Quarterlytics / Industrials / Marine Shipping / Performance Shipping Inc.

Performance Shipping Inc.

pshg · NASDAQ Industrials
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Ticker pshg
Exchange NASDAQ
Sector Industrials
Industry Marine Shipping
Employees 51-200
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FY2020 Annual Report · Performance Shipping Inc.
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ANNUAL
REPORT 2020

Performance
Shipping Inc.

ANNUAL REPORT
2020 

OF

PERFORMANCE 
SHIPPING INC.

Aframax Tanker Vessels

Name of Vessel

Size (dwt)

Year Built

Builder

BLUE MOON 
(ex Maersk Jeddah)

104.623

2011

Sumitomo heavy industries 
marine & engineering co., Ltd. 

BRIOLETTE 
(ex Maersk Jamnagar)

104.588

2011

Sumitomo Heavy Industries 
Marine & Engineering Co., LTD. 

P. FOS  
(ex Virgo Sun)

115.577

2007

Sasebo Heavy Industries Co. Ltd

P. KIKUMA 
(ex FSL Shanghai)

115.915

2007

Samsung Heavy Industries Co 
Ltd., Geoje, South Korea

P. YANBU 
(ex Kalamas)

105.391

2011

Sumitomo Heavy Industries 
Marine & Engineering Co., LTD. 

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LETTER FROM THE CHAIRMAN OF THE BOARD  
OF DIRECTORS

For Performance Shipping Inc. – and for individuals and organizations around the world – the events 
of 2020 were overshadowed by the COVID-19 pandemic. We are deeply grateful for the fundamental 
strength and resiliency of our Company, and for the dedication, perseverance and professionalism of our 
entire team, which enabled us to navigate the Coronavirus challenges in a safe and sustainable manner.

Net  income  from  continuing  and  discontinued  operations  attributable  to  common  stockholders  for 
2020  was  $5.2  million,  or  $1.06  per  fully  diluted  share,  including  a  one-time  gain  of  $1.5  million 
from  the  repurchase  of  Series  C  Preferred  shares. This  compared  to  a  net  loss  from  continuing  and 
discontinued operations attributable to common stockholders for 2019 of $32.1 million, or a loss per 
share of $11.19, including $31.6 million of impairment charges for three vessels and $0.1 million of loss 
on the sale of two vessels arising from the transition of the fleet. Voyage and time charter revenues for 
2020 amounted to $46.3 million, compared to $26.8 million for 2019. The Company ended 2020 with 
cash and equivalents of $21.4 million.

Advancing Our Strategy

Despite  the  impact  of  the  pandemic  on  the  global  economy  and  shipping  markets  during  the  past 
year,  Performance  Shipping  continued  its  transition  to  a  pure  tanker  vessel  company. Among  the 
key  developments  of  2020,  the  Company  divested  its  remaining  containerships  and  assembled  an 
all-Aframax tanker fleet. We simplified and fortified the balance sheet, initiated a variable quarterly 
dividend policy, and appointed a new management team. Reflecting the Company’s new branding and 
strategy, our trading symbol on the Nasdaq Capital Market changed to “PSHG” on March 30, 2020.

Strengthening Our Financial Position

Providing the Company with a strong, simplified balance sheet to support our future growth has been 
another strategic objective. This was accomplished in 2020 through the repurchase and cancellation of 
all outstanding Series C Preferred voting shares from Diana Shipping Inc. in March, and the repurchase 
and cancellation of the remaining issued and outstanding Series B-2 Preferred Convertible Shares from 
an unaffiliated third party in April. To optimize our debt structure, we obtained a new amortizing term 
loan facility of up to $31.5 million with Piraeus Bank S.A. Proceeds from this facility were used to 
refinance an existing term loan facility for two of our vessels, and to partially finance the acquisition of 
our fifth Aframax tanker vessel. In addition, the Company obtained approval from Nordea Bank Abp, 
filial i Norge to amend an existing credit facility to reduce the quarterly installments on a remaining 
$28.1 million term loan secured by two tanker vessels.

To ensure that Performance Shipping will continue to have strong leadership to realize the potential 
of  our  new  strategies,  in  October  2020  the  Board  elevated  Mr.  Andreas  Michalopoulos  to  Chief 
Executive  Officer,  from  his  prior  roles  as  Deputy  Chief  Executive  Officer  (since  2019)  and  Chief 
Financial  Officer  (since  our  inception  in  2010).  Simultaneously,  I  retired  from  the  CEO  position, 
while remaining Chairman of the Board of Directors. Mr. Anthony Argyropoulos, an executive with 
extensive investment banking and financial advisory experience in the shipping industry, has joined 
the Company as Chief Financial Officer.

Moving Forward

The  execution  of  our  business  strategy  has  allowed  us  to  gradually  transition  to  becoming  a  pure 
tanker vessel owning company, with the financial structure and resources to support our growth plans, 
and  a  management  team  whose  interests  are  closely  aligned  with  shareholders  due  to  a  significant 
ownership stake.

Sincerely,  
Symeon P. Palios

 
 
LETTER FROM OUR CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER

2020 was a year of enormous challenges across the globe. It was a year that tested the resilience of 
millions in ways that they could not have imagined. It was a year where we all worked methodically to 
step up and adopt new measures and solutions in no time.

Since the outbreak of COVID-19, Performance Shipping Inc. was able to respond quickly and transition, 
with a disciplined and focused approach, to digitalized remote work, thereby prioritizing the safety of 
our shore personnel and ensuring our operations kept running smoothly. 

We are aware that, due to global containment measures, quarantine, travel restrictions, and delays in 
crew rotations, our seafarers face heightened feelings of loneliness, fatigue, and stress. This is why, in 
2021, we joined the Neptune Declaration in an effort to resolve the ongoing crew change crisis. As part 
of our commitment to responsible and sustainable business, we are dedicated to providing a safe work 
environment and also one which is respectful and where all employees can grow. 

In 2020 we completed our strategic exit from the containership sector and transitioned to operating a 
pure tanker fleet. During the course of the year we took delivery of three tanker vessels, increasing the 
total number of vessels in our fleet to five Aframax tanker vessels. We are proud to have adapted and 
successfully taken delivery despite the challenges of the pandemic. 

We successfully executed several other initiatives during the year: We simplified our capital structure, 
leaving only common shares outstanding; we appointed a new management team; we implemented a 
new sustainability policy; we set clearly defined targets to improve energy efficiency, and; we initiated 
a new variable quarterly dividend policy coupled with our specific low leverage target and declared our 
first dividend.

Performance Shipping has emerged in a strong position to deliver long-term shareholder value. We are 
grateful for the loyalty of our shareholders and are confident in the prospects for the Company – and we 
look forward to reporting to you openly and transparently on our future progress.

Sincerely,  
Andreas Michalopoulos

 
 
This 2020 Annual Report of Performance Shipping Inc. (the “Company”) is substantially derived from the Company’s 
2020  Annual  Report  filed  on  Form  20-F  with  the  U.S.  Securities  and  Exchange  Commission  (the  “SEC”)  on  March 
5, 2021, which is available on the SEC’s website at www.sec.gov. Additional information, including documents filed as 
exhibits to the Company’s Form 20-F, is also available on the SEC’s website. 

TABLE OF CONTENTS

FORWARD - LOOKING STATEMENTS  

PART I 
Item 1.   

Item 2.   

Item 3.   

Item 4.   

Item 4A. 

Item 5.   

Item 6.   

Item 7.   

Item 8.   

Item 9.   

Item 10.  

Item 11.  

Item 12.  

PART II 
Item 13.  

Item 14.  

Item 15.  

Item 16A. 

Item 16B. 

Item 16C. 

Item 16D. 

Item 16E. 

Item 16F. 

Item 16G. 

Item 16H. 

PART III 
Item 17.  

Item 18.  

Item 19.  

Identity of Directors, Senior Management and Advisers 

Offer Statistics and Expected Timetable 

Key Information  

Information on the Company 

Unresolved Staff Comments 

Operating and Financial Review and Prospects 

Directors, Senior Management and Employees 

Major Shareholders and Related Party Transactions 

Financial information 

The Offer and Listing 

Additional Information 

Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosures about Market Risk  

Description of Securities Other than Equity Securities 

Defaults, Dividend Arrearages and Delinquencies   

Material Modifications to the Rights of Security Holders and Use of Proceeds 

Controls and Procedures   

Audit Committee Financial Expert 

Code of Ethics 

Principal Accountant Fees and Services 

Exemptions from the Listing Standards for Audit Committees 

Purchases of Equity Securities by the Issuer and Affiliated Purchasers 

Change in Registrant’s Certifying Accountant 

Corporate Governance 

Mine Safety Disclosure 

Financial Statements 

Financial Statements 

Exhibits  

8 

10
10

10

10

40

61

61

78

84

86

87

88

97

97

98

98

98

98

99

99

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100

100

101

101

101

101

101

101

102

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
FORWARD - LOOKING STATEMENTS

Matters  discussed  in  this  annual  report  and  the  documents  incorporated  by  reference  may 
constitute forward-looking statements. The Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 provides 
safe harbor protections for forward-looking statements in order to encourage companies to provide 
prospective information about their business. Forward-looking statements include, but are not limited 
to, statements concerning plans, objectives, goals, strategies, future events or performance, underlying 
assumptions and other statements, which are other than statements of historical facts.

Performance  Shipping  Inc.,  or  the  Company,  desires  to  take  advantage  of  the  safe  harbor 
provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 and is including this cautionary 
statement in connection with this safe harbor legislation. This document and any other written or oral 
statements  made  by  the  Company  or  on  its  behalf  may  include  forward-looking  statements,  which 
reflect its current views with respect to future events and financial performance, and are not intended to 
give any assurance as to future results. When used in this document, the words “believe,” “anticipate,” 
“intends,”  “estimate,”  “forecast,”  “project,”  “plan,”  “potential,”  “will,”  “may,”  “should,”  “expect,” 
“targets,” “likely,” “would,” “could,” “seeks,” “continue,” “possible,” “might,” “pending” and similar 
expressions, terms or phrases may identify forward-looking statements.

Please note in this annual report, “we,” “us,” “our,” and “the Company” all refer to Performance 

Shipping Inc. and its subsidiaries, unless the context requires otherwise.

The forward-looking statements in this document are based upon various assumptions, many 
of which are based, in turn, upon further assumptions, including without limitation, management’s 
examination of historical operating trends, data contained in its records and other data available from 
third  parties. Although  the  Company  believes  that  these  assumptions  were  reasonable  when  made, 
because these assumptions are inherently subject to significant uncertainties and contingencies which 
are difficult or impossible to predict and are beyond its control, the Company cannot assure you that it 
will achieve or accomplish these expectations, beliefs or projections.

Such statements reflect the Company’s current views with respect to future events and are subject 
to  certain  risks,  uncertainties  and  assumptions.  Should  one  or  more  of  these  risks  or  uncertainties 
materialize,  or  should  underlying  assumptions  prove  incorrect,  actual  results  may  vary  materially 
from those described herein as anticipated, believed, estimated, expected or intended. The Company 
is making investors aware that such forward-looking statements, because they relate to future events, 
are  by  their  very  nature  subject  to  many  important  factors  that  could  cause  actual  results  to  differ 
materially from those contemplated.

In addition to these important factors and matters discussed elsewhere herein, including under 
the  heading  “Item  3.  Key  Information  –  D.  Risk  Factors,”  and  in  the  documents  incorporated  by 
reference  herein,  important  factors  that,  in  its  view,  could  cause  actual  results  to  differ  materially 
from those discussed in the forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to: the strength of 
world economies, fluctuations in currencies and interest rates, general market conditions, including 
fluctuations  in  charter  rates  and  vessel  values,  changes  in  demand  in  the  tanker  shipping  industry, 
changes in the supply of vessels, changes in worldwide oil production and consumption and storage, 
changes in a operating expenses, including bunker prices, crew costs, drydocking and insurance costs, 
our future operating or financial results, availability of financing and refinancing and changes to our 
financial condition and liquidity, including our ability to pay amounts that it owes and obtain additional 
financing  to  fund  capital  expenditures,  acquisitions  and  other  general  corporate  activities  and  our 
ability  to  obtain  financing  and  comply  with  the  restrictions  and  other  covenants  in  our  financing 
arrangements, our ability to continue as a going concern, potential liability from pending or future 
litigation and potential costs due to environmental damage and vessel collisions, the market for our 
vessels, availability of skilled workers and the related labor costs, compliance with governmental, tax, 
environmental and safety regulation, any non-compliance with the U.S. Foreign Corrupt Practices Act 
of 1977 (FCPA) or other applicable regulations relating to bribery, the impact of the discontinuance 
of LIBOR after 2021 on interest rates of our debt that reference LIBOR, general economic conditions 
and conditions in the oil industry, effects of new products and new technology in our industry, the 
failure of counter parties to fully perform their contracts with us, our dependence on key personnel, 
adequacy of insurance coverage, our ability to obtain indemnities from customers, changes in laws, 
treaties or regulations, the volatility of the price of our common shares, our incorporation under the 
laws of the Marshall Islands and the different rights to relief that may be available compared to other 
countries, including the United States, changes in governmental rules and regulations or actions taken 
by regulatory authorities, general domestic and international political conditions or events, including 
“trade wars”, acts by terrorists or acts of piracy on ocean-going vessels, the length and severity of 
epidemics  and  pandemics,  including  the  ongoing  outbreak  of  the  novel  coronavirus  (COVID-19) 
and its impact on the demand for seaborne transportation of petroleum and other types of products, 
potential disruption of shipping routes due to accidents, labor disputes or political events, and other 
important factors described from time to time in the reports filed by the Company with the Securities 
and Exchange Commission, or the SEC.

This report may contain assumptions, expectations, projections, intentions, and beliefs about 
future events. These statements are intended as forward-looking statements. The Company may also, 
from time to time, make forward-looking statements in other documents and reports that are filed with 
or submitted to the Commission, in other information sent to the Company’s security holders, and 
in  other  written  materials. The  Company  also  cautions  that  assumptions,  expectations,  projections, 
intentions,  and  beliefs  about  future  events  may,  and  often  do,  vary  from  actual  results  and  the 
differences can be material. The Company undertakes no obligation to publicly update or revise any 
forward-looking  statement  contained  in  this  report,  whether  as  a  result  of  new  information,  future 
events, or otherwise, except as required by law.

11

PART I

Item 1.  IDENTITY OF DIRECTORS, SENIOR MANAGEMENT,  

AND ADVISERS Not Applicable.

Item 2. OFFER STATISTICS AND EXPECTED TIMETABLE Not Applicable.

Item 3. KEY INFORMATION

A. SELECTED FINANCIAL DATA Not Applicable.

B. CAPITALIZATION AND INDEBTEDNESS Not Applicable.

C. REASONS FOR THE OFFER AND USE OF PROCEEDS Not Applicable. 

D. RISK FACTORS

Some  of  the  following  risks  relate  principally  to  the  industry  in  which  we  operate  and  our  business  in  general.  
Other risks relate principally to the securities market and ownership of our common stock. The occurrence of any of the 
events described in this section could significantly and negatively affect our business, financial condition, or operating 
results, or the trading price of our common stock.

SUMMARY OF RISK FACTORS

•    The tanker vessel industry is cyclical and volatile, which may lead to reductions and volatility in the charter rates we are able 

to obtain, in tanker vessel values, and in our earnings and available cash flow.

•   An over-supply of tanker capacity may lead to a reduction in charter rates, tanker vessel values, and profitability.
•   Our results of operations are subject to seasonal fluctuations, which may adversely affect our financial condition.
•   The  current  state  of  the  global  financial  markets  and  current  economic  conditions  may  adversely  impact  our  results 
of operation, financial condition, cash flows, and ability to obtain financing or refinance our existing and future credit 
facilities on acceptable terms, which may negatively impact our business.

•    If  economic  conditions  throughout  the  world  continue  to  deteriorate  or  become  more  volatile,  it  could  impede  

our operations.

•   The U.K.’s withdrawal from the European Union may have a negative effect on global economic conditions, financial 

markets and our business.

•   Tanker vessel values may fluctuate due to economic and technological factors, which may adversely affect our financial 
condition, or result in the incurrence of a loss upon disposal of a tanker vessel, impairment losses, or increases in the cost 
of acquiring additional tanker vessels.

•   An increase in operating costs could adversely affect our cash flows and financial condition.
•   Rising fuel prices may adversely affect our profits.
•   Compliance with safety and other vessel requirements imposed by classification societies may be very costly and may 

adversely affect our business.

•   We are subject to regulation and liability under environmental laws that could require significant expenditures and affect 

our cash flows and net income.

•   We operate our tanker vessels worldwide and, as a result, our tanker vessels are exposed to international risks and inherent 

operational risks of the tanker vessel industry, which may adversely affect our business and financial condition.

•   Outbreaks  of  epidemic  and  pandemic  of  diseases,  such  as  the  ongoing  outbreak  of  COVID-19,  and  governmental 

responses thereto could adversely affect our business.

•   Acts of piracy on ocean-going vessels could adversely affect our business.
•   If our tanker vessels call on ports located in countries or territories that are the subject of sanctions or embargoes imposed 
by  the  U.S.  or  other  governmental  authorities,  it  could  lead  to  monetary  fines  or  penalties  and  adversely  affect  our 
reputation and the market for our common stock.

•   Failure  to  comply  with  the  U.S.  Foreign  Corrupt  Practices Act  of  1977,  or  the  FCPA,  could  result  in  fines,  criminal 

penalties, and an adverse effect on our business.

•   The smuggling of drugs or other contraband onto our tanker vessels may lead to governmental claims against us.

•   Maritime claimants could arrest or attach our tanker vessels, which would interrupt our business or have a negative effect 

on our cash flows.

•   The market values of our tanker vessels are highly volatile and may decline, which could limit the amount of funds that 

we can borrow and trigger breaches of certain financial covenants under our future loan facilities.

•   We are currently subject to litigation, and we may be subject to similar or other litigation in the future.
•   Our business, operating results, financial condition, and growth will depend on our ability to successfully charter our 

tanker vessels, for which we will face substantial competition.

