsible for any broker, underwriter or similar commissions or any taxes, legal fees or other costs of the Holders.
5. Indemnification.
(a) Indemnification by the Company. The Company shall indemnify and hold harmless each Holder, the officers, directors, agents and employees of each of them, each person who controls any such Holder (within the meaning of Section 15 of the Securities Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act), and the officers, directors, agents and employees of each such controlling person, to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, from and against any and all losses, claims, damages, liabilities, costs (including, without limitation, reasonable attorneys' fees) and expenses (collectively, "Losses"), as incurred, to the extent arising out of or relating to any untrue or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in the Registration Statement, any Prospectus or any form of prospectus or in any amendment or supplement thereto or in any preliminary prospectus, or arising out of or relating to any omission or alleged omission of a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein (in the case of any Prospectus or form of prospectus or supplement thereto, in light of the circumstances under which they were made) not misleading, or any violation or alleged violation by the Company of the Securities Act, Exchange Act or any state securities law, or any rule or regulation thereunder, except to the extent, but only to the extent, that (1) such untrue statements or omissions are based upon information regarding such Holder furnished in writing to the Company by such Holder expressly for use therein, or to the extent that such information relates to such Holder or
such Holder's proposed method of distribution of SALT Registrable Securities as set forth in the Plan of Distribution approved by such Holder expressly for use in the Registration Statement, such Prospectus or such form of Prospectus or in any amendment or supplement thereto, or (2) such Holder used an outdated or defective Prospectus after the Company has notified such Holder in writing that the Prospectus is outdated or defective including after receipt by such Holder of the Advice contemplated in Section 6(b) or the Suspension Certificate contemplated in Section 6(d).
(b) Indemnification by Holders. Each Holder shall, severally and not jointly, indemnify and hold harmless the Company, its officers, directors, agents and employees, each person who controls the Company (within the meaning of Section 15 of the Securities Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act), and the officers, directors, agents and employees of each such controlling person, to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, from and against any and all Losses, as incurred, to the extent arising out of or based upon: (1) such Holder's failure to comply with the prospectus delivery requirements of the Securities Act or (2) any untrue or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in the Registration Statement, any Prospectus or any form of prospectus or in any amendment or supplement thereto or in any preliminary prospectus, or arising out of or relating to any omission or alleged omission of a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein (in the case of any Prospectus or form of prospectus or supplement thereto, in light of the circumstances under which they were made) not misleading to the extent, but only to the extent, that such untrue statement or omission is contained in any information so furnished in writing by such Holder to the Company specifically for inclusion in the Registration Statement or such Prospectus expressly for use therein, or (3) the use by such Holder of an outdated or defective Prospectus; provided that such use by the Holder is after the Company has notified such Holder in writing that the Prospectus is outdated or defective including after receipt by such Holder of the Advice contemplated in Section 6(b) or the Suspension Certificate contemplated in Section 6(d).
(c) Conduct of Indemnification Proceedings. If any Proceeding shall be brought or asserted against any person entitled to indemnity hereunder (an "Indemnified Party"), such Indemnified Party shall promptly notify the person from whom indemnity is sought (the "Indemnifying Party") in writing, and the Indemnifying Party shall have the right to assume the defense thereof, including the employment of counsel reasonably satisfactory to the Indemnified Party and the payment of all fees and expenses incurred in connection with defense thereof; provided, that the failure of any Indemnified Party to give such notice shall not relieve the Indemnifying Party of its obligations or liabilities pursuant to this Registration Rights Agreement, except (and only) to the extent that it shall be finally determined by a court of competent jurisdiction (which determination is not subject to appeal or further review) that such failure shall have prejudiced the Indemnifying Party.