•   We may be unable to locate suitable vessels or dispose of vessels at reasonable prices, which would adversely affect our 

ability to operate our business.

•   Our purchasing and operating secondhand vessels, and the aging of our fleet may result in increased operating costs and 

vessels off-hire, which could adversely affect our earnings.

•   There is a lack of historical operating history provided with our secondhand vessel acquisitions, and profitable operation 

of the vessels will depend on our skill and expertise.

•   Technical innovation and technical quality and efficiency requirements from our customers could reduce our charterhire 

income and the value of our tanker vessels.

•   The Public Company Accounting Oversight Board inspection of our independent accounting firm could lead to findings 

in our auditors’ reports and challenge the accuracy of our published audited consolidated financial statements.

•   Our ability to obtain debt financing in the future may be dependent on the performance of our then existing charters and 

the creditworthiness of our charterers.

•   We may be unable to attract and retain key management personnel and other employees in the shipping industry, which 

may negatively impact the effectiveness of our management and results of operations.

•   We recently underwent a transition with respect to certain of our directors and executive officers and this transition, along 
with the possibility that we may in the future be unable to retain and recruit qualified key executives, key employees or 
key consultants, may delay our development efforts or otherwise harm our business.

•   Ms. Aliki Paliou, one of our directors, may be deemed to beneficially own a significant percentage of our outstanding 
common shares, and accordingly, may exert considerable influence over us and may have interests that are different from 
the interests of our other shareholders.

•   We expect to continue to operate substantially outside the United States, which will expose us to political and governmental 

instability, which could harm our operations.

•   We generate all of our revenues in U.S. dollars and incur a portion of our expenses in other currencies, therefore, exchange 

rate fluctuations could have an adverse impact on our results of operations.

•   Volatility in the London Interbank Offered Rate, or LIBOR, could affect our profitability, earnings, and cash flow.
•   We may have to pay tax on United States source income, which would reduce our earnings.
•   We may be treated as a “passive foreign investment company,” which could have certain adverse U.S. federal income tax 

consequences to U.S. holders.

•   The international nature of our operations may make the outcome of any bankruptcy proceedings difficult to predict.
•   A cyber-attack could materially disrupt our business.
•   If we do not identify suitable vessels for acquisition or successfully integrate any acquired vessels, we may not be able to 

grow or to effectively manage our growth.

•   The  IMO  2020  regulations  may  cause  us  to  incur  substantial  costs  and  to  procure  low-sulfur  fuel  oil  directly  on  the 

wholesale market for storage at sea and onward consumption on our tanker vessels.

•   Climate change and greenhouse gas restrictions may adversely impact our operations and markets.
•   Increasing scrutiny and changing expectations from investors, lenders, and other market participants with respect to our 
Environmental, Social, and Governance (“ESG”) policies may impose additional costs on us or expose us to additional risks.
•   If we are unable to operate our tanker vessels profitably, we may be unsuccessful in competing in the highly competitive 
international  tanker  vessel  market,  which  would  negatively  affect  our  financial  condition  and  our  ability  to  expand  
our business.

•   Insurance may be difficult to obtain, or if obtained, may not be adequate to cover our losses that may result from our 

operations due to the inherent operational risks of the shipping industry.

•   Adverse  market  conditions  could  cause  us  to  breach  covenants  in  our  credit  facility  and  adversely  affect  our  

operating results.

•   A shift in consumer demand from crude oil towards other energy sources or changes to trade patterns for crude oil and 

refined petroleum products may have a material adverse effect on our business.

•   The market price of our common shares is subject to significant fluctuations. Further, there is no guarantee of a continuing 

public market for you to resell our common shares.

13

•   A  decline  in  the  closing  price  of  our  common  shares  could  result  in  a  breach  of  the  requirements  for  listing  
on the Nasdaq Capital Market, and our common shares could be delisted from the Nasdaq Capital Market, or trading  
could be suspended.

•   We cannot assure you that our board of directors will declare dividend payments in the future, or when such payment  

might occur.

•   Future offerings of debt securities and amounts outstanding under any future credit facilities or other borrowings, which 
would rank senior to our common stock upon our liquidation, and future offerings of equity securities, which would dilute 
our existing stockholders, may adversely affect the market value of our common stock.

•   We are a holding company, and we depend on the ability of our current and future subsidiaries to distribute funds to us in 

order to satisfy our financial obligations and to make dividend payments.

•   Because  we  are  a  foreign  corporation,  you  may  not  have  the  same  rights  or  protections  that  a  shareholder  in  a  U.S.  

corporation may have.

•   Future sales of our common stock could cause the market price of our common stock to decline.
•   As a key component of our business strategy, we intend to issue additional shares of common stock or other securities to 
finance our growth as market conditions warrant. These issuances, which would generally not be subject to shareholder 
approval, may lower your ownership interests and may depress the market price of our common stock.

•   It may not be possible for our investors to enforce judgments of U.S courts against us.
•   Anti-takeover  provisions  in  our  organizational  documents  could  make  it  difficult  for  our  shareholders  to  replace  or 
remove our current board of directors or have the effect of discouraging, delaying, or preventing a merger or acquisition, 
which could adversely affect the value of our securities.

INDUSTRY SPECIFIC RISK FACTORS

RISKS INCIDENT TO OUR NASCENT OPERATION IN THE TANKER VESSEL SECTOR

The tanker vessel industry is cyclical and volatile, which may lead to reductions and volatility in the charter rates we 
are able to obtain, in vessel values, and in our earnings and available cash flow

The tanker industry is both cyclical and volatile in terms of charter rates and profitability. For example, during the 
ten year period from 2011 through 2020, time charter equivalent, or TCE, spot rates for an Aframax tanker trading between 
Curacao and Texas City fluctuated between $6,620 to $59,490 per day. Periodic adjustments to the supply of and demand 
for oil tankers cause the industry to be cyclical in nature. We expect continued volatility in market rates for our vessels in 
the foreseeable future with a consequent effect on our short- and medium-term liquidity. A worsening of the current global 
economic conditions may adversely affect our ability to charter or re-charter our vessels or to sell them on the expiration or 
termination of their charters, or any renewal or replacement charters that we enter into may not be sufficient to allow us to 
operate our vessels profitably. Fluctuations in charter rates and vessel values result from changes in the supply and demand 
for tanker capacity and changes in the supply and demand for oil and oil products. The carrying values of our vessels may 
not represent their fair market values or the amount that could be obtained by selling the vessels at any point in time since 
the market prices of second-hand vessels tend to fluctuate with changes in charter rates and the cost of newbuildings.

 The factors affecting the supply and demand for tanker vessels are outside of our control, and the nature, timing, and 

degree of changes in industry conditions are unpredictable.

The factors that influence demand for tanker vessel capacity include:

•   supply and demand for energy resources and oil and petroleum products;
•   competition from, and supply and demand for, alternative sources of energy;
•   regional availability of refining capacity and inventories;
•   global and regional economic and political conditions and developments, including armed conflicts, terrorist activities, 

trade wars, tariffs embargoes, and strikes;

•   currency exchange rates;
•   changes in seaborne and other transportation patterns, including shifts in transportation demand between crude oil and 
refined oil products and the distance they are transported by sea and changes in the price of crude oil and changes to the 
West Texas Intermediate and Brent Crude Oil pricing benchmarks, and changes in trade patterns;

•   changes  in  governmental  or  maritime  self-regulatory  organizations’  rules  and  regulations  or  actions  taken  by  

regulatory authorities;

•   environmental and other legal and regulatory developments;
•   government subsidies of shipbuilding;
•   construction or expansion of new or existing pipelines or railways;
•   weather and natural disasters;
•   economic slowdowns caused by public health events such as the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic;
•   developments in international trade, including those relating to the imposition of tariffs;
•   changes in the production levels of crude oil (including in particular production by OPEC, the United States, and other 

key producers); and

•   international sanctions, embargoes, import and export restrictions, nationalizations, and wars.

The factors that influence the supply of tanker vessel capacity include:

•  demand for alternative sources of energy;
•  the number of newbuilding orders and deliveries;
•  the number of shipyards and availability of shipyards to deliver vessels;
•  vessel casualties;
•  the recycling of older vessels, depending, amongst other things, on recycling rates and international recycling regulations;
•  conversion of tanker vessels to other uses;
•  the number of vessels that are out of service, namely those that are laid up, dry-docked, awaiting repairs, or otherwise 

not available for hire;

•  availability of financing for new vessels;
•  changes in national or international regulations that may effectively cause reductions in the carrying capacity of vessels 

or early obsolescence of tonnages;

•  changes in environmental and other regulations that may limit the useful lives of vessels;
•  port or canal congestion and weather delays; and
•  sanctions (in particular, sanctions on Iran and Venezuela, amongst others).

Declines  in  crude  oil  and  natural  gas  prices  for  an  extended  period  of  time,  or  market  expectations  of  potential 
decreases in these prices, could negatively affect our future growth in the tanker vessel sector. Sustained periods of low oil 
and natural gas prices typically result in reduced exploration and extraction because oil and natural gas companies’ capital 
expenditure budgets are subject to cash flow from such activities and are therefore sensitive to changes in energy prices. 
These changes in commodity prices can have a material effect on demand for our services, and periods of low demand 
can cause excess vessel supply and intensify the competition in the industry, which often results in vessels, particularly 
older and less technologically-advanced vessels, being idle for long periods of time. We cannot predict the future level of 
demand for our services or future conditions of the oil and natural gas industry. Any decrease in exploration, development, 
or production expenditures by oil and natural gas companies could reduce our revenues and materially harm our business, 
results of operations, and cash available for distribution.

15

An over-supply of tanker capacity may lead to a reduction in charter rates, vessel values, and profitability.

The  market  supply  of  tanker  vessels  is  affected  by  a  number  of  factors,  such  as  supply  and  demand  for  energy 
resources, including oil and petroleum products, supply and demand for seaborne transportation of such energy resources, 
the current and expected price for newbuildings, and the number of vessels being recycled for scrap steel. If the capacity 
of new tanker vessels delivered exceeds the capacity of tanker vessels being recycled for scrap steel or converted to non-
trading tanker vessels, tanker vessel capacity will increase. If the supply of tanker vessel capacity increases and if the 
demand for tanker vessel capacity decreases or does not increase correspondingly, charter rates could materially decline. A 
reduction in charter rates and the value of our tanker vessels may have a material adverse effect on our results of operations 
and earnings and available cash, and our ability to comply with the covenants in our loan agreements.

Our results of operations are subject to seasonal fluctuations, which may adversely affect our financial condition.

We operate our vessels in markets that have historically exhibited seasonal variations in demand and, as a result, 
charter rates. Peaks in tanker vessel demand quite often precede seasonal oil consumption peaks, as refiners and suppliers 
anticipate consumer demand. Seasonal peaks in oil demand can broadly be classified into two main categories: (1) increased 
demand prior to Northern Hemisphere winters as heating oil consumption increases and (2) increased demand for gasoline 
prior  to  the  summer  driving  season  in  the  United  States.  Unpredictable  weather  patterns  and  variations  in  oil  reserves 
disrupt tanker scheduling. This seasonality may result in quarter-to-quarter volatility in our operating results, as many of 
our vessels trade in the spot market. Seasonal variations in tanker vessel demand will affect any spot market-related rates 
that we may receive.

The current state of the global financial markets and current economic conditions may adversely impact our results 
of operation, financial condition, cash flows, and ability to obtain financing or refinance our existing and future 
credit facilities on acceptable terms, which may negatively impact our business.

Global financial markets and economic conditions have been, and continue to be, volatile. Beginning in February 
2020,  due  in  part  to  fears  associated  with  the  spread  of  COVID-19  (as  more  fully  described  below),  global  financial 
markets experienced volatility and a steep and abrupt downturn followed by a recovery, which volatility may continue 
as the COVID-19 pandemic continues. Credit markets and the debt and equity capital markets have been distressed, and 
the uncertainty surrounding the future of the global credit markets has resulted in reduced access to credit worldwide, 
particularly for the shipping industry. These issues, along with significant write-offs in the financial services sector, the  
re-pricing of credit risk, and the uncertain economic conditions, have made, and may continue to make, it difficult to obtain 
additional financing. The current state of global financial markets and current economic conditions might adversely impact 
our ability to issue additional equity at prices that will not be dilutive to our existing shareholders or preclude us from 
issuing equity at all. Economic conditions may also adversely affect the market price of our common shares.

Also, as a result of concerns about the stability of financial markets generally and the solvency of counterparties 
specifically, the availability and cost of obtaining money from the public and private equity and debt markets has become 
more difficult. Many lenders have increased interest rates, enacted tighter lending standards, refused to refinance existing 
debt at all or on terms similar to current debt, and reduced, and in some cases ceased, to provide funding to borrowers 
and other market participants, including equity and debt investors, and some have been unwilling to invest on attractive 
terms  or  even  at  all.  Due  to  these  factors,  we  cannot  be  certain  that  financing  will  be  available  if  needed  and  to  the 
extent required or that we will be able to refinance our existing and future credit facilities on acceptable terms or at all. 
If financing or refinancing is not available when needed, or is available only on unfavorable terms, we may be unable to 
meet our obligations as they come due, or we may be unable to enhance our existing business, complete additional vessel 
acquisitions, or otherwise take advantage of business opportunities as they arise.

Credit markets in the United States and Europe have in the past experienced significant contraction, de-leveraging, 
and reduced liquidity, and there is a risk that the U.S. federal government and state governments, and European authorities 
continue to implement a broad variety of governmental action and/or new regulation of the financial markets. Global financial 
markets and economic conditions have been, and continue to be, disrupted and volatile. We face risks attendant to changes 
in economic environments, changes in interest rates, and instability in the banking and securities markets around the world, 
among other factors. Major market disruptions may adversely affect our business or impair our ability to borrow amounts 
under our credit facilities or any future financial arrangements. In the absence of available financing, we also may be unable 
to take advantage of business opportunities or respond to competitive pressures.

We face risks attendant to changes in economic environments, changes in interest rates, and instability in the banking 
and securities markets around the world, among other factors. We cannot predict how long the current market conditions 
will last. However, these recent and developing economic and governmental factors may have a material adverse effect on 
our results of operations and financial condition and may cause the price of our common shares to decline.

If economic conditions throughout the world continue to deteriorate or become more volatile, it could impede our 
operations.

The world economy faces a number of challenges, including the effects of volatile oil prices, trade tensions between 
the United States and China and between the United States and the European Union, continuing turmoil and hostilities in 
the Middle East, the Korean Peninsula, North Africa, Venezuela, Iran and other geographic areas and countries, continuing 
threat of terrorist attacks around the world, continuing instability and conflicts and other recent occurrences in the Middle 
East  and  in  other  geographic  areas  and  countries,  continuing  economic  weakness  in  the  European  Union,  or  the  E.U., 
and stabilizing growth in China, as well as significant public health concerns such as the COVID-19 pandemic. If U.S 
and world economic conditions weaken, the demand for energy, including crude oil and natural gas, may be negatively 
affected. There has historically been a strong link between the development of the world economy and demand for energy, 
including crude oil and natural gas.

Our ability to secure funding is dependent on well-functioning capital markets and on an appetite to provide funding 
to the shipping industry. If global economic conditions worsen or lenders for any reason decide not to provide debt financing 
to us, we may, among other things, not be able to secure additional financing to the extent required, on acceptable terms or 
at all. If additional financing is not available when needed, or is available only on unfavorable terms, we may be unable to 
meet our obligations as they come due, or we may be unable to enhance our existing business, complete additional vessel 
acquisitions or otherwise take advantage of business opportunities as they arise.

 In Europe, large sovereign debts and fiscal deficits, low growth prospects, and high unemployment rates in a number 
of countries have contributed to the rise of Eurosceptic parties, which would like their countries to leave the Euro. The exit 
of the United Kingdom, or the U.K., from the European Union, or the EU, as described more fully below, and potential 
new trade policies in the United States further increase the risk of additional trade protectionism.

In  China,  a  transformation  of  the  Chinese  economy  continues  to  be  underway,  as  China  transforms  from  a 
production-driven economy towards a service or consumer-driven economy. The Chinese economic transition implies that 
we expect challenges with the Chinese economy maintaining high levels of GDP growth rates in the near term. The annual 
year-over-year growth rate of China’s GDP was expected to be around 2% for the year ending December 31, 2020, as 
compared to 6.0 % for the year ending December 31, 2019. Furthermore, there is a continuing threat of a Chinese financial 
crisis  resulting  from  massive  personal  and  corporate  indebtedness  and  “trade  wars.” The  International  Monetary  Fund 
has warned that continuing trade tensions, including significant tariff increases, between the United States and China are 
expected to result in a cumulative reduction in global GDP. Additionally, following the emergence of COVID-19, industrial 
activity in China and other countries came to a quick halt in early 2020. The outbreak of COVID-19 initially had a very 
negative development for the Chinese economy and led to an economic contraction. While the Chinese economy has since 
recovered and is growing, we cannot assure you that the Chinese economy will not contract in the future.

 While  the  recent  developments  in  Europe  and  China  have  been  without  significant  immediate  impact  on 
our  charter  rates,  an  extended  period  of  deterioration  in  the  world  economy  could  reduce  the  overall  demand  for 
our  services.  Such  changes  could  adversely  affect  our  future  performance,  results  of  operations,  cash  flows,  and  
financial position.

 Further, governments may turn to trade barriers to protect their domestic industries against foreign imports, thereby 
depressing shipping demand. In particular, leaders in the United States have indicated that the United States may seek to 
implement more protective trade measures. The results of the 2020 presidential election in the United States have created 
significant  uncertainty  about  the  future  relationship  between  the  United  States,  China,  and  other  exporting  countries, 
including with respect to trade policies, treaties, government regulations, and tariffs. For example, in March 2018, former 
President Trump announced tariffs on imported steel and aluminum into the United States that could have a negative impact 
on international trade generally, and in January 2019, the United States announced sanctions against Venezuela, which 
may have an effect on its oil output and in turn affect global oil supply. However, it is not yet clear how the United States 
administration under President Biden may deviate from the former administration’s protectionist foreign trade policies. 

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Protectionist developments, or the perception that they may occur, may have a material adverse effect on global economic 
conditions, and may significantly reduce global trade. Moreover, increasing trade protectionism may cause an increase in 
(a) the cost of goods exported from regions globally, (b) the length of time required to transport goods, and (c) the risks 
associated with exporting goods. Such increases may significantly affect the quantity of goods to be shipped, shipping time 
schedules, voyage costs, and other associated costs, which could have an adverse impact on the shipping industry, and 
therefore, our charterers and their business, operating results and financial condition and could thereby affect their ability 
to make timely charter hire payments to us and to renew and increase the number of their time charters with us. This could 
have a material adverse effect on our business, results of operations, financial condition and our ability to pay any cash 
distributions to our shareholders.

Prospective investors should consider the potential impact, uncertainty, and risk associated with the development 
in the wider global economy. A further economic downturn in any of these countries could have a material effect on our 
future performance, results of operations, cash flows, and financial position.

The U.K.’s withdrawal from the European Union may have a negative effect on global economic conditions, financial 
markets and our business.

On June 23, 2016, in a referendum vote commonly referred to as “Brexit,” a majority of voters in the U.K. voted 
to exit the European Union. Since then, the U.K. and the EU have negotiated the terms of a withdrawal agreement, which 
was approved in October 2019 and ratified in January 2020. The U.K. formally exited the European Union on January 31, 
2020, although a transition period remained in place until December 2020, during which the U.K. was subject to the rules 
and regulations of the EU while continuing to negotiate the parties’ relationship going forward, including trade deals. It is 
unclear what long-term economic, financial, trade, and legal implications the withdrawal of the U.K. from the European 
Union would have and how such withdrawal would affect our business. In addition, Brexit may lead other European Union 
member countries to consider referendums regarding their European Union membership. Any of these events, along with 
any political, economic and regulatory changes that may occur, could cause political and economic uncertainty and harm 
our business and financial results.

Brexit  contributes  to  considerable  uncertainty  concerning  the  current  and  future  economic  environment.  Brexit 
could adversely affect European or worldwide political, regulatory, economic, or market conditions and could contribute 
to instability in global political institutions, regulatory agencies, and financial markets.

Tanker  vessel  values  may  fluctuate  due  to  economic  and  technological  factors,  which  may  adversely  affect  our 
financial  condition,  or  result  in  the  incurrence  of  a  loss  upon  disposal  of  a  tanker  vessel,  impairment  losses,  or 
increases in the cost of acquiring additional tanker vessels.

Tanker vessel values may fluctuate due to a number of different factors, including: general economic and market 
conditions affecting the shipping industry; competition from other shipping companies; the types and sizes of available 
tanker  vessels;  the  availability  of  other  modes  of  transportation;  increases  in  the  supply  of  tanker  vessel  capacity;  the 
cost  of  newbuildings;  governmental  or  other  regulations;  and  the  need  to  upgrade  secondhand  and  previously  owned 
tanker vessels as a result of charterer requirements, technological advances in vessel design or equipment or otherwise, 
including as a result of compliance with more stringent emissions regulations. In addition, as tanker vessels grow older, 
they generally decline in value. Due to the cyclical nature of the shipping market, if we sell any of our owned tanker vessels 
at a time when prices are depressed, we could incur a loss and our business, results of operations, cash flow, and financial 
condition could be adversely affected. Moreover, if the book value of a tanker vessel is impaired due to unfavorable market 
conditions, we may incur a loss that could adversely affect our operating results. In 2020 and 2019, we recognized $0.34 
million and $31.6 million of impairment charges, respectively, for one and three of our vessels, respectively.

Conversely, if tanker vessel values are elevated at a time when we wish to acquire additional tanker vessels, the 
cost of acquisition may increase, and this could adversely affect our business, results of operations, cash flows, financial 
condition, and ability to pay dividends to our shareholders. Over the past ten years the value of a ten year old Aframax 
tanker has fluctuated widely within a range of $17.0 million to $31.0 million.

An increase in operating costs could adversely affect our cash flows and financial condition.

Vessel operating expenses include the costs of crew, provisions, deck and engine stores, lube oil, bunkers, insurance, 
and maintenance and repairs, which depend on a variety of factors, many of which are beyond our control. Some of these 
costs, primarily relating to insurance and enhanced security measures implemented after September 11, 2001, and as a 
result of increases in the frequency of acts of piracy, have been increasing. If our vessels suffer damage, they may need to 
be repaired at a drydocking facility. The costs of drydock repairs are unpredictable and can be substantial. Increases in any 
of these costs could have a material adverse effect on our business, results of operations, cash flows, financial condition, 
and ability to pay dividends to our shareholders.

Rising fuel prices may adversely affect our profits.

Fuel is a significant, if not the largest, expense in our shipping operations when vessels are operated on the spot 
market under voyage charters. While we do not directly bear the cost of fuel or bunkers under our time charters, fuel is 
also a significant factor in negotiating charter rates. As a result, an increase in the price of fuel beyond our expectations 
may adversely affect our profitability at the time of charter negotiation. The price and supply of fuel is unpredictable and 
fluctuates  based  on  events  outside  our  control,  including  geopolitical  developments,  supply,  and  demand  for  crude  oil 
and natural gas, actions by the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries, or OPEC, and other oil and natural gas 
producers, war and unrest in oil producing countries and regions, regional production patterns and environmental concerns. 
In April 2020, the crude oil price fell to under $27.00 per barrel (the lowest price over the past ten years) following OPEC’s 
inability to reach an agreement in respect of oil production cuts. However, fuel may become much more expensive in the 
future as a result of new regulations mandating a reduction in sulfur emissions to 0.5% as of January 2020. Over the past 
ten years, the price of crude oil has fluctuated widely within a range of $26.6 to $125.5 per barrel. An increase in oil price 
in the future may reduce the profitability of our business. Other future regulations may have a similar impact.

Compliance with safety and other vessel requirements imposed by classification societies may be very costly and may 
adversely affect our business.

The hull and machinery of every commercial vessel must be classed by a classification society authorized by its 
country of registry. The classification society certifies that a vessel is safe and seaworthy in accordance with the applicable 
rules and regulations of the country of registry of the vessel and the IMO’s International Convention for the Safety of Life 
at Sea of 1974, or SOLAS.

A  vessel  must  undergo  annual  surveys,  intermediate  surveys,  and  special  surveys.  In  lieu  of  a  special  survey,  a 
vessel’s machinery may be on a continuous survey cycle under which the machinery would be surveyed periodically over 
a five-year period. If any vessel does not maintain its class and/or fails any annual survey, intermediate survey, or special 
survey, the vessel will be unable to trade between ports and will be unemployable. If this were to happen to one or more of 
our vessels, it could negatively impact our results of operations and financial condition.

We are subject to regulation and liability under environmental laws that could require significant expenditures and 
affect our cash flows and net income.

Our business and the operations of our vessels are materially affected by environmental regulation in the form of 
international conventions, national, state, and local laws and regulations in force in the jurisdictions in which our vessels 
operate, as well as in the country or countries of their registration, including those governing the management and disposal 
of hazardous substances and wastes, the cleanup of oil spills and other contamination, air emissions (including greenhouse 
gases), water discharges and ballast water management. These regulations include, but are not limited to, European Union 
regulations, the U.S. Oil Pollution Act of 1990, requirements of the U.S. Coast Guard and the U.S. Environmental Protection 
Agency, the U.S. Clean Air Act of 1970 (including its amendments of 1977 and 1990), the U.S. Clean Water Act, and the 
U.S. Maritime Transportation Security Act of 2002, and regulations of the IMO, including the International Convention 
on Civil Liability for Oil Pollution Damage of 1969, the International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from 
Ships of 1973, as modified by the Protocol of 1978, collectively referred to as MARPOL 73/78 or MARPOL, including 
designations of Emission Control Areas, thereunder, SOLAS, the International Convention on Load Lines of 1966, the 
International Convention of Civil Liability for Bunker Oil Pollution Damage, and the ISM Code. Because such conventions, 
laws, and regulations are often revised, we cannot predict the ultimate cost of complying with such requirements or the 

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impact thereof on the re-sale price or useful life of any vessel that we own or will acquire. Additional conventions, laws, 
and regulations may be adopted that could limit our ability to do business or increase the cost of our doing business and 
which may materially adversely affect our operations. Government regulation of vessels, particularly in the areas of safety 
and environmental requirements, continues to change, requiring us to incur significant capital expenditures on our vessels 
to  keep  them  in  compliance,  or  even  to  scrap  or  sell  certain  vessels  altogether.  In  addition,  we  may  incur  significant 
costs  in  meeting  new  maintenance  and  inspection  requirements,  in  developing  contingency  arrangements  for  potential 
environmental violations, and in obtaining insurance coverage.

In addition, we are required by various governmental and quasi-governmental agencies to obtain certain permits, 
licenses, certificates, approvals, and financial assurances with respect to our operations. Our failure to maintain necessary 
permits, licenses, certificates, approvals, or financial assurances could require us to incur substantial costs or temporarily 
suspend the operation of one or more of the vessels in our fleet or lead to the invalidation or reduction of our insurance 
coverage.

Environmental  requirements  can  also  affect  the  resale  value  or  useful  lives  of  our  vessels,  require  a  reduction 
in  cargo  capacity,  ship  modifications  or  operational  changes  or  restrictions,  lead  to  decreased  availability  of  insurance 
coverage for environmental matters, or result in the denial of access to certain jurisdictional waters or ports, or detention 
in certain ports. Under local, national, and foreign laws, as well as international treaties and conventions, we could incur 
material liabilities, including for cleanup obligations and natural resource damages, in the event that there is a release of 
petroleum or hazardous substances from our vessels or otherwise in connection with our operations. We could also become 
subject to personal injury or property damage claims relating to the release of hazardous substances associated with our 
existing  or  historic  operations.  Violations  of,  or  liabilities  under,  environmental  requirements  can  result  in  substantial 
penalties, fines, and other sanctions, including, in certain instances, seizure or detention of our vessels.

We, or our in-house managers, may be unable to attract and retain qualified, skilled employees or crew necessary to 
operate our business. In addition, labor interruptions could disrupt our business.

Our success will depend largely on our ability and on the ability of Unitized Ocean Transport Limited, or UOT, our 
wholly-owned subsidiary, which acts as our in-house manager, to attract and retain highly skilled and qualified personnel. 
In crewing our vessels, we require technically skilled employees with specialized training who can perform physically 
demanding work. Competition to attract and retain qualified crew members is intense. If we are not able to increase our 
charter rates to compensate for any crew cost increases, it could have a material adverse effect on our business, results of 
operations, cash flows, and financial condition. Any inability we or UOT experience in the future to hire, train and retain a 
sufficient number of qualified employees could impair our ability to manage, maintain and grow our business, which could 
have a material adverse effect on our financial condition, results of operations and cash flows.

Our vessels are manned by masters, officers, and crews that are employed by our vessel-owning subsidiaries. If not 
resolved in a timely and cost-effective manner, industrial action or other labor unrest could prevent or hinder our operations 
from being carried out normally and could have a material adverse effect on our financial condition, results of operations, 
and cash flows.

We  operate  our  vessels  worldwide  and  as  a  result,  our  vessels  are  exposed  to  international  risks  and  inherent 
operational risks of the tanker vessel industry, which may adversely affect our business and financial condition.

The operation of an ocean-going vessel carries inherent risks. Our vessels and their cargoes are at risk of being 
damaged or lost because of events such as marine disasters, bad weather, and acts of God, business interruptions caused by 
mechanical failures, grounding, fire, explosions and collisions, human error, war, terrorism, piracy, and other circumstances 
or events. In addition, changing economic, regulatory, and political conditions in some countries, including political and 
military  conflicts,  have  from  time  to  time  resulted  in  attacks  on  vessels,  mining  of  waterways,  piracy,  terrorism,  labor 
strikes, and boycotts. These events may result in death or injury to persons, loss of revenues or property, the payment of 
ransoms, environmental damage, higher insurance rates, damage to our customer relationships, and market disruptions, 
delay or rerouting, which may also subject us to litigation. In addition, the operation of tanker vessels has unique operational 
risks associated with the transportation of oil. An oil spill may cause significant environmental damage and the associated 
costs could exceed the insurance coverage available to us. Compared to other types of vessels, tanker vessels are exposed 
to a higher risk of damage and loss by fire, whether ignited by a terrorist attack, collision, or other cause, due to the high 
flammability and high volume of the oil transported in tanker vessels.

If our vessels suffer damage, they may need to be repaired at a drydocking facility. The costs of drydock repairs and 
maintenance are unpredictable and may be substantial. We may have to pay drydocking costs that our insurance does not 
cover in full. The loss of revenues while these vessels are being repaired and repositioned, as well as the actual cost of these 
repairs, may adversely affect our business and financial condition. In addition, space at drydocking facilities is sometimes 
limited and not all drydocking facilities are conveniently located. We may be unable to find space at a suitable drydocking 
facility, or our vessels may be forced to travel to a drydocking facility that is not conveniently located to our vessels’ positions. 
The loss of earnings while these vessels are forced to wait for space, or to travel to more distant drydocking facilities, may 
adversely affect our business and financial condition. Further, the total loss of any of our vessels could harm our reputation 
as a safe and reliable vessel owner and operator. If we are unable to adequately maintain or safeguard our vessels, we may be 
unable to prevent any such damage, costs, or loss which could negatively impact our business, financial condition, results of 
operations and available cash.

In addition, international shipping is subject to various security and customs inspection and related procedures in 
countries of origin and destination and transshipment points. Inspection procedures can result in the seizure of the cargo 
and/or our vessels, delays in the loading, offloading, or delivery, and the levying of customs duties, fines, or other penalties 
against us. It is possible that changes to inspection procedures could impose additional financial and legal obligations on 
us. Furthermore, changes to inspection procedures could also impose additional costs and obligations on our customers 
and may, in certain cases, render the shipment of certain types of cargo uneconomical or impractical. Any such changes 
or developments may have a material adverse effect on our business, results of operations, cash flows, financial condition, 
and available cash.

World events could affect our results of operations and financial condition.

Continuing conflicts and recent developments in the Middle East, including increased tensions between the U.S. 
and Iran, which in January 2020 escalated into a U.S. airstrike in Baghdad that killed a high-ranking Iranian general, as 
well as the Ukraine and other geographic countries and areas, geopolitical events such as Brexit, terrorist or other attacks, 
and  war  (or  threatened  war)  or  international  hostilities,  such  as  those  between  the  U.S.  and  North  Korea,  may  lead  to 
armed conflict or acts of terrorism around the world, which may contribute to further economic instability in the global 
financial markets and international commerce. Additionally, any further escalations of tension between the U.S. and Iran 
could result in retaliation from Iran that could potentially affect the shipping industry through increased attacks on vessels 
in the Strait of Hormuz (which already experienced an increased number of attacks on and seizures of vessels in 2019). 
These uncertainties could also adversely affect our ability to obtain additional financing on terms acceptable to us or at 
all. In the past, political conflicts have also resulted in attacks on vessels, mining of waterways and other efforts to disrupt 
international  shipping,  particularly  in  the Arabian  Gulf  region. Acts  of  terrorism  and  piracy  have  also  affected  vessels 
trading in regions such as the South China Sea, the Gulf of Aden off the coast of Somalia, and in particular, the Gulf of 
Guinea region off Nigeria, which experienced increased incidents of piracy in recent years. Any of these occurrences could 
have a material adverse impact on our operating results. Additionally, Brexit, or similar events in other jurisdictions, could 
impact global markets, including foreign exchange and securities markets; any resulting changes in currency exchange 
rates, tariffs, treaties, and other regulatory matters could in turn adversely impact our business and operations.

Outbreaks of epidemic and pandemic of diseases, such as the ongoing outbreak of COVID-19, and governmental 
responses thereto could adversely affect our business.

Since the beginning of the calendar year 2020, the outbreak of COVID-19 that originated in China in late 2019 and 
that has spread to most nations around the globe has resulted in numerous actions taken by governments and governmental 
agencies in an attempt to mitigate the spread of the virus, including travel bans, quarantines, lockdown measures, and 
other  emergency  public  health  measures..  These  measures  have  resulted  in  a  significant  reduction  in  global  economic 
activity  and  extreme  volatility  in  the  global  financial  markets.  If  the  COVID-19  pandemic  continues  on  a  prolonged 
basis, or becomes more severe, the adverse impact on the global economy and the rate environment for tanker vessels 
may deteriorate further, and our operations and cash flows may be negatively impacted. Relatively weak global economic 
conditions during periods of volatility have, and may continue to have, a number of adverse consequences for the tanker 
vessel sector, including, among other things:

• low charter rates, particularly for tanker vessels employed on short-term time charters or in the spot market;
•  decreases in the market value of tanker vessels and a limited second-hand market for the sale of tanker vessels;

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• limited financing for tanker vessels;
• loan covenant defaults; and
• declaration of bankruptcy by certain tanker vessel operators, tanker vessel owners, shipyards, and charterers.

The  COVID-19  pandemic  and  measures  to  contain  its  spread  have  negatively  impacted  regional  and  global 
economies and trade patterns in markets in which we operate, the way we operate our business, and the businesses of our 
charterers and suppliers. These negative impacts could continue or worsen, even after the pandemic itself diminishes or 
ends. Companies, including us, have also taken precautions, such as requiring employees to work remotely and imposing 
travel restrictions, while some other businesses have been required to close entirely. Moreover, we face significant risks to 
our personnel and operations due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Our crews face risk of exposure to COVID-19 as a result 
of travel to ports in which cases of COVID-19 have been reported. Our shore-based personnel likewise face risk of such 
exposure, as we maintain offices in areas that have been impacted by the spread of COVID-19.