An Indemnified Party shall have the right to employ separate counsel in any such Proceeding and to participate in the defense thereof, but the fees and expenses of such counsel shall be at the expense of such Indemnified Party or Parties unless: (1) the Indemnifying Party has agreed in writing to pay such fees and expenses; (2) the Indemnifying Party shall have failed promptly to assume the defense of such Proceeding and to employ counsel reasonably satisfactory to such Indemnified Party in any such Proceeding; or (3) the named parties to any such Proceeding (including any impleaded parties) include both such Indemnified Party and the Indemnifying Party, and such Indemnified Party shall have been advised by counsel that a conflict of interest is reasonably likely to exist if the same counsel were to represent such Indemnified Party and the Indemnifying Party (in which case, if such Indemnified Party notifies the Indemnifying Party in writing that it elects to employ separate counsel at the expense of the Indemnifying Party, the Indemnifying Party shall not have the right to assume the defense thereof and the reasonable fees and expenses of no more than one separate counsel (the Indemnified Party's counsel who first notifies the Company of such obligation) shall be at the expense of the Indemnifying Party). The Indemnifying Party shall not be liable for any settlement of any such Proceeding effected without its written consent. No Indemnifying Party shall, without the prior written consent of the Indemnified Party, effect any settlement of any pending Proceeding in respect of which any Indemnified Party is a party, unless such settlement includes an unconditional release of such Indemnified Party from all liability on claims that are the subject matter of such Proceeding.
All reasonable fees and expenses of the Indemnified Party (including reasonable fees and expenses to the extent incurred in connection with investigating or preparing to defend such Proceeding in a manner not inconsistent with this Section) shall be paid to the Indemnified Party, as incurred, within ten (10) Business Days of written notice thereof to the Indemnifying Party; provided, that the Indemnified Party shall promptly reimburse the Indemnifying
Party for that portion of such fees and expenses applicable to such actions for which such Indemnified Party is not entitled to indemnification hereunder, determined based upon the relative faults of the parties.
(d) Contribution. If a claim for indemnification under Section 5(a) or 5(b) is unavailable to an Indemnified Party (by reason of public policy or otherwise), then each Indemnifying Party, in lieu of indemnifying such Indemnified Party, shall contribute to the amount paid or payable by such Indemnified Party as a result of such Losses, in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect the relative fault of the Indemnifying Party and Indemnified Party in connection with the actions, statements or omissions that resulted in such Losses as well as any other relevant equitable considerations. The relative fault of such Indemnifying Party and Indemnified Party shall be determined by reference to, among other things, whether any action in question, including any untrue or alleged untrue statement of a material fact or omission or alleged omission of a material fact, has been taken or made by, or relates to information supplied by, such Indemnifying Party or Indemnified Party, and the parties' relative intent, knowledge, access to information and opportunity to correct or prevent such action, statement or omission. The amount paid or payable by a party as a result of any Losses shall be deemed to include, subject to the limitations set forth in Section 5(c), any reasonable attorneys' or other reasonable fees or expenses incurred by such party in connection with any Proceeding to the extent such party would have been indemnified for such fees or expenses if the indemnification provided for in this Section was available to such party in accordance with its terms.
The parties hereto agree that it would not be just and equitable if contribution pursuant to this Section 5(d) were determined by pro rata allocation or by any other method of allocation that does not take into account the equitable considerations referred to in the immediately preceding paragraph. Notwithstanding the provisions of this Section 5(d), no Holder shall be required to contribute, in the aggregate, any amount in excess of the amount by which the proceeds actually received by such Holder from the sale of the SALT Registrable Securities subject to the Proceeding exceeds the amount of any damages that such Holder has otherwise been required to pay by reason of such untrue or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged omission, except in the case of fraud by such Holder. The indemnity and contribution agreements contained in this Section are in addition to any liability that the Indemnifying Parties may have to the Indemnified Parties.
6. Miscellaneous.
(a) Compliance. Each Holder covenants and agrees that it will comply with the prospectus delivery requirements of the Securities Act as applicable to it in connection with sales of SALT Registrable Securities pursuant to the Registration Statement.
(b) Discontinued Disposition. Each Holder agrees by its acquisition of such SALT Registrable Securities that, upon receipt of a notice from the Company of the occurrence of any event of the kind described in Section 3(c), such Holder will forthwith discontinue disposition of such SALT Registrable Securities under the Registration Statement until such Holder's receipt of the copies of the supplemented Prospectus and/or amended Registration Statement or until it is advised in writing (the "Advice") by the Company that the use of the applicable Prospectus may be resumed, and, in either case, has received copies of any additional or supplemental filings that are incorporated or deemed to be incorporated by reference in such Prospectus or Registration Statement. In the event of a discontinued disposition under this Section 6(b), the Company will use its commercially reasonable efforts to ensure that the use of the Prospectus may be resumed as promptly as is practicable and to provide copies of the supplemented Prospectus and/or amended Registration Statement or the Advice as soon as possible in order to enable each Holder to resume dispositions of the SALT Registrable Securities. The Company may provide appropriate stop orders to enforce the provisions of this paragraph.
(c) Amendments in Writing. No amendment, modification, waiver, termination or discharge of any provision of this Registration Rights Agreement, or any consent to any departure by the Company and any Holder of the then outstanding SALT Registrable Securities from any provision hereof, shall in any event be effective unless the same shall be in writing and signed by the Company and SALT, and each such amendment, modification, waiver, termination or discharge shall be effective only in the specific instance and for the specific purpose for which given. No provision of this Registration Rights Agreement shall be varied, contradicted or explained by any oral agreement, course of dealing or performance or any other matter not set forth in an agreement in writing and signed by the Company and SALT.
(d) Suspension of Trading. At any time after the SALT Registrable Securities are covered by an effective Registration Statement, the Company may deliver to the Holders of such SALT Registrable Securities a certificate (the "Suspension Certificate") approved by the Chief Executive Officer, Chief Financial Officer or Chief Operating Officer of the Company and signed by an officer of the Company stating that the effectiveness of and sales of SALT Registrable Securities under the Registration Statement would:
(i) materially interfere with any transaction that would require the Company to prepare financial statements under the Securities Act that the Company would otherwise not be required to prepare in order to comply with its obligations under the Exchange Act, or
(ii) require public disclosure of any transaction of the type discussed in Section 6(d)(i) prior to the time such disclosure might otherwise be required.
After the delivery of a Suspension Certificate by Holders of SALT Registrable Securities, the Company may, in its discretion, require such Holders of SALT Registrable Securities to refrain from selling or otherwise transferring or disposing of any SALT Registrable Securities or other Company securities then held by such Holders for a specified period of time that is customary under the circumstances (not to exceed thirty (30) days. Notwithstanding the foregoing sentence, the Company shall be permitted to cause Holders of SALT Registrable Securities to so refrain from selling or otherwise transferring or disposing of any SALT Registrable Securities or other securities of the Company on only one occasion during the Effectiveness Period. The Company may impose stop transfer instructions to enforce any required agreement of the Holders under this Section 6(d).
(e) Notices. All notices, requests, consents and other communications under this Registration Rights Agreement shall be in writing and shall be deemed delivered (i) on the date of transmission when delivered via facsimile prior to 5:00 p.m. (New York City time) on a Business Day, (ii) one Business Day after transmission when delivered via facsimile later than 5:00 p.m. (New York City time) on any date and earlier than 11:59 p.m. (New York City time) on such date, (iii) upon delivery when delivered personally, (iv) three (3) days after being sent by registered or certified mail, return receipt requested, postage prepaid, or (v) one (1) Business Day after being sent via a reputable nationwide overnight courier service guaranteeing next business day delivery, in each case to the intended recipient as set forth below:
If to the Company:
Star Bulk Carriers Corp.
c/o Star Bulk Management Inc.
40 Agiou Konstantinou Str.
Maroussi 15124
Athens, Greece
Attention: General Counsels
Email: Compliance@starbulk.com
With a copy (which shall not constitute notice) to:
Seward & Kissel LLP
One Battery Park Plaza
New York, NY 10004
Attention: Keith J. Billotti, Esq.
Email: billotti@sewkis.com
If to SALT, to:
Scorpio Bulkers Inc.