Measures  against  COVID-19  in  a  number  of  countries  have  restricted  crew  rotations  on  our  vessels,  which  may 
continue or become more severe. As a result, in 2020, we experienced and may continue to experience disruptions to our 
normal vessel operations caused by increased deviation time associated with positioning our vessels to countries in which 
we can undertake a crew rotation in compliance with such measures. Delays in crew rotations have led to issues with crew 
fatigue and may continue to do so, which may result in delays or other operational issues. We have had and expect to continue 
to have increased expenses due to incremental fuel consumption and days in which our vessels are unable to earn revenue in 
order to deviate to certain ports on which we would ordinarily not call during a typical voyage. We may also incur additional 
expenses associated with testing, personal protective equipment, quarantines, and travel expenses such as airfare costs in order 
to perform crew rotations in the current environment. In 2020, delays in crew rotations also caused us to incur additional costs 
related to crew bonuses paid to retain the existing crew members on board and may continue to do so.

The  COVID-19  pandemic  and  measures  in  place  against  the  spread  of  the  virus  have  led  to  a  highly  difficult 
environment in which to dispose of vessels, given the difficulty to physically inspect vessels. The impact of COVID-19 
has also resulted in reduced industrial activity in China with temporary closures of factories and other facilities, labor 
shortages,  and  restrictions  on  travel.  We  believe  these  disruptions,  along  with  other  seasonal  factors,  including  lower 
demand for the cargoes we carry, such as crude oil and refined petroleum products, have contributed to lower tanker charter 
rates in the second half of 2020.

Epidemics  may  also  affect  personnel  operating  payment  systems  through  which  we  receive  revenues  from  the 
chartering of our vessels or pay for our expenses, resulting in delays in payments. Organizations across industries, including 
ours, are rightly focusing on their employees’ well-being whilst ensuring that their operations continue undisrupted and, 
at  the  same  time,  adapting  to  new  ways  of  operating. As  such,  employees  are  encouraged  or  even  required  to  operate 
remotely, which significantly increases the risk of cybersecurity attacks.

While it is still too early to fully assess the overall impact that COVID-19 will have on our financial condition and 
operations and on the tanker sector in general, we assess tanker charter rates have been reduced significantly as a result of 
COVID-19  and  that  the  tanker  industry  in  general  and  our  Company  specifically  are  likely  to  continue  to  be  exposed  to 
volatility in the near term. Indicatively, vessels in our fleet which came up for charter renewal in the third and fourth quarters 
of 2020 were employed at comparably less favorable charter rates than those expected before the COVID-19 pandemic.

Further,  containment  measures  and  quarantine  restrictions  adopted  by  many  countries  worldwide  have  caused  a 
significant impact on our ability to embark and disembark crew members and on our seafarers themselves. As a result, since 
the outbreak of COVID-19 and as of the date of this report, we have encountered certain prolonged delays and surrounding 
complexities in embarking and disembarking crew onto our ships which further resulted in increased operational costs and 
decreased revenues by reason of off-hires associated with crew rotation and related logistical complications associated 
with supplying our vessels with spares or other supplies.

The occurrence or continued occurrence of any of the foregoing events or other epidemics, or an increase in the 
severity or duration of the COVID-19 or other epidemics, could have a material adverse effect on our business, results of 
operations, cash flows, financial condition, the value of our vessels, and ability to pay dividends.

Acts of piracy on ocean-going vessels could adversely affect our business.

Acts of piracy have historically affected ocean-going vessels trading in regions of the world such as the South China 
Sea, in the Gulf of Aden off the coast of Somalia, Sulu Sea and Celebes Sea, and in particular, the Gulf of Guinea region off 
Nigeria, which experienced increased incidents of piracy in recent years. Although the frequency of sea piracy worldwide 
has generally decreased since 2013, sea piracy incidents continue to occur. Acts of piracy could result in harm or danger to 
the crews that man our vessels. In addition, if these piracy attacks result in regions in which our vessels are deployed being 
characterized by insurers as “war risk” zones, or Joint War Committee “war and strikes” listed areas, premiums payable for 
such coverage could increase significantly, and such insurance coverage may be more difficult to obtain. In addition, crew 
costs, due to employing onboard security guards, could increase in such circumstances. We may not be adequately insured 
to cover losses from these incidents, which could have a material adverse effect on us. In addition, detention hijacking, 
involving the hostile detention of a vessel, as a result of an act of piracy against our vessels, or an increase in cost, or 
unavailability  of  insurance  for  our  vessels,  could  have  a  material  adverse  impact  on  our  business,  financial  condition, 
results of operations.

If our vessels call on ports located in countries or territories that are the subject of sanctions or embargoes imposed 
by the U.S. or other governmental authorities, it could lead to monetary fines or penalties and adversely affect our 
reputation and the market for our common stock.

While none of our vessels have called on ports located in countries or territories that are the subject of country-wide 
or territory-wide sanctions or embargoes imposed by the U.S. government or other governmental authorities (“Sanctioned 
Jurisdictions”) in violation of sanctions or embargo laws in 2020, and we endeavor to take precautions reasonably designed 
to mitigate such risks, it is possible that, in the future, our vessels may call on ports located in Sanctioned Jurisdictions on 
charterers’ instructions and/or without our consent. If such activities result in a violation of sanctions or embargo laws, we 
could be subject to monetary fines, penalties, or other sanctions, and our reputation and the market for our common shares 
could be adversely affected.

Sanctions and embargo laws and regulations vary in their application, as they do not all apply to the same covered 
persons or proscribe the same activities, and such sanctions and embargo laws and regulations may be amended or expanded 
over time. Current or future counterparties of ours may be affiliated with persons or entities that are or may be, in the future, 
the subject of sanctions or embargoes imposed by the governments of the U.S., EU, and/or other international bodies. If 
we determine that such sanctions require us to terminate existing or future contracts to which we, or our subsidiaries, are 
party or if we are found to be in violation of such applicable sanctions, our results of operations may be adversely affected 
or we may suffer reputational harm.

Although we believe that we have been in compliance with all applicable sanctions and embargo laws and regulations, 
and intend to maintain such compliance, any such violation could result in fines, penalties or other sanctions that could 
severely impact our ability to access U.S. capital markets and conduct our business, and could result in some investors 
deciding,  or  being  required,  to  divest  their  interest,  or  not  to  invest,  in  us.  In  addition,  certain  institutional  investors 
may have investment policies or restrictions that prevent them from holding securities of companies that have contracts 
with countries or territories identified by the U.S. government as state sponsors of terrorism. The determination by these 
investors not to invest in, or to divest from, our common stock may adversely affect the price at which our common stock 
trades. Moreover, our charterers may violate applicable sanctions and embargo laws and regulations as a result of actions 
that do not involve us or our vessels, and those violations could in turn negatively affect our reputation. Investor perception 
of the value of our common stock may also be adversely affected by the consequences of war, the effects of terrorism, civil 
unrest, and governmental actions in the countries or territories that we operate in.

We conduct business in China, where the legal system is unpredictable and has inherent uncertainties that could 
limit the legal protections available to us.

Some of our vessels may be chartered to Chinese customers, and from time to time on our charterers’ instructions, 
our vessels may call on Chinese ports. Such charters and voyages may be subject to regulations in China that may require us 
to incur new or additional compliance or other administrative costs and may require that we pay to the Chinese government 
new taxes or other fees. Applicable laws and regulations in China may not be well-publicized and may not be known to 
us or to our charterers in advance of us or our charterers becoming subject to them, and the implementation of such laws 

23

and regulations may be inconsistent. Changes in Chinese laws and regulations, including with regards to tax matters, or 
changes in their implementation by local authorities, could affect our vessels if chartered to Chinese customers, as well 
as our vessels calling to Chinese ports, and could have a material adverse impact on our business, financial condition and 
results of operations.

Governments could requisition our vessels during a period of war or emergency, resulting in loss of earnings. 

A government of a vessel’s registry could requisition for title or seize one or more of our vessels. Requisition for 
title occurs when a government takes control of a vessel and becomes the owner. A government could also requisition one 
or more of our vessels for hire. Requisition for hire occurs when a government takes control of a vessel and effectively 
becomes the charterer at dictated charter rates. Generally, requisitions occur during a period of war or emergency. Even if 
we were entitled to compensation in the event of a requisition of one or more of our vessels, the amount and timing of the 
payment would be uncertain. Government requisition of one or more of our vessels could have a material adverse effect on 
our business, results of operations, cash flows, and financial condition.

Failure to comply with the U.S. Foreign Corrupt Practices Act of 1977, or the FCPA, could result in fines, criminal 
penalties, and an adverse effect on our business.

We may operate in a number of countries throughout the world, including countries known to have a reputation for 
corruption. We are committed to doing business in accordance with applicable anti-corruption laws and have adopted a 
code of business conduct and ethics that is consistent and in full compliance with the FCPA. We are subject, however, to 
the risk that we, our affiliated entities or our or their respective officers, directors, employees, and agents may take actions 
determined to be in violation of such anti-corruption laws, including the FCPA. In addition, actual or alleged violations 
could  damage  our  reputation  and  ability  to  do  business.  Furthermore,  detecting,  investigating,  and  resolving  actual  or 
alleged  violations  is  expensive  and  can  consume  significant  time  and  attention  of  our  senior  management. Any  such 
violation could result in substantial fines, sanctions, civil and/or criminal penalties, curtailment of operations in certain 
jurisdictions, and might adversely affect our business, earnings or financial condition.

The smuggling of drugs or other contraband onto our vessels may lead to governmental claims against us.

We expect that our vessels will call in ports in areas where smugglers attempt to hide drugs and other contraband 
on vessels, with or without the knowledge of crew members. To the extent our vessels are found with contraband, whether 
inside or attached to the hull of our vessel and whether with or without the knowledge of any of our crew, we may face 
governmental or other regulatory claims and our vessels may be detained for a prolonged period of time which could have 
an adverse effect on our business, results of operations, cash flows, and financial condition.

Maritime claimants could arrest or attach our vessels, which would interrupt our business or have a negative effect 
on our cash flows.

Crew members, suppliers of goods and services to a vessel, shippers of cargo, lenders, and other parties may be 
entitled to a maritime lien against that vessel for unsatisfied debts, claims, or damages. In many jurisdictions, a maritime 
lien holder may enforce its lien by arresting or attaching a vessel through foreclosure proceedings. The arrest or attachment 
of one or more of our vessels could interrupt our business or require us to pay large sums of funds to have the arrest or 
attachment lifted, which would have a negative effect on our cash flows.

In addition, in some jurisdictions, such as South Africa, under the “sister-ship” theory of liability, a claimant may 
arrest both the vessel that is subject to the claimant’s maritime lien and any “associated” vessel, which is any vessel owned 
or controlled by the same owner. Claimants could try to assert “sister-ship” liability against one vessel in our fleet for 
claims relating to another of our ships.

Changing laws and evolving reporting requirements could have an adverse effect on our business.

Changing  laws,  regulations,  and  standards  relating  to  reporting  requirements,  including  the  EU  General  Data 

Protection Regulation, or GDPR, may create additional compliance requirements for us.

GDPR broadens the scope of personal privacy laws to protect the rights of EU citizens and requires organizations 
to report on data breaches within 72 hours and be bound by more stringent rules for obtaining the consent of individuals 
on how their data can be used. GDPR was enforced on May 25, 2018, and non-compliance exposes entities to significant 
fines or other regulatory claims which could have an adverse effect on our business, financial condition, and operations.

COMPANY SPECIFIC RISK FACTORS

The market values of our vessels are highly volatile and may decline, which could limit the amount of funds that we 
can borrow and trigger breaches of certain financial covenants under our future loan facilities.

The market values of our vessels are related to prevailing charter rates. While the market values of vessels and the 
charter market have a very close relationship as the charter market moves from trough to peak, the time lag between the 
effect of charter rates on market values of ships can vary. The market values of our vessels have generally experienced high 
volatility, and you should expect the market value of our vessels to fluctuate depending on a number of factors, including:

• the prevailing level of charter rates;
• general economic and market conditions affecting the shipping industry;
• competition from other shipping companies and other modes of transportation;
• the types, sizes, and ages of vessels;
• the supply of and demand for vessels;
• applicable governmental or other regulations;
• the need to upgrade secondhand and previously owned vessels as a result of charterer requirements;
• technological advances in vessel design or equipment or otherwise;
• fuel efficiency and level of air emissions;
• the cost of newbuildings; and
• shipyard capacity.

The market values of our vessels are at low levels compared to historical averages. At times when we have loans 
outstanding with covenants based on vessels’ market values, if the market values of our vessels decline further, we may not 
be in compliance with certain covenants contained in such loan facilities, and we may not be able to refinance our debt or 
obtain additional financing or incur debt on terms that are acceptable to us or at all. As of December 31, 2020, we had $58.1 
million outstanding under our loan facilities and were in compliance with all our loan covenants. In the future, if we are not 
in compliance with the covenants in our loan facilities or are unable to obtain waivers or amendments or otherwise remedy 
the relevant breaches, our lenders under the facility could accelerate our debt and foreclose on our fleet. We may not be 
successful in obtaining any such waiver or amendment, and we may not be able to refinance our debt or obtain additional 
financing. Moreover, our loan facilities, as amended or pursuant to any waiver, and any refinancing or additional financing, 
may be more expensive and carry more onerous terms than those in our existing debt agreements.

In addition, if the book value of a vessel is impaired due to unfavorable market conditions, or a vessel is sold at 
a price below its book value, we would incur a loss that could adversely affect our operating results. During 2020, the 
value of one of our container vessels was impaired as a result of its classification as held for sale, and we recognized an 
impairment loss of $0.3 million.

We are currently subject to litigation and we may be subject to similar or other litigation in the future.

We, and our current executive officers, are defendants in a purported class action lawsuit pending in the U.S. 
District Court for the Eastern District of New York. The lawsuit alleges violations of the Securities Exchange Act of 
1934, as amended.

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While we believe these claims to be without merit and intend to defend these lawsuits vigorously, we cannot 
predict  their  outcome.  Furthermore,  we  may,  from  time  to  time,  be  a  party  to  other  litigation  in  the  normal  course 
of  business.  Monitoring  and  defending  against  legal  actions,  whether  or  not  meritorious,  is  time-consuming  for  our 
management and detracts from our ability to fully focus our internal resources on our business activities. In addition, 
legal fees and costs incurred in connection with such activities may be significant, and we could in the future be subject 
to judgments or enter into settlements of claims for significant monetary damages. A decision adverse to our interests 
could result in the payment of substantial damages and could have a material adverse effect on our cash flow, results of 
operations, and financial position.

With respect to any litigation, our insurance may not reimburse us or may not be sufficient to reimburse us for the 
expenses or losses we may suffer in contesting and concluding such a lawsuit. Substantial litigation costs, including the 
substantial self-insured retention that we are required to satisfy before any insurance is applied to the claim, or an adverse 
result in any litigation may adversely impact our business, operating results, or financial condition.

Our business, operating results, financial condition, and growth will depend on our ability to successfully charter 
our vessels, for which we will face substantial competition.

The process of obtaining new medium-term time charters is highly competitive and generally involves an intensive 
screening process and competitive bids, and often extends for several months. Charters are awarded based upon a variety 
of factors relating to the vessel operator, including:

• shipping industry relationships and reputation for customer service and safety;
• the experience and quality of ship operations, including cost-effectiveness;
• quality and experience of the seafaring crew;
• the ability to finance vessels at competitive rates and financial stability generally;
• relationships with shipyards and the ability to get suitable berths;
• the technical specifications of the vessel;
•  construction management experience, including the ability to obtain on-time delivery of new ships according to customer 

specifications;

•  willingness  to  accept  operational  risks  pursuant  to  the  charter,  such  as  allowing  termination  of  the  charter  for  force 

majeure events; and

• competitiveness of the bid in terms of overall price.

We expect substantial competition for providing tanker vessel transportation services from a number of experienced 
companies, including state-sponsored entities and major shipping companies. Many of these competitors have significantly 
greater financial resources than we do and can therefore operate larger fleets and may be able to offer better charter rates.  
As a result of these factors, we may be unable to attract new customers or secure medium-term time charters at profitable 
charter rates, if at all, which will impede our operating results, financial condition, and growth.

Furthermore, if our vessels become available for employment under new time charters during periods when charter 
rates are at depressed levels, we may have to employ our tanker vessels at depressed charter rates, if we are able to secure 
employment for our vessels at all, which would lead to reduced or volatile earnings. Future charter rates may not be at a 
level that will enable us to operate our vessels profitably.

The failure of our counterparties to meet their obligations to us under any vessel purchase agreements or charter 
agreements could cause us to suffer losses or otherwise adversely affect our business.

Generally, we intend to selectively employ our vessels under voyage charters and under short-, medium- or long-
term  time  charters,  which  exposes  us  to  counterparty  risks.  The  ability  and  willingness  of  each  of  our  counterparties 
to perform its obligations under a vessel purchase agreement or charter agreement with us will depend on a number of 
factors that are beyond our control and may include, among other things, general economic conditions, the condition of the 
shipping market and the overall financial condition of the counterparty. From time to time, we may enter into agreements 
to acquire vessels, and if the seller of a vessel fails to deliver a vessel to us as agreed, or if we cancel a purchase agreement 
because a seller has not met its obligations, this may have a material adverse effect on our business.

In addition, in depressed market conditions, there have been reports of charterers renegotiating their charters or 
defaulting on their obligations under charters, and our future customers may fail to pay charterhire or attempt to renegotiate 
charter  rates.  If  our  future  charterers  fail  to  meet  their  obligations  to  us  or  attempt  to  renegotiate  our  future  charter 
agreements, it may be difficult to secure substitute employment for such vessels, and any new charter arrangements we 
secure may be at lower rates. As a result, we could sustain significant losses, which could have a material adverse effect on 
our business, financial condition, results of operations, and cash flows.

We may be unable to locate suitable vessels or dispose of vessels at reasonable prices, which would adversely affect 
our ability to operate our business.

There  are  periods  when  we  may  be  interested  in  further  growing  our  fleet  through  selective  acquisitions.  Our 
business strategy is dependent on identifying and purchasing suitable vessels. Changing market and regulatory conditions 
may  limit  the  availability  of  suitable  vessels  because  of  customer  preferences  or  because  they  are  not  or  will  not  be 
compliant with existing or future rules, regulations, and conventions. Additional vessels of the age and quality we desire 
may not be available for purchase at prices we are prepared to pay or at delivery times acceptable to us, and we may not be 
able to dispose of vessels at reasonable prices, if at all. If we are unable to purchase and dispose of vessels at reasonable 
prices in accordance with our business strategy or in response to changing market and regulatory conditions, our business 
would be adversely affected.

Our purchasing and operating secondhand vessels, and the aging of our fleet may result in increased operating costs 
and vessels off-hire, which could adversely affect our earnings.

While  we  will  typically  inspect  secondhand  vessels  before  purchase,  this  does  not  provide  us  with  the  same 
knowledge about their condition that we would have had if these vessels had been built for and operated exclusively by us. 
Accordingly, we may not discover defects or other problems with such vessels before purchase. Any such hidden defects 
or problems, when detected, may be expensive to repair, and if not detected, may result in accidents or other incidents 
for which we may become liable to third parties. In addition, when purchasing secondhand vessels, we do not receive the 
benefit of any builder warranties if the vessels we buy are older than one year.

In general, the costs to maintain a vessel in good operating condition increase with the age of the vessel. Older 
vessels are typically less fuel efficient than more recently constructed vessels due to improvements in engine technology. 
Potential charterers may also choose not to charter older vessels. Governmental regulations, safety, and other equipment 
standards related to the age of vessels may require expenditures for alterations or the addition of new equipment to some 
of our vessels and may restrict the type of activities in which these vessels may engage. We cannot assure you that, as 
our vessels age, market conditions will justify those expenditures or enable us to operate our vessels profitably during the 
remainder of their useful lives. As a result, regulations and standards could have a material adverse effect on our business, 
financial condition, results of operations, and cash flows.

There  is  a  lack  of  historical  operating  history  provided  with  our  secondhand  vessel  acquisitions,  and  profitable 
operation of the vessels will depend on our skill and expertise.

Consistent  with  shipping  industry  practice,  other  than  inspection  of  the  physical  condition  of  the  vessels  and 
examinations of classification society records, neither we, nor UOT, will conduct any historical financial due diligence 
process  at  times  when  we  acquire  vessels. Accordingly,  neither  we,  nor  UOT,  will  obtain  the  historical  operating  data 
for any secondhand vessels we may acquire in the future from the sellers because that information is not material to our 
decision to make acquisitions, nor do we believe it would be helpful to potential investors in assessing our business or 
profitability. Most vessels are sold under a standardized agreement, which, among other things, provides the buyer with the 
right to inspect the vessel and the vessel’s classification society records. The standard agreement does not give the buyer 
the right to inspect, or receive copies of, the historical operating data of the vessel. Prior to the delivery of a purchased 
vessel, the seller typically removes from the vessel all records, including past financial records and accounts related to 
the  vessel.  In  addition,  the  technical  management  agreement  between  the  seller’s  technical  manager  and  the  seller  is 
automatically terminated and the vessel’s trading certificates are revoked by its flag state following a change in ownership.

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Consistent with shipping industry practice, we treat the acquisition of a vessel (whether acquired with or without 
charter) as the acquisition of an asset rather than a business. Although vessels are generally acquired free of charter, we 
have acquired and may also in the future acquire some vessels with time charters. Where a vessel has been under a voyage 
charter, the vessel is delivered to the buyer free of charter, and it is rare in the shipping industry for the last charterer of 
the vessel in the hands of the seller to continue as the first charterer of the vessel in the hands of the buyer. In most cases, 
when a vessel is under time charter, and the buyer wishes to assume that charter, the vessel cannot be acquired without the 
charterer’s consent and the buyer’s entering into a separate direct agreement with the charterer to assume the charter. The 
purchase of a vessel itself does not transfer the charter, because it is a separate service agreement between the vessel owner 
and the charterer.

Due to the differences between the prior owners of these vessels and the Company with respect to the routes we 
expect to operate, our future customers, the cargoes we expect to carry, the freight rates and charter rates we will charge 
in  the  future,  and  the  costs  we  expect  to  incur  in  operating  our  vessels,  we  believe  that  our  operating  results  will  be 
significantly different from the operating results of the vessels while owned by the prior owners. The profitable operation of 
the vessels will depend on our skill and expertise. If we are unable to operate the vessels profitably, it may have an adverse 
effect on our financial condition, results of operations, and cash flows.

Technical  innovation  and  technical  quality  and  efficiency  requirements  from  our  customers  could  reduce  our 
charterhire income and the value of our tanker vessels.

Our customers, in particular those in the oil industry, have a high and increasing focus on quality and compliance 
standards  with  their  suppliers  across  the  entire  supply  chain,  including  the  shipping  and  transportation  segment.  Our 
continued compliance with these standards and quality requirements is vital for our operations. The charter rates and the 
value and operational life of a vessel are determined by a number of factors, including the vessel’s efficiency, operational 
flexibility, and physical life. Efficiency includes speed, fuel economy, and the ability to load and discharge cargo quickly. 
Flexibility includes the ability to enter harbors, utilize related docking facilities and pass through canals and straits. The 
length of a vessel’s physical life is related to its original design and construction, its maintenance, and the impact of the 
stress of operations. If new vessels are built that are more efficient or more flexible or have longer physical lives than our 
vessels, competition from these more technologically advanced vessels could adversely affect the amount of charterhire 
payments we receive for our vessels, and the resale value of our vessels could significantly decrease. This could have an 
adverse effect on our results of operations, cash flows, financial condition, and ability to pay dividends.

Certain of our officers and directors participate in business activities not associated with us, and do not devote all of 
their time to our business, which may create conflicts of interest and hinder our ability to operate successfully.

Our  officers  and  directors  have  fiduciary  duties  to  manage  our  business  in  a  manner  beneficial  to  us  and  our 
shareholders. However, until his resignation from such positions in February 2020 (as described below), our Chief Executive 
Officer, Director and Secretary, Mr. Andreas Michalopoulos, also served as Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer of Diana 
Shipping  Inc.  (Diana  Shipping  or  DSI). As  a  result,  until  his  resignation  as  Chief  Financial  Officer  and  Treasurer  of 
Diana Shipping in February 2020, our Chief Executive Officer, Director and Secretary had fiduciary duties to manage the 
business of Diana Shipping and its affiliates in a manner beneficial to such entities and their shareholders. Consequently, 
until his resignation as Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer of Diana Shipping in February 2020, our Chief Executive 
Officer, Director and Secretary might have encountered situations in which his fiduciary obligations to Diana Shipping and 
us are in conflict. Additionally, as described more fully below, certain of our now-resigned directors and executive officers, 
Mr. Anastasios Margaronis, Mr. Ioannis Zafirakis, and Mrs. Semiramis Paliou, served as directors and/or executive officers 
of Diana Shipping during a portion of the period covered by this annual report.

In addition, Mr. Anthony Argyropoulos, our Chief Financial Officer, participates in business activities not associated 
with us, and as a result, may devote less time to us than if he was not engaged in other business activities. This may create 
conflicts of interest in matters involving or affecting us and our customers and it is not certain that any of these conflicts of 
interest will be resolved in our favor. This could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, results 
of operations and cash flows.

The  Public  Company  Accounting  Oversight  Board  inspection  of  our  independent  accounting  firm  could  lead 
to  findings  in  our  auditors’  reports  and  challenge  the  accuracy  of  our  published  audited  consolidated  financial 
statements.

Auditors of U.S. public companies are required by law to undergo periodic Public Company Accounting Oversight 
Board, or PCAOB, inspections that assess their compliance with U.S. law and professional standards in connection with 
the performance of audits of financial statements filed with the SEC. For several years certain European Union countries, 
including  Greece,  did  not  permit  the  PCAOB  to  conduct  inspections  of  accounting  firms  established  and  operating  in 
such  European  Union  countries,  even  if  they  were  part  of  major  international  firms.  Accordingly,  unlike  most  U.S. 
public companies, the PCAOB was prevented from evaluating our auditor’s performance of audits and its quality control 
procedures,  and,  unlike  stockholders  of  most  U.S.  public  companies,  we,  and  our  stockholders,  were  deprived  of  the 
possible  benefits  of  such  inspections.  Since  2015,  Greece  has  agreed  to  allow  the  PCAOB  to  conduct  inspections  of 
accounting  firms  operating  in  Greece.  In  the  future,  such  PCAOB  inspections  could  result  in  findings  in  our  auditors’ 
quality control procedures, question the validity of the auditor’s reports on our published consolidated financial statements 
and the effectiveness of our internal control over financial reporting, and cast doubt upon the accuracy of our published 
audited financial statements.

Our ability to obtain debt financing in the future may be dependent on the performance of our then existing charters 
and the creditworthiness of our charterers.

The actual or perceived credit quality of our charterers, and any defaults by them, may materially affect our ability to 
obtain the additional capital resources that we will require to purchase additional vessels in the future or may significantly 
increase our costs of obtaining such capital. Our inability to obtain financing at all or at a higher than anticipated cost may 
materially affect our results of operation and our ability to implement our business strategy.

We may be unable to attract and retain key management personnel and other employees in the shipping industry, 
which may negatively impact the effectiveness of our management and results of operations.

Our success depends to a significant extent upon the abilities and efforts of our management team, the Chairman of 
the Board, Mr. Symeon Palios, and our Chief Executive Officer, Director and Secretary, Mr. Andreas Michalopoulos. Our 
success will depend upon our ability to retain key members of our management team and to hire new members as may 
be necessary. The loss of any of these individuals could adversely affect our business prospects and financial condition. 
Difficulty in hiring and retaining replacement personnel could adversely affect our business, results of operations, and 
ability to pay dividends. We do not intend to maintain “key man” life insurance on any of our officers or other members 
of our management team.

We recently underwent a transition with respect to certain of our directors and executive officers and this transition, 
along  with  the  possibility  that  we  may  in  the  future  be  unable  to  retain  and  recruit  qualified  key  executives,  key 
employees or key consultants, may delay our development efforts or otherwise harm our business.

At our 2020 annual shareholder meeting held on February 18, 2020, Mr. Andreas Michalopoulos was elected to our 
board of directors. Additionally, in February 2020, as part of a long-term management succession plan, Mr. Anastasios 
Margaronis resigned from his position as our President, Mr. Ioannis Zafirakis resigned as our Chief Strategy Officer and 
Secretary, and Mrs. Semiramis Paliou resigned as our Chief Operating Officer, in order to devote substantially all of their 
business time to other endeavors. The above-referenced management succession plan also included the appointment of 
Mr. Andreas Michalopoulos to the position of Deputy Chief Executive Officer, as previously announced on October 31, 
2019. Our board of directors appointed Mr. Christos Glavanis and Ms. Aliki Paliou as directors to fill the vacancies created 
by Messrs. Anastasios Margaronis and Mr. Nikolaos Petmezas resignations as directors in February 2020. Our board of 
directors also appointed Mr. Michalopoulos as Secretary to replace Mr. Zafirakis, effective as of February 28, 2020. On 
October 19, 2020, we announced that our board of directors appointed Mr. Andreas Michalopoulos to the position of Chief 
Executive Officer following the retirement of Mr. Symeon Palios from that position, and Mr. Anthony Argyropoulos to the 
position of Chief Financial Officer of the Company, succeeding Mr. Michalopoulos in that capacity.

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Our  future  development  and  prospects  depend  to  a  large  degree  on  the  experience,  performance,  and  continued 
service of our senior management team. Retention of these services or the identification of suitable replacements in case 
of future vacancies cannot be guaranteed. There can be no guarantee that the services of the current directors and senior 
management team will be retained or that suitably skilled and qualified individuals can be identified and employed, which 
may adversely impact our ability to commercial and financial performance. The loss of the services of any of the directors 
or other members of the senior management team and the costs of recruiting replacements may have a material adverse 
effect on our commercial and financial performance as well. If we are unable to hire, train and retain such personnel in a 
timely manner, our operations could be delayed, and our ability to grow our business will be impaired and the delay and 
inability may have a detrimental effect upon our performance.

Ms. Aliki Paliou, one of our directors, may be deemed to beneficially own a significant percentage of our outstanding 
common shares, and accordingly, may exert considerable influence over us and may have interests that are different 
from the interests of our other shareholders.

As of March 4, 2021, Ms. Aliki Paliou, one of our directors, may be deemed to beneficially own approximately 
46.3% of our issued and outstanding common shares, and therefore, has the power to exert considerable influence over our 
actions and the outcome of matters on which our shareholders are entitled to vote, including the election of our directors 
and other significant corporate actions. The interests of Ms. Paliou may be different from your interests. Any such conflicts 
of interest could adversely affect our business, financial condition and results of operations, and the trading price of our 
common shares. Moreover, the concentration of ownership may delay, deter or prevent acts that may be favored by or 
favorable to our other shareholders. Similarly, this concentration of share ownership may adversely affect the trading price 
of our shares because investors may perceive disadvantages in owning shares in a company with concentrated ownership. 
Ms. Paliou is the daughter of Mr. Symeon Palios, our Chairman and former Chief Executive Officer, and is married to 
Andreas Michalopoulos, our Chief Executive Officer, Director and Secretary.

We  expect  to  continue  to  operate  substantially  outside  the  United  States,  which  will  expose  us  to  political  and 
governmental instability, which could harm our operations.

We expect that our operations will continue to be primarily conducted outside the United States and may be adversely 
affected by changing or adverse political and governmental conditions in the countries where our vessels are flagged or 
registered and in the regions where we otherwise engage in business. Any disruption caused by these factors may interfere 
with  the  operation  of  our  vessels,  which  could  harm  our  business,  financial  condition,  and  results  of  operations.  Past 
political efforts to disrupt shipping in these regions, particularly in the Arabian Gulf, have included attacks on ships and 
mining of waterways. In addition, terrorist attacks outside this region and continuing hostilities in the Middle East and the 
world may lead to additional armed conflicts or to further acts of terrorism and civil disturbance in the United States and 
elsewhere. Any such attacks or disturbances may disrupt our business, increase vessel operating costs, including insurance 
costs, and adversely affect our financial condition and results of operations. Our operations may also be adversely affected 
by expropriation of vessels, taxes, regulation, tariffs, trade embargoes, economic sanctions, or disruption of or limit to 
trading activities or other adverse events or circumstances in or affecting the countries and regions where we operate or 
where we may operate in the future.

We generate all of our revenues in U.S. dollars and incur a portion of our expenses in other currencies, and therefore 
exchange rate fluctuations could have an adverse impact on our results of operations.

We generate all of our revenues in U.S. dollars and incur a portion of our expenses in currencies other than the dollar. 
This difference could lead to fluctuations in net income due to changes in the value of the U.S. dollar relative to the other 
currencies, in particular the Euro. Expenses incurred in foreign currencies against which the U.S. dollar falls in value can 
increase, decreasing our revenues. Further declines in the value of the dollar could lead to higher expenses payable by us.

While  we  historically  have  not  mitigated  the  risk  associated  with  exchange  rate  fluctuations  through  the  use  of 
financial derivatives, we may employ such instruments from time to time in the future in order to minimize this risk. Our 
use of financial derivatives would involve certain risks, including the risk that losses on a hedged position could exceed the 
nominal amount invested in the instrument and the risk that the counterparty to the derivative transaction may be unable or 
unwilling to satisfy its contractual obligations, which could have an adverse effect on our results.

Volatility in the London Interbank Offered Rate, or LIBOR, could affect our profitability, earnings, and cash flow.

 The London Interbank Offered Rate (“LIBOR”) is the subject of recent national, international, and other regulatory 
guidance and proposals for reform. These reforms and other pressures may cause LIBOR to be eliminated or to perform 
differently  than  in  the  past.  The  consequences  of  these  developments  cannot  be  entirely  predicted  but  could  include  an 
increase in the cost of our variable rate indebtedness and obligations. LIBOR has been volatile in the past, with the spread 
between LIBOR and the prime lending rate widening significantly at times. Because the interest rates borne by a majority of 
our outstanding indebtedness fluctuate with changes in LIBOR, significant changes in LIBOR would have a material effect 
on the amount of interest payable on our debt, which in turn, could have an adverse effect on our financial condition.

Furthermore, the calculation of interest in most financing agreements in our industry has been based on published 
LIBOR rates. Due, in part, to uncertainty relating to the LIBOR calculation process in recent years, it is likely that LIBOR 
will be phased out in the future. As a result, lenders have insisted on provisions that entitle the lenders, in their discretion, to 
replace published LIBOR as the base for the interest calculation with their cost-of-funds rate. If we are required to agree to 
such a provision in future financing agreements, our lending costs could increase significantly, which would have an adverse 
effect on our profitability, earnings, and cash flow. In addition, the banks currently reporting information used to set LIBOR 
will likely stop such reporting after 2021, when their commitment to reporting information ends. The Alternative Reference 
Rate Committee, a committee convened by the Federal Reserve that includes major market participants, has proposed an 
alternative rate to replace U.S. Dollar LIBOR: the Secured Overnight Financing Rate, or “SOFR.” The impact of such a 
transition from LIBOR to SOFR could be significant for us.

In order to manage our exposure to interest rate fluctuations, we may, from time to time, use interest rate derivatives to 
effectively fix some of our floating rate debt obligations. No assurance can however be given that the use of these derivative 
instruments, if any, may effectively protect us from adverse interest rate movements. The use of interest rate derivatives may 
affect our results through mark to market valuation of these derivatives. Also, adverse movements in interest rate derivatives 
may require us to post cash as collateral, which may impact our free cash position. Interest rate derivatives may also be 
impacted by the transition from LIBOR to SOFR or other alternative rates.

We may have to pay tax on United States source income, which would reduce our earnings.

Under the United States Internal Revenue Code of 1986, or the Code, 50% of the gross shipping income of a vessel 
owning or chartering corporation, such as us and our subsidiaries, that is attributable to transportation that begins or ends, 
but that does not both begin and end, in the United States may be subject to a 4% United States federal income tax without 
allowance for deduction, unless that corporation qualifies for exemption from tax under Section 883 of the Code, or Section 
883, and the applicable Treasury Regulations promulgated thereunder.