150 E. 58th Street
New York, New York 10022
Attention: Hugh Baker
Email: HBaker@scorpiogroup.net
With a copy to:
Seward & Kissel LLP
One Battery Park Plaza
New York, NY 10004
Attention: Edward Horton, Esq.
Email: Horton@sewkis.com
Any party may change the address to which notices, requests, consents or other communications hereunder are to be delivered by giving the other parties notice in the manner set forth in this Section.
(f) Successors and Assigns. This Registration Rights Agreement shall be binding upon, shall inure to the benefit of and shall be enforceable by the parties hereto and their respective successors and assigns. The Company may not assign its rights or obligations hereunder without the prior written consent of all of the Holders of the then-outstanding SALT Registrable Securities, provided a sale of the Company shall not be deemed an assignment. SALT may assign its rights hereunder to a purchaser or transferee of SALT Registrable Securities; provided, that (i) the Company is furnished a written notice of the name and address of such transferee or assignee and the SALT Registrable Securities with respect to which such registration rights are being assigned; (ii) such purchaser or transferee shall, as a condition to the effectiveness of such assignment, be required to execute a counterpart to this Registration Rights Agreement agreeing to be treated as a Holder whereupon such purchaser or transferee shall have the benefits of, and shall be subject to the restrictions contained in, this Registration Rights Agreement as if such purchaser or transferee was originally included in the definition of an Holder herein and had originally been a party hereto; and (iii) the transferee is an Affiliate of SALT at the time of transfer.
(g) Execution in Counterparts; Facsimile Signatures. This Registration Rights Agreement and any amendment, waiver or consent hereto may be executed by the parties hereto in separate counterparts, each of which, when so executed and delivered, shall be an original, but all such counterparts shall together constitute one and the same instrument. All such counterparts may be delivered among the parties hereto by facsimile or other electronic transmission, which shall not affect the validity thereof.
(h) Governing Law; Jurisdiction. This Registration Rights Agreement shall be governed by and construed under the laws of the State of New York without regard to conflicts of laws principles. Any action or proceeding seeking to enforce any provision of, or based on any right arising out of, this Registration Rights Agreement shall be brought against the parties hereto or thereto in the courts of the State of New York, County of New York, or, if it has or can acquire jurisdiction, in the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York, and each of the parties consents to the exclusive jurisdiction of such courts (and of the appropriate appellate courts) in any such action or proceeding and waives any objection to venue laid therein. The parties hereby expressly waive all rights to trial by jury in any suit, action or proceeding arising under this Registration Rights Agreement.
(i) Cumulative Remedies. All remedies, either under this Registration Rights Agreement or by law, afforded to the parties hereto, shall be cumulative and not alternative.
(j) Severability. Any provision of this Registration Rights Agreement, which is prohibited or unenforceable in any jurisdiction shall, as to such jurisdiction, be ineffective to the extent of such prohibition or unenforceability without invalidating the remaining provisions hereof or affecting the validity or enforceability of such provision in any other jurisdiction.
(k) Section Headings and References. The section headings are for the convenience of the parties and in no way alter, modify, amend, limit or restrict the contractual obligations of the parties. Any reference in this Registration Rights Agreement to a particular section or subsection shall refer to a section or subsection of this Registration Rights Agreement, unless specified otherwise.
(l) Termination. This Registration Rights Agreement shall terminate automatically and be null and void upon the termination of the Master Agreement pursuant to the terms thereof and upon the expiration of the Effectiveness Period.
[Remainder of page intentionally left blank; Signature pages follow]
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have executed this Registration Rights Agreement on the date first written above.
| | THE COMPANY: |
| | STAR BULK CARRIERS CORP. |
| | By: | /s/ Simos Spyrou
| |
| | | Name: Simos Spyrou
|
| | | Title: Co CFO
|
[SALT Signature page follows]
| | SCORPIO BULKERS INC. |
| | By: | /s/ Cameron K. Mackey | |
| | | Name: Cameron K. Mackey |
| | | Title: Chief Operating Officer |