We intend to take the position that we qualified for this statutory tax exemption for U.S. federal income tax return 
reporting purposes for our 2020 taxable year, and we intend to so qualify for future taxable years. However, there are factual 
circumstances beyond our control that could cause us to lose the benefit of this tax exemption for any future taxable year and 
thereby become subject to U.S. federal income tax on our U.S.-source shipping income. For example, in certain circumstances, 
we may no longer qualify for exemption under Code Section 883 for a particular taxable year if shareholders, other than 
“qualified shareholders”, with a five percent or greater interest in our common shares owned, in the aggregate, 50% or more 
of our outstanding common shares for more than half the days during the taxable year. Due to the factual nature of the issues 
involved, there can be no assurances on our tax-exempt status.

If we are not entitled to exemption under Section 883 for any taxable year, we would be subject for those years to an 
effective 2% U.S. federal income tax on the shipping income we derive during the year, which is attributable to the transport of 
cargoes to or from the United States. The imposition of this taxation would have a negative effect on our business and would 
result in decreased earnings available for distribution to our shareholders.

We may be treated as a “passive foreign investment company,” which could have certain adverse U.S. federal income 
tax consequences to U.S. holders.

A foreign corporation will be treated as a “passive foreign investment company,” or PFIC, for U.S. federal income tax 
purposes if either (1) at least 75% of its gross income for any taxable year consists of certain types of “passive income”, or (2) 
at least 50% of the average value of the corporation’s assets produce or are held for the production of those types of “passive 

31

income.” For purposes of these tests, cash will be treated as an asset held for the production of passive income. For purposes 
of these tests, “passive income” generally includes dividends, interest, and gains from the sale or exchange of investment 
property and rents and royalties other than those received from unrelated parties in connection with the active conduct of a 
trade or business. For purposes of these tests, income derived from the performance of services does not constitute “passive 
income.” U.S. holders of stock in a PFIC are subject to a disadvantageous U.S. federal income tax regime with respect to the 
income derived by the PFIC, the distributions they receive from the PFIC and the gain, if any, they derive from the sale or 
other disposition of their stock in the PFIC.

Whether we will be treated as a PFIC will depend upon our method of operation. In this regard, we intend to treat 
the gross income we derive or are deemed to derive from time or voyage chartering activities as services income rather than 
rental income. Accordingly, we believe that any income from time or voyage chartering activities will not constitute “passive 
income,” and any assets that we may own and operate in connection with the production of that income will not constitute 
passive assets. However, any gross income that we may be deemed to have derived from bareboat chartering activities will be 
treated as rental income and thus will constitute “passive income,” and any assets that we may own and operate in connection 
with the production of that income will constitute passive assets. There is substantial legal authority supporting this position 
consisting of case law and Internal Revenue Service, or IRS, pronouncements concerning the characterization of income 
derived from time charters and voyage charters as services income for other tax purposes. However, it should be noted that 
there is also authority which characterizes time charter income as rental income rather than services income for other tax 
purposes. Accordingly, no assurance can be given that the IRS or a court of law will accept our position with regard to our 
status from time to time as a PFIC, and there is a risk that the IRS or a court of law could determine that we are or have been 
a PFIC for a particular taxable year.

If we are or have been a PFIC for any taxable year, U.S. holders of our common stock will face certain adverse U.S. 
federal income tax consequences and information reporting obligations. Under the PFIC rules, unless such U.S. holders make 
certain elections available under the Code (which elections could themselves have certain adverse consequences for such U.S. 
holders), such U.S. holders would be liable to pay U.S. federal income tax at the then-prevailing income tax rates on ordinary 
income plus interest upon excess distributions and upon any gain from the disposition of our common stock, as if the excess 
distribution or gain had been recognized ratably over such U.S. holder’s holding period for such common stock. See “Item 
10. Additional Information—E. Taxation—United States Federal Income Tax Considerations—United States Federal Income 
Taxation of U.S. Holders—PFIC Status and Significant Tax Consequences” for a more comprehensive discussion of the U.S. 
federal income tax consequences to U.S. holders of our common stock if we are or were to be treated as a PFIC.

We  may  be  subject  to  increased  premium  payments,  or  calls,  because  we  obtain  some  of  our  insurance  through 
protection and indemnity associations.

We may be subject to increased premium payments, or calls, in amounts based on our claim records as well as the claim 
records of other members of the protection and indemnity associations in the International Group, which is comprised of 13 
mutual protection and indemnity associations and insures approximately 90% of the world’s commercial tonnage and through 
which we receive insurance coverage for tort liability, including pollution-related liability, as well as actual claims. Amounts 
we may be required to pay as a result of such calls will be unavailable for other purposes.

The international nature of our operations may make the outcome of any bankruptcy proceedings difficult to predict.

We are incorporated under the laws of the Republic of the Marshall Islands and we conduct operations in countries 
around the world. Consequently, in the event of any bankruptcy, insolvency, liquidation, dissolution, reorganization, or similar 
proceeding involving us or any of our subsidiaries, bankruptcy laws other than those of the United States could apply. If we 
become a debtor under U.S. bankruptcy law, bankruptcy courts in the United States may seek to assert jurisdiction over all 
of our assets, wherever located, including property situated in other countries. There can be no assurance, however, that we 
would become a debtor in the United States, or that a U.S. bankruptcy court would be entitled to, or accept, jurisdiction over 
such a bankruptcy case, or that courts in other countries that have jurisdiction over us and our operations would recognize a 
U.S. bankruptcy court’s jurisdiction if any other bankruptcy court would determine it had jurisdiction.

A cyber-attack could materially disrupt our business.

We  rely  on  information  technology  systems  and  networks  in  our  operations  and  administration  of  our  business. 
Information  systems  are  vulnerable  to  security  breaches  by  computer  hackers  and  cyber  terrorists.  We  rely  on  industry 
accepted security measures and technology to securely maintain confidential and proprietary information maintained on our 
information systems. However, these measures and technology may not adequately prevent security breaches. Our business 
operations could be targeted by individuals or groups seeking to sabotage or disrupt our information technology systems 
and networks or to steal data. A successful cyber-attack could materially disrupt our operations, including the safety of our 
operations, or lead to the unauthorized release of information or alteration of information in our systems. Any such attack 
or other breach of our information technology systems could have a material adverse effect on our business and results of 
operations. In addition, the unavailability of the information systems or the failure of these systems to perform as anticipated 
for any reason could disrupt our business and could result in decreased performance and increased operating costs, causing 
our business and results of operations to suffer. Any significant interruption or failure of our information systems or any 
significant breach of security could adversely affect our business and results of operations.

If we do not identify suitable vessels for acquisition or successfully integrate any acquired vessels, we may not be able 
to grow or to effectively manage our growth.

One of our strategies is to continue to grow by expanding our operations and adding tanker vessels to our fleet. Our 
future growth will depend upon a number of factors, some of which may not be within our control. These factors include our 
ability to:

• identify suitable vessels for acquisitions at attractive prices, which may not be possible if asset prices rise too quickly;
• obtain financing for our existing and new operations;
• manage relationships with customers and suppliers;
• identify businesses engaged in managing, operating, or owning tanker vessels for acquisitions or joint ventures;
• integrate any acquired vessels successfully with our then-existing operations;
•  attract, hire, train, integrate and retain qualified, highly trained personnel and crew to manage and operate our growing 

business and fleet;

• identify additional new markets;
• enhance our customer base;
• improve our operating, financial, and accounting systems and controls; and
• obtain required financing for our existing and new operations.

Our failure to effectively identify, purchase, develop, and integrate any new vessels could adversely affect our business, 
financial condition, and results of operations. The number of employees that perform services for us and our current operating 
and financial systems may not be adequate as we implement our plan to expand the size of our fleet, and we may not be 
able to effectively hire more employees, or adequately improve those systems. We may incur unanticipated expenses as an 
operating company. Our current operating and financial systems may not be adequate as we implement our plan to expand 
the size of our fleet. Finally, additional acquisitions may require additional equity issuances, which may dilute our common 
shareholders if issued at lower prices than the price they acquired their shares or debt issuances (with amortization payments), 
both of which could reduce our cash flow. If we are unable to execute the points noted above, our financial condition may be 
adversely affected.

Growing any business by acquisition presents numerous risks such as undisclosed liabilities and obligations, difficulty 
in obtaining additional qualified personnel and managing relationships with customers and suppliers, and integrating newly 
acquired operations into existing infrastructures. The expansion of our fleet may impose significant additional responsibilities 
on our management and staff, and the management and staff of our commercial and technical managers, and may necessitate 
that we, and they, increase the number of personnel. We cannot give any assurance that we will be successful in executing our 
growth plans or that we will not incur significant expenses and losses in connection with our future growth.

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The IMO 2020 regulations may cause us to incur substantial costs and to procure low-sulfur fuel oil directly on the 
wholesale market for storage at sea and onward consumption on our vessels.

Effective January 1, 2020, the IMO implemented a new regulation for a 0.50% global sulfur cap on emissions from 
vessels (the “IMO 2020 Regulations”). Under this new global cap, vessels are required to use marine fuels with a sulfur 
content of no more than 0.50% against the former regulations specifying a maximum of 3.50% sulfur in an effort to reduce 
the emission of sulfur oxide into the atmosphere.

We have incurred increased costs to comply with these revised standards. Additional or new conventions, laws, and 
regulations may be adopted that could require, among others, the installation of expensive emission control systems and could 
adversely affect our business, results of operations, cash flows, and financial condition.

Currently, none of our vessels are equipped with scrubbers, and as of January 1, 2020, we have transitioned to burning 
IMO compliant fuels. We continue to evaluate different options in complying with IMO and other rules and regulations. We 
expect that our fuel costs and fuel inventories will increase in 2020 as a result of these sulfur emission regulations. Low sulfur 
fuel is more expensive than standard marine fuel containing 3.5% sulfur content and may become more expensive or difficult 
to obtain as a result of increased demand. If the cost differential between low sulfur fuel and high sulfur fuel is significantly 
higher  than  anticipated,  or  if  low  sulfur  fuel  is  not  available  at  ports  on  certain  trading  routes,  it  may  not  be  feasible  or 
competitive to operate our vessels on certain trading routes without installing scrubbers or without incurring deviation time 
to obtain compliant fuel. Scrubbers may not be available to be installed on such vessels at a favorable cost or at all if we seek 
them at a later date.

Furthermore, although as of the date of this annual report, over one year has passed since the IMO 2020 Regulations 
became effective, it is uncertain how the availability of high-sulfur fuel around the world will be affected by the implementation 
of the IMO 2020 Regulations, and both the price of high-sulfur fuel generally and the difference between the cost of high-
sulfur fuel and that of low-sulfur fuel are also uncertain. Scarcity in the supply of high-sulfur fuel, or a lower-than-anticipated 
difference in the costs between the two types of fuel, may cause us to fail to recognize anticipated benefits from installing 
scrubbers.

Fuel is a significant, if not the largest, expense in our shipping operations when vessels are under voyage charter and 
is an important factor in negotiating charter rates. Our operations and the performance of our vessels, and as a result, our 
results of operations, face a host of challenges. These include concerns over higher costs, international compliance, and the 
availability of low-sulfur fuel at key international bunkering hubs such as Rotterdam and Singapore. In addition, we take 
seriously concerns raised in Europe that certain blends of low-sulfur fuels can emit greater amounts of harmful black carbon 
than the high-sulfur fuels they are meant to replace. Costs of compliance with these and other related regulatory changes 
may be significant and may have a material adverse effect on our future performance, results of operations, cash flows, and 
financial position. As a result, an increase in the price of fuel beyond our expectations may adversely affect our profitability 
at the time of charter negotiation.

While we carry cargo insurance to protect us against certain risks of loss of or damage to the procured commodities, 
we may not be adequately insured to cover any losses from such operational risks, which could have a material adverse effect 
on us. Any significant uninsured or under-insured loss or liability could have a material adverse effect on our business, results 
of operations, cash flows and financial condition, and our available cash.

Climate change and greenhouse gas restrictions may adversely impact our operations and markets.

Due to concern over the risk of climate change, a number of countries and the IMO have adopted, or are considering 
the adoption of, regulatory frameworks to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. These regulatory measures may include, among 
others,  adoption  of  cap  and  trade  regimes,  carbon  taxes,  increased  efficiency  standards,  and  incentives,  or  mandates  for 
renewable energy. More specifically, on October 27, 2016, the International Maritime Organization’s Marine Environment 
Protection Committee (“MEPC”) announced its decision concerning the implementation of regulations mandating a reduction 
in sulfur emissions from 3.5% currently to 0.5% as of the beginning of January 1, 2020. Additionally, in April 2018, nations 
at the MEPC 72 adopted an initial strategy to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from ships. The initial strategy identifies 
levels of ambition to reducing greenhouse gas emissions, including (1) decreasing the carbon intensity from ships through the 
implementation of further phases of the EEDI for new ships; (2) reducing carbon dioxide emissions per transport work, as 
an average across international shipping, by at least 40% by 2030, pursuing efforts towards 70% by 2050, compared to 2008 

emission levels; and (3) reducing the total annual greenhouse emissions by at least 50% by 2050 compared to 2008 while 
pursuing efforts towards phasing them out entirely.

Since January 1, 2020, ships must either remove sulfur from emissions or buy fuel with low sulfur content, which may 
lead to increased costs and supplementary investments for ship owners. The interpretation of “fuel oil used on board” includes 
use in main engines, auxiliary engines, and boilers. Shipowners may comply with this regulation by (i) using 0.5% sulfur 
fuels on board, which are available around the world but at a higher cost; (ii) installing scrubbers for cleaning of the exhaust 
gas; or (iii) by retrofitting vessels to be powered by liquefied natural gas, which may not be a viable option due to the lack of 
supply network and high costs involved in this process. Costs of compliance with these regulatory changes may be significant 
and may have a material adverse effect on our future performance, results of operations, cash flows, and financial position.

In addition, although the emissions of greenhouse gases from international shipping currently are not subject to the 
Kyoto  Protocol  to  the  United  Nations  Framework  Convention  on  Climate  Change,  which  required  adopting  countries  to 
implement national programs to reduce emissions of certain gases, or the Paris Agreement (discussed further below), a new 
treaty  may  be  adopted  in  the  future  that  includes  restrictions  on  shipping  emissions.  Compliance  with  changes  in  laws, 
regulations, and obligations relating to climate change affects the propulsion options in subsequent vessel designs and could 
increase our costs related to acquiring new vessels, operating and maintaining our existing tanker vessels and require us to 
install new emission controls, acquire allowances or pay taxes related to our greenhouse gas emissions or administer and 
manage a greenhouse gas emissions program. Revenue generation and strategic growth opportunities may also be adversely 
affected.

Adverse  effects  upon  the  crude  oil  and  natural  gas  industry  relating  to  climate  change,  including  growing  public 
concern about the environmental impact of climate change, may also adversely affect demand for our services. For example, 
increased regulation of greenhouse gases or other concerns relating to climate change may reduce the demand for crude oil 
and natural gas in the future or create greater incentives for the use of alternative energy sources. In addition, the physical 
effects of climate change, including changes in weather patterns, extreme weather events, rising sea levels, and scarcity of 
water resources, may negatively impact our operations. Any long-term material adverse effect on the crude oil and natural 
gas industry could have a significant financial and operational adverse impact on our business that we cannot predict with 
certainty at this time.

Increasing  scrutiny  and  changing  expectations  from  investors,  lenders,  and  other  market  participants  with  respect  
to  our  Environmental,  Social,  and  Governance  (“ESG”)  policies  may  impose  additional  costs  on  us  or  expose  us  to  
additional risks.

Companies across all industries are facing increasing scrutiny relating to their ESG policies. Investor advocacy groups, 
certain  institutional  investors,  investment  funds,  lenders,  and  other  market  participants  are  increasingly  focused  on  ESG 
practices and, in recent years, have placed increasing importance on the implications and social cost of their investments. The 
increased focus and activism related to ESG and similar matters may hinder access to capital, as investors and lenders may 
decide to reallocate capital or to not commit capital as a result of their assessment of a company’s ESG practices. Companies 
that do not adapt to, or comply with, investor, lender, or other industry shareholder expectations and standards which are 
evolving, or which are perceived to have not responded appropriately to the growing concern for ESG issues, regardless of 
whether there is a legal requirement to do so, may suffer from reputational damage and the business, financial condition, and/
or stock price of such a company could be materially and adversely affected.

We may face increasing pressures from investors, lenders, and other market participants, who are increasingly focused 
on climate change, to prioritize sustainable energy practices, reduce our carbon footprint and promote sustainability. As a 
result, we may be required to implement more stringent ESG procedures or standards so that our existing and future investors 
and lenders remain invested in us and make further investments in us, especially given the highly focused and specific trade of 
crude oil transportation in which we are engaged. If we do not meet these standards, our business and/or our ability to access 
capital could be harmed.

Additionally,  certain  investors  and  lenders  may  exclude  oil  transport  companies,  such  as  us,  from  their  investing 
portfolios  altogether  due  to  environmental,  social,  and  governance  factors. These  limitations  in  both  the  debt  and  equity 
capital markets may affect our ability to grow as our plans for growth may include accessing the equity and debt capital 
markets. If those markets are unavailable, or if we are unable to access alternative means of financing on acceptable terms, 
or at all, we may be unable to implement our business strategy, which would have a material adverse effect on our financial 

35

condition and results of operations and impair our ability to service our indebtedness. Further, it is likely that we will incur 
additional costs and require additional resources to monitor, report, and comply with wide-ranging ESG requirements. The 
occurrence of any of the foregoing could have a material adverse effect on our business and financial condition.

If we are unable to operate our vessels profitably, we may be unsuccessful in competing in the highly competitive 
international tanker vessel market, which would negatively affect our financial condition and our ability to expand 
our business.

The operation of tanker vessels and transportation of crude oil and refined petroleum products is extremely competitive, 
and  reduced  demand  for  transportation  of  crude  oil  and  refined  petroleum  products  could  lead  to  increased  competition. 
Competition arises primarily from other tanker vessel owners, including major oil companies and national oil companies or 
companies linked to authorities of oil producing or importing countries, as well as independent tanker companies, some of 
whom have substantially greater resources than we do. Competition for the transportation of oil and oil products can be intense 
and depends on price, location, size, age, condition, and the acceptability of the tanker and its operator to the charterers. Our 
ability to operate our vessels profitably depends on a variety of factors, including, but not limited to the (i) loss or reduction 
in business from significant customers, (ii) unanticipated changes in demand for transportation of crude oil and petroleum 
products, (iii) changes in the production of, or demand for, oil and petroleum products, generally or in particular regions, (iv) 
greater than anticipated levels of tanker vessel newbuilding orders or lower than anticipated levels of tanker vessel recyclings, 
and (v) changes in rules and regulations applicable to the tanker vessel industry, including legislation adopted by international 
organizations such as IMO and the EU or by individual countries.

If we expand our business or provide new services in new geographic regions, we may not be able to compete profitably. 
New markets may require different skills, knowledge, or strategies than we use in our current markets, and the competitors in 
those new markets may have greater financial strength and capital resources than we do.

Regulations relating to ballast water discharge came into effect during September 2019 and may adversely affect our 
revenues and profitability.

The IMO has imposed updated guidelines for ballast water management systems specifying the maximum amount 
of viable organisms allowed to be discharged from a vessel’s ballast water. Depending on the date of the International Oil 
Pollution Prevention (IOPP) renewal survey, existing vessels constructed before September 8, 2017, are required to comply 
with  the  updated  D-2  standard  on  or  after  September  8,  2019.  For  most  vessels,  compliance  with  the  D-2  standard  will 
involve installing on-board systems to treat ballast water and eliminate unwanted organisms. Vessels constructed on or after 
September 8, 2017, are required to comply with the D-2 standards on or after September 8, 2017. We currently have 4 tanker 
vessels that have to install a ballast water management system or otherwise meet the D-2 (discharge) standard during their 
renewal survey linked to the ship’s International Oil Pollution Prevention Certificate after 8 September 2019, where costs of 
compliance may be substantial and adversely affect our revenues and profitability.

Furthermore,  United  States  regulations  are  currently  changing.  Although  the  2013  Vessel  General  Permit  (VGP) 
program and U.S. National Invasive Species Act (NISA) are currently in effect to regulate ballast discharge, exchange, and 
installation, the Vessel Incidental Discharge Act or VIDA, which was signed into law on December 4, 2018, requires that 
the  EPA  develop  national  standards  of  performance  for  approximately  30  discharges,  similar  to  those  found  in  the VGP 
within two years. On October 26, 2020, the EPA published a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking for Vessel Incidental Discharge 
National Standards of Performance under VIDA. By approximately 2022, the U.S. Coast Guard must develop corresponding 
implementation,  compliance,  and  enforcement  regulations  regarding  ballast  water. The  new  regulations  could  require  the 
installation of new equipment, which may cause us to incur substantial costs, which may adversely affect our profitability.

Insurance may be difficult to obtain, or if obtained, may not be adequate to cover our losses that may result from our 
operations due to the inherent operational risks of the shipping industry.

We carry insurance to protect us against most of the accident-related risks involved in the conduct of our business, 
including  marine  hull  and  machinery  insurance,  protection  and  indemnity  insurance,  which  include  pollution  risks,  crew 
insurance, and war risk insurance. However, we may not be adequately insured to cover losses from our operational risks, 
which could have a material adverse effect on us. Additionally, our insurers may refuse to pay particular claims, and our 

insurance may be voidable by the insurers if we take, or fail to take, certain actions, such as failing to maintain certification 
of our vessels with applicable maritime regulatory organizations. Any significant uninsured or under-insured loss or liability 
could have a material adverse effect on our business, results of operations, cash flows and financial condition, and our available 
cash. In addition, we may not be able to obtain adequate insurance coverage at reasonable rates in the future during adverse 
insurance market conditions.

Under our vessel management agreements with UOT, UOT is responsible for procuring and paying for insurance for 
our vessels. Our insurance policies contain standard limitations, exclusions, and deductibles. The policies insure against those 
risks that the shipping industry commonly insures against, which are hull and machinery, protection and indemnity, and war 
risk. UOT currently maintains hull and machinery coverage in an amount at least equal to the vessels’ market value. UOT 
maintains an amount of protection and indemnity insurance that is at least equal to the standard industry level of coverage. We 
cannot assure you that UOT will be able to procure adequate insurance coverage for our fleet in the future or that our insurers 
will pay any particular claim.

In addition, changes in the insurance markets attributable to terrorist attacks may also make certain types of insurance 
more difficult for us to obtain due to increased premiums or reduced or restricted coverage for losses caused by terrorist acts 
generally.

Because we obtain some of our insurance through protection and indemnity associations, which result in significant 
expenses  to  us,  we  may  be  required  to  make  additional  premium  payments.  We  may  be  subject  to  increased  premium 
payments, or calls, in amounts based on our claim records, the claim records of our managers, as well as the claim records of 
other members of the protection and indemnity associations through which we receive insurance coverage for tort liability, 
including pollution-related liability. In addition, our protection and indemnity associations may not have enough resources 
to cover claims made against them. Our payment of these calls could result in significant expense to us, which could have a 
material adverse effect on our business, results of operations, cash flows, financial condition, and available cash.

Adverse  market  conditions  could  cause  us  to  breach  covenants  in  our  credit  facility  and  adversely  affect  our  
operating results.

The market values of tanker vessels are subject to significant volatility. Indicatively, market prices for ten-year-old 
Aframax tankers over the past ten years have fluctuated significantly from a high level of $31.0 million in 2015 to a low 
level of $17.0 million in 2012. You should expect the market value of our vessels to fluctuate depending on general economic 
and market conditions affecting the shipping industry and prevailing charter rates, competition from other tanker companies 
and  other  modes  of  transportation,  types,  sizes,  and  ages  of  vessels,  applicable  governmental  regulations  and  the  cost  of 
newbuildings. We believe that our vessels’ current aggregate market value will be in excess of loan to value amounts required 
under our credit facility. Our credit facilities generally require that the fair market value of the vessels pledged as collateral 
never be less than 125% or 135% of the aggregate principal amount outstanding under the loans. We were in compliance with 
these requirements as of December 31, 2020, and as of the date of this annual report.

A decrease in vessel values could cause us to breach certain covenants in our existing credit facility and future financing 
agreements that we may enter into from time to time. If we breach such covenants and are unable to remedy the relevant 
breach or obtain a waiver, our lenders could accelerate our debt and foreclose on our owned vessels. Additionally, if we sell 
one or more of our vessels at a time when vessel prices have fallen, the sale price may be less than the vessel’s carrying value 
on our consolidated financial statements, resulting in a loss on sale or an impairment loss being recognized, ultimately leading 
to a reduction in earnings.

A shift in consumer demand from crude oil towards other energy sources or changes to trade patterns for crude oil 
and refined petroleum products may have a material adverse effect on our business.

A significant portion of our earnings are related to the crude oil industry. A shift in the consumer demand from crude oil 
towards other energy resources such as wind energy, solar energy, hydrogen energy, or nuclear energy will potentially affect 
the demand for our vessels. This could have a material adverse effect on our future performance, results of operations, cash 
flows, and financial position.

Seaborne trading and distribution patterns are primarily influenced by the relative advantage of the various sources of 
production, locations of consumption, pricing differentials, and seasonality. Changes to the trade patterns of crude oil and oil 

37

products may have a significant negative or positive impact on the ton-mile and, therefore, the demand for our tanker vessels. 
This could have a material adverse effect on our future performance, results of operations, cash flows, and financial position.

RISKS RELATING TO OUR COMMON SHARES

The market price of our common shares is subject to significant fluctuations. Further, there is no guarantee of a 
continuing public market for you to resell our common shares.

Our common shares commenced trading on the Nasdaq Global Market on January 19, 2011. Since January 2, 2013, our 
common shares have traded on the Nasdaq Global Select Market, and since March 6, 2020, our common shares have traded 
on the Nasdaq Capital Market. We cannot assure you that an active and liquid public market for our common shares will 
continue. The Nasdaq Capital Market and each national securities exchange have certain corporate governance requirements 
that must be met in order for us to maintain our listing. If we fail to maintain the relevant corporate governance requirements, 
our common shares could be delisted, which would make it harder for you to monetize your investment in our common shares 
and would cause the value of your investment to decline.

Since June 2016, we have effected seven reverse stock splits of our common shares, each of which was approved by 
our board of directors and by our shareholders at an annual or special meeting of such shareholders. There were no changes 
to the trading symbol, number of authorized shares, or par value of our common stock in connection with any of the reverse 
stock splits. See “Item 4. Information on the Company - A. History and Development of the Company.”

The market price of our common shares has been and may in the future be subject to significant fluctuations as a result 
of many factors, some of which are beyond our control. Among the factors that have in the past and could in the future affect 
our stock price are:

•  the failure of securities analysts to publish research about us, or analysts to make appropriate changes in their financial 

estimates;

• announcements by us or our competitors of significant contracts, acquisitions, or capital commitments;
• variations in quarterly operating results;
• general economic conditions;
• terrorist or piracy acts;
• unforeseen events, such as natural disasters or pandemics (including the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic);
• future sales of our common shares or other securities; and
• investors’ perception of us and the international tanker vessel sector.

These broad market and industry factors may materially reduce the market price of our common shares, regardless of 

our operating performance.

The shipping industry has been highly unpredictable and volatile. The market for common shares in this industry may 
be equally volatile. Therefore, we cannot assure you that you will be able to sell any of our common shares you may have 
purchased at a price greater than or equal to its original purchase price, or that you will be able to sell them at all.

A decline in the closing price of our common shares could result in a breach of the requirements for listing on the 
Nasdaq Capital Market, and our common shares could be delisted from the Nasdaq Capital Market, or trading could 
be suspended.

On May 22, 2017, we received a notification of deficiency from the Nasdaq Stock Market, or Nasdaq, stating that 
because the closing bid price of our common stock for the prior 30 consecutive business days was below $1.00 per share, we 
no longer met the minimum bid price requirement for listing on the Nasdaq Global Select Market. Additionally, on July 31, 
2017, we received a second notification of deficiency from Nasdaq stating that the market value of our publicly held shares 
fell below the $5,000,000 minimum requirement for listing on the Nasdaq Global Select Market for 30 consecutive business 
days. We regained compliance with both deficiencies within the prescribed grace period for each of 180 calendar days by 
effecting reverse stock splits of our common shares. On January 10, 2019, we received another notification of deficiency 
from Nasdaq, stating that because the closing bid price of our common stock was below the minimum $1.00 per share for 
30 consecutive business days, we are not in compliance with Nasdaq Listing Rule 5450(a)(1). The applicable grace period 

to regain compliance was 180 days, or until July 9, 2019, and we regained compliance with the foregoing deficiency within 
the prescribed grace period of 180 calendar days. On September 6, 2019, we received another notification of deficiency from 
Nasdaq, stating that because the closing bid price of our common stock for the prior 30 consecutive business days was below 
$1.00 per share, we no longer met the minimum bid price requirement for listing on the Nasdaq Global Select Market. On 
March 5, 2020, Nasdaq approved our application to list our common stock on the Nasdaq Capital Market and our securities 
were transferred to Nasdaq Capital Market at the opening of business on March 6, 2020. Also, on March 5, 2020, Nasdaq 
granted us an additional 180 calendar days, until August 31, 2020, to regain compliance with the bid price requirement. On 
April 20, 2020, we were informed by Nasdaq that due to the COVID-19 pandemic, temporary relief had been granted related 
to the minimum bid price requirement, and as a result, our compliance period was, at that time, suspended until June 30, 2020. 
Our applicable grace period to regain compliance was November 16, 2020, which included the temporary COVID-19 relief 
period and we regained compliance with the foregoing deficiency within the prescribed grace period. See “Item 4. Information 
on the Company - A. History and Development of the Company.”

A decline in the closing price of our common shares could result in a breach of the requirements for listing on the 
Nasdaq Capital Market. Although we would have an opportunity to take action to cure such a breach, including by effecting a 
reverse stock split if necessary, if we do not succeed, Nasdaq could commence suspension or delisting procedures in respect 
of our common shares. The commencement of suspension or delisting procedures by an exchange remains, at all times, at the 
discretion of such exchange and would be publicly announced by the exchange. If a suspension or delisting were to occur, there 
would be significantly less liquidity in the suspended or delisted securities. In addition, our ability to raise additional necessary 
capital through equity or debt financing would be greatly impaired. Furthermore, with respect to any suspended or delisted 
common shares, we would expect decreases in institutional and other investor demand, analyst coverage, market making 
activity, and information available concerning trading prices and volume. Additionally, fewer broker-dealers would be willing 
to execute trades with respect to such common shares. A suspension or delisting would likely decrease the attractiveness of 
our common shares to investors, may constitute a breach under certain of our credit facilities, constitute an event of default 
under certain classes of our preferred stock and cause the trading volume of our common shares to decline, which could result 
in a further decline in the market price of our common shares.

We cannot assure you that our board of directors will declare dividend payments in the future, or when such payment 
might occur.

On October 20, 2020, we announced that our board of directors approved a new variable quarterly dividend policy 
after previously suspending the quarterly cash dividend on our common shares since the quarter ended June 30, 2016. On 
November 9, 2020, we made a dividend payment in the aggregate amount of $0.01 per share (or $0.10 per share, as adjusted 
for the reverse stock split effected on November 2, 2020) to the shareholders of record at the close of business on October 30, 
2020, with respect to the third quarter of 2020. While we have declared and paid cash dividends on our common shares in the 
past and currently do so, there can be no assurance that our board of directors will declare dividend payments in the future.

If declared, our variable quarterly dividend is expected to be paid each February, May, August and November and to 
be a percentage of available cash from operations during the previous quarter after cash payments for debt repayment and 
interest expense and reserves for the replacement of our vessels, scheduled drydockings, intermediate and special surveys, and 
other purposes as our board of directors may from time to time determine are required, after taking into account contingent 
liabilities, the terms of any credit facility, our growth strategy and other cash needs as well as the requirements of Marshall 
Islands law, among other factors. In addition, any credit facilities that we may enter into in the future may include restrictions 
on our ability to pay dividends.

The declaration and payment of dividends, even during times when we have sufficient funds and are not restricted 
from declaring and paying dividends by our lenders or any other party, will always be subject to the discretion of our board 
of directors. Our board of directors may review and amend our dividend policy from time to time, taking into consideration 
our plans for future growth and other factors. The actual timing and amount of dividend payments, if any, will be determined 
by our board of directors and will be affected by various factors, including our cash earnings, financial condition and cash 
requirements, the loss of a vessel, the acquisition of one or more vessels, required capital expenditures, reserves established by 
our board of directors, increased or unanticipated expenses, a change in our dividend policy, additional borrowings or future 
issuances of securities, many of which will be beyond our control.

We may incur expenses or liabilities or be subject to other circumstances in the future that reduce or eliminate the 
amount of cash that we have available for distribution as dividends. Our growth strategy contemplates that we will finance the 

39

acquisition of additional tanker vessels through a combination of primarily equity capital and, to a lesser extent, cash on hand 
and debt financing on terms acceptable to us. If external sources of funds on terms acceptable to us are limited, our board of 
directors may determine to finance acquisitions with cash from operations, which would reduce or even eliminate the amount 
of cash available for the payment of dividends.

We are a holding company, and we depend on the ability of our subsidiaries to distribute funds to us to satisfy our 
financial obligations and to make dividend payments. In addition, our existing or future credit facilities may include restrictions 
on our ability to pay dividends.

The shipping sector is highly cyclical and volatile. We cannot predict with accuracy the amount of cash flows our 
operations will generate in any given period. Our quarterly dividends, if any, will vary significantly from quarter to quarter as 
a result of variations in our operating performance, cash flow, and other contingencies, and we cannot assure you that we will 
generate available cash for distribution in any quarter, and so we may not declare and pay any dividends in certain quarters, 
or at all. Our ability to resume payment of dividends will be subject to the limitations set forth above and in the section of this 
annual report entitled “Item 3. Key Information – D. Risk Factors.”

In times when we have debt outstanding, we intend to limit our dividends per share, if dividend payment is reinstated, 
to the amount that we would have been able to pay if we were financed entirely with equity. In addition, any credit facilities 
that we may enter into in the future may include restrictions on our ability to pay dividends. Marshall Islands law generally 
prohibits the payment of dividends other than from surplus (retained earnings and the excess of consideration received for 
the sale of shares above the par value of the shares) or while a company is insolvent or would be rendered insolvent by the 
payment of such a dividend.

Future offerings of debt securities and amounts outstanding under any future credit facilities or other borrowings, 
which would rank senior to our common stock upon our liquidation, and future offerings of equity securities, which 
would dilute our existing stockholders, may adversely affect the market value of our common stock.

In the future, we may attempt to increase our capital resources with further borrowing under credit facilities, making 
offerings  of  debt  or  additional  offerings  of  equity  securities,  including  commercial  paper,  medium-term  notes,  senior  or 
subordinated  notes,  and  classes  of  preferred  stock.  Upon  liquidation,  holders  of  our  debt  securities  and  certain  series  of 
our preferred stock, and lenders with respect to our credit facilities and other borrowings will receive a distribution of our 
available assets prior to the holders of our common stock. Additional equity offerings may dilute the holdings of our existing 
stockholders or reduce the market value of our common stock, or both. Any preferred stock, if issued, could have a preference 
on  liquidating  distributions  or  a  preference  on  dividend  payments  that  would  limit  amounts  available  for  distribution  to 
holders of our common stock. Because our decision to borrow additional amounts under credit facilities or issue securities 
in any future offering will depend on market conditions and other factors beyond our control, we cannot predict or estimate 
the amount, timing, or nature of our future indebtedness or offering of securities. Therefore, holders of our common stock 
bear the risk of our future offerings reducing the market value of our common stock and diluting their shareholdings in us or 
that in the event of bankruptcy, liquidation, dissolution, or winding-up of the Company, all or substantially all of our assets 
will be distributed to holders of our debt securities or preferred stock or lenders with respect to our credit facilities and other 
borrowings.

We are a holding company, and we depend on the ability of our current and future subsidiaries to distribute funds to 
us in order to satisfy our financial obligations and to make dividend payments.

We are a holding company, and our subsidiaries, which are directly or indirectly wholly-owned by us, conduct all of 
our operations and own all of our operating assets. We have no significant assets other than the equity interests in our wholly-
owned subsidiaries. As a result, our ability to satisfy our financial obligations and to pay dividends, if any, to our shareholders 
will depend on the ability of our subsidiaries to distribute funds to us. In turn, the ability of our subsidiaries to make dividend 
payments to us will depend on them having profits available for distribution and, to the extent that we are unable to obtain 
dividends from our subsidiaries, this will limit the discretion of our board of directors to pay or recommend the payment of 
dividends. Also, our subsidiaries are limited by Marshall Islands law which generally prohibits the payment of dividends other 
than from surplus (retained earnings and the excess of consideration received for the sale of shares above the par value of the 
shares) or while a company is insolvent or would be rendered insolvent by the payment of such a dividend.

Because we are a foreign corporation, you may not have the same rights or protections that a shareholder in a U.S. 
corporation may have.

We are incorporated in the Republic of the Marshall Islands, which does not have a well-developed body of corporate 
law and may make it more difficult for our shareholders to protect their interests. Our corporate affairs are governed by our 
amended and restated articles of incorporation and bylaws and the Marshall Islands Business Corporations Act, or BCA. The 
provisions of the BCA resemble provisions of the corporation laws of a number of states in the United States. The rights and 
fiduciary responsibilities of directors under the law of the Marshall Islands are not as clearly established as the rights and 
fiduciary responsibilities of directors under statutes or judicial precedent in existence in certain U.S. jurisdictions, and there 
have been few judicial cases in the Marshall Islands interpreting the BCA. Shareholder rights may differ as well. While the 
BCA does specifically incorporate the non-statutory law, or judicial case law, of the State of Delaware and other states with 
substantially  similar  legislative  provisions,  our  public  shareholders  may  have  more  difficulty  in  protecting  their  interests 
in the face of actions by the management, directors or controlling shareholders than would shareholders of a corporation 
incorporated in a U.S. jurisdiction. Therefore, you may have more difficulty in protecting your interests as a shareholder 
in the face of actions by the management, directors or controlling stockholders than would shareholders of a corporation 
incorporated in a U.S. jurisdiction.

Future sales of our common stock could cause the market price of our common stock to decline.

Our amended and restated articles of incorporation authorize us to issue up to 500,000,000 shares of common stock, of 

which 5,082,726 shares were issued and outstanding as of the date of this annual report.

We may offer and sell our common stock or securities convertible into our common stock from time to time, through 
one or more methods of distribution, subject to market conditions and our capital needs. The market price of our common 
stock could decline from its current levels due to sales of a large number of shares in the market, including sales of shares by 
our large shareholders, our issuance of additional shares, or securities convertible into our common stock or the perception 
that these sales could occur. These sales could also make it more difficult or impossible for us to sell equity securities in the 
future at a time and price that we deem appropriate to raise funds through future offerings of shares of our common stock. The 
issuance of such additional shares of common stock would also result in the dilution of the ownership interests of our existing 
shareholders.

As a key component of our business strategy, we intend to issue additional shares of common stock or other securities 
to  finance  our  growth  as  market  conditions  warrant.  These  issuances,  which  would  generally  not  be  subject  to 
shareholder approval, may lower your ownership interests and may depress the market price of our common stock.

As  a  key  component  of  our  business  strategy,  we  plan  to  finance  potential  future  expansions  of  our  fleet  in  large 
part with equity financing. Pursuant to our amended and restated articles of incorporation, we are authorized to issue up to 
500,000,000 common shares and 25,000,000 preferred shares, each with a par value of $0.01 per share. Therefore, subject to 
Nasdaq rules that are applicable to us, we may issue additional shares of common stock and other equity securities of equal 
or senior rank, without shareholder approval, in a number of circumstances from time to time.

The issuance by us of additional shares of common stock or other equity securities of equal or senior rank will have  

the following effects:

• our existing shareholders’ proportionate ownership interest in us may decrease;
• the relative voting strength of each previously outstanding share may be diminished;
• the market price of our common stock may decline; and
• the amount of cash available for dividends payable on our common stock, if any, may decrease.

It may not be possible for our investors to enforce judgments of U.S courts against us.

We are incorporated in the Republic of the Marshall Islands. Substantially all of our assets are located outside the 
United States. As a result, it may be difficult or impossible for U.S. shareholders to serve process within the United States 
upon us or to enforce judgment upon us for civil liabilities in U.S. courts. In addition, you should not assume that courts in the 

41

countries in which we are incorporated or where our assets are located (1) would enforce judgments of U.S. courts obtained 
in actions against us based upon the civil liability provisions of applicable U.S. federal and state securities laws or (2) would 
enforce, in original actions, liabilities against us based upon these laws.

Anti-takeover  provisions  in  our  organizational  documents  could  make  it  difficult  for  our  shareholders  to  replace 
or remove our current board of directors or have the effect of discouraging, delaying, or preventing a merger or 
acquisition, which could adversely affect the value of our securities.

Several  provisions  of  our  amended  and  restated  articles  of  incorporation  and  bylaws  could  make  it  difficult  for 
our shareholders to change the composition of our board of directors in any one year, preventing them from changing the 
composition of management. In addition, the same provisions may discourage, delay or prevent a merger or acquisition that 
shareholders may consider favorable.

These provisions include:

• authorizing our board of directors to issue “blank check” preferred stock without shareholder approval;
• providing for a classified board of directors with staggered, three-year terms;
• prohibiting cumulative voting in the election of directors;
•  authorizing the removal of directors only for cause and only upon the affirmative vote of the holders of two-thirds of the 

outstanding common shares entitled to vote generally in the election of directors;

• limiting the persons who may call special meetings of shareholders; and
•  establishing advance notice requirements for nominations for election to our board of directors or for proposing matters that 

can be acted on by shareholders at shareholder meetings.

In addition, we have entered into an amended and restated stockholders’ rights agreement, dated August 29, 2016, or 
the Stockholders’ Rights Agreement, pursuant to which our board of directors may cause the substantial dilution of any person 
that attempts to acquire us without the approval of our board of directors.

These  anti-takeover  provisions,  including  provisions  of  our  Stockholders’  Rights  Agreement,  could  substantially 
impede the ability of our shareholders to benefit from a change in control and, as a result, may adversely affect the value of 
our securities, if any, and the ability of our shareholders to realize any potential change of control premium.

Item 4. INFORMATION ON THE COMPANY

A. HISTORY AND DEVELOPMENT OF THE COMPANY

Performance Shipping Inc. (formerly Diana Containerships Inc.) is a corporation incorporated under the laws of the 
Republic of the Marshall Islands on January 7, 2010. Each of our vessels is owned by a separate wholly-owned subsidiary. 
Performance Shipping Inc. is the owner of all the issued and outstanding shares of the subsidiaries listed in Exhibit 8.1 to this 
annual report. We maintain our principal executive offices at 373 Syngrou Avenue, 175 64 Palaio Faliro, Athens, Greece. Our 
telephone number at that address is +30 216 600 2400. Our agent and authorized representative in the United States is our 
wholly-owned subsidiary, established in the State of Delaware in July 2014 under the name Container Carriers (USA) LLC 
and amended to change the name of the company to Performance Shipping USA LLC as of November 20, 2020, which is 
located at 2711 Centerville Road, Suite 400, Wilmington, Delaware 19808. The SEC maintains an Internet site that contains 
reports, proxy and information statements, and other information regarding issuers that file electronically with the SEC. The 
address of the SEC’s Internet site is http://www.sec.gov. The address of our Internet site is http://www.pshipping.com/.

During 2016, 2017, and 2020, we effected seven reverse stock splits of our common shares, each of which was approved 

by our board of directors and by our shareholders:

•  On June 9, 2016, we effected a one-for-eight reverse stock split, which our shareholders approved at our annual meeting of 

shareholders held on February 24, 2016;

•  On July 5, 2017, we effected a one-for-seven reverse stock split, which our shareholders approved at our annual meeting of 

shareholders held on June 29, 2017;

•  On July 27, 2017, we effected a one-for-six reverse stock split, which our shareholders approved at our annual meeting of 

shareholders held on June 29, 2017;

•  On August 24, 2017, we effected a one-for-seven reverse stock split, which our shareholders approved at our annual meeting 

of shareholders held on June 29, 2017;

•  On September 25, 2017, we effected a one-for-three reverse stock split, which our shareholders approved at our annual 

meeting of shareholders held on June 29, 2017;

•  On  November  2,  2017,  we  effected  a  one-for-seven  reverse  stock  split,  which  our  shareholders  approved  at  the  special 

meeting of shareholders held on October 26, 2017; and

•  On November 2, 2020, we effected a one-for-ten reverse stock split, which our shareholders approved at the special meeting 

of shareholders held on October 29, 2020.

There were no changes to the trading symbol, number of authorized shares, or par value of our common stock in 
connection with any of the reverse stock splits. All share and per share amounts disclosed in this annual report give effect to 
these seven reverse stock splits retroactively, for all periods presented.

On March 30, 2020, our ticker symbol on Nasdaq changed from “DCIX” to “PSHG”.

Business Development and Capital Expenditures and Divestitures

In  March  2017,  we  completed  a  registered  direct  offering  of  (i)  3,000  newly-designated  Series  B-1  convertible 
preferred shares, par value $0.01 per share, and common shares underlying such Series B-1 convertible preferred shares, and 
(ii) warrants to purchase 6,500 of Series B-1 convertible preferred shares, 6,500 of Series B-1 convertible preferred shares 
underlying such warrants, and common shares underlying such Series B-1 convertible preferred shares. Concurrently with 
the registered direct offering, we completed an offering of warrants to purchase 140,500 of Series B-2 convertible preferred 
shares in a private placement, in reliance on Regulation S under the Securities Act. The securities in the registered direct 
offering and private placement were issued and sold to Kalani Investments Limited, or Kalani, an entity not affiliated with us, 
pursuant to a Securities Purchase Agreement. In connection with the private placement, we entered into a Registration Rights 
Agreement with Kalani, pursuant to which the investor was granted certain registration rights with respect to the securities 
issued and sold in the private placement In 2018, we received $17.5 million of gross proceeds from the exercise of 17,490 
Series B-2 preferred warrants to purchase an equal number of Series B-2 convertible preferred shares. In aggregate, in 2018, 
17,529 Series B-2 convertible preferred shares were converted to 1,025,0,27 common shares, thus leaving 250 Series B-2 
convertible preferred shares outstanding on December 31, 2018. In 2019, we received $6.5 million of gross proceeds from 
the exercise of 6,470 Series B-2 preferred warrants to purchase an equal number of Series B-2 convertible preferred shares. 
In aggregate, in 2019, 5,220 Series B-2 convertible preferred shares were converted to 710,051 common shares, thus leaving 
1,500 Series B-2 convertible preferred shares outstanding on December 31, 2019. Subsequent to December 31, 2019, and up 
to April 6, 2020, 1,100 Series B-2 convertible preferred shares were converted to 195,215 common shares, thus leaving 400 
Series B-2 convertible preferred shares outstanding on April 6, 2020. On April 7, 2020, we entered into an agreement with 
Kalani and repurchased and canceled all of our outstanding Series B-2 convertible preferred stock, as further described below.

In May 2017, we issued 100 shares of our newly-designated Series C Preferred Stock, par value $0.01 per share, to 
DSI, in exchange for a reduction of $3.0 million in the principal amount of our then outstanding loan with DSI, thus leaving 
an outstanding principal balance of $42.4 million on such loan. The Series C Preferred Stock had no dividend or liquidation 
rights. The Series C Preferred Stock voted with our common shares, and each share of the Series C Preferred Stock entitled the 
holder thereof to up to 250,000 votes, subject to a cap such that the aggregate voting power of any holder of Series C Preferred 
Stock together with its affiliates did not exceed 49.0% of the total number of votes eligible to be cast on all matters submitted 
to a vote of our stockholders. As of March 25, 2020, the 100 shares of Series C Preferred Stock remained outstanding. On 
March 26, 2020, we repurchased all 100 shares of Series C Preferred Stock outstanding from DSI and canceled them. See 
“Item 7. Major Shareholders and Related Party Transactions – B. Related Party Transactions.”

In June 2017, the repayment of our then existing RBS loan was partially funded with $10.0 million from our own 
cash, with $40.0 million from a refinance of our then existing loan with Diana Shipping and with $35.0 million from a new 
loan agreement with Addiewell Ltd, or Addiewell, an unrelated party. After the refinance of our then existing unsecured loan 
facility with Diana Shipping, the principal amount of the new secured loan amounted to $82.6 million, which included the 
$42.4 million outstanding principal balance as of June 30, 2017, increased by the flat fee of $0.2 million which was payable 
at maturity, and the additional drawdown of $40.0 million. The new loans with Addiewell and Diana Shipping, which were 
secured by first and second priority mortgages over our containerships, each would mature in eighteen months from their 
signing, or on December 31, 2018, and bore interest at the rate of 6% per annum for the first twelve months scaled to 9% 
for the next three months and further scaled to 12% for the remaining three months of the loans. Additionally, there was a 

43

discount premium amount of $10.0 million and $5.0 million for the loans with Addiewell and Diana Shipping, respectively. 
During 2017 and 2018, we gradually repaid the outstanding balances of both loans by making use of equity and vessels’ sales 
proceeds. The entire loan balances of Addiewell and Diana Shipping were fully repaid, together with the applicable discount 
premiums, in May and July 2018, respectively, and the loan agreements were accordingly terminated.

From February to May 2018, we entered into five memoranda of agreement to sell the container vessels m/v New 
Jersey (ex YM New Jersey), the m/v Sagitta, the m/v Centaurus, the m/v Puelo, and the m/v Hamburg to unrelated parties for 
an aggregate sale price of $71.7 million, net of commissions. The vessels were delivered to their new owners between March 
and July of 2018.

In January 2019, we announced that our board of directors authorized a share repurchase program to purchase up 
to an aggregate of $6.0 million of our common shares, or the First Share Repurchase Program. The timing and amount of 
any repurchases would be determined by our management team and would depend on market conditions, capital allocation 
alternatives, applicable securities laws, and other factors. The board of directors’ authorization of the First Share Repurchase 
Program was effective immediately and expired on December 21, 2019. No common shares were repurchased as part of this 
program until its expiration.

In January 2019, we announced that we received written notification from the Nasdaq Stock Market LLC, or Nasdaq, 
dated January 10, 2019, indicating that because the closing bid price of our common stock for 30 consecutive business days 
was below the minimum $1.00 per share bid price requirement for continued listing on the Nasdaq Global Select Market, 
we were not in compliance with Nasdaq Listing Rule 5450(a)(1). The applicable grace period to regain compliance was 180 
days, or until July 9, 2019. We regained compliance on April 4, 2019, and thus cured this deficiency within the prescribed 
grace period.

In February 2019, we issued 574,779 restricted common shares as a one-time special award to the executive management 
and  the  non-executive  directors,  pursuant  to  our  board  of  directors’  decision  of  February  15,  2018,  in  recognition  of  the 
successful refinancing of the RBS loan in 2017, which resulted in a significant gain of $42.2 million, net of expenses. The fair 
value of the award was $5.0 million, and the number of shares issued was based on the share closing price of February 15, 
2019. One third of the shares vested as of the issuance date, and the remainder two thirds vested ratably over two years from 
the issuance date.

In February 2019, the affirmative vote of a majority of all votes eligible to be cast by Shareholders entitled to attend and 
vote at our Annual Meeting of Shareholders approved an amendment to our Amended and Restated Articles of Incorporation 
to change our name to “Performance Shipping Inc.”, which was effected on February 25, 2019. Our common shares traded 
on the Nasdaq stock exchange under the ticker “DCIX” until March 30, 2020, whereupon they commenced trading under the 
ticker “PSHG.”

In June and November 2019, under two separate transactions, we acquired the entities Taburao Shipping Company 
Inc., Tarawa Shipping Company Inc., and Rongelap Shipping Company Inc., which were affiliated with our Chairman and 
former Chief Executive Officer, Mr. Symeon Palios, for an aggregate purchase price of $21.0 million. Prior to their acquisition 
by us, each of the three newly-acquired entities had signed contracts to purchase one Aframax tanker vessel each, the Blue 
Moon, the Briolette, and the P. Fos from unaffiliated third-party sellers for a purchase price of $30.0 million, $30.0 million 
and $26.0 million respectively, and had paid advance deposits of $8.0 million, $2.0 million and $11.0 million, respectively, 
in connection therewith. In exchange for the acquisition of the aforementioned entities, we agreed to pay a price equal to 
the aggregate deposits previously paid to the vessels’ sellers. We paid the $21.0 million aggregate purchase price for the 
previously signed contracts of the Blue Moon, the Briolette, and the P. Fos in our common shares. Both transactions, which 
were unanimously approved by the disinterested members of our board of directors, resulted in the issuance of an aggregate 
number of 2,170,947 of our common shares during 2019.

Also,  in  June  2019,  we  entered  into Amendment  No.  1  to  the  First Amended  and  Restated  Shareholders  Rights 
Agreement, dated as of August 28, 2016, by and between the Company and Computershare Trust Company, N.A., or the 
Rights Agreement, to amend the definition of “Acquiring Person” set out in the Rights Agreement.

In July 2019, we, through Taburao Shipping Company Inc. and Tarawa Shipping Company Inc. (the “Initial Borrowers”), 
entered into a loan agreement with Nordea for a senior secured term loan facility of up to $33.0 million. The purpose of the 
loan facility was to partially finance the acquisition cost of the tanker vessels Blue Moon and Briolette, discussed above.

In August and November 2019, we took delivery of the tanker vessels Blue Moon and Briolette, respectively, and drew 

down the maximum amount of $16.5 million for each vessel, according to the Nordea loan agreement terms.

In  the  second  half  of  2019,  as  the  market  environment  for  our  containers  fleet  continued  to  be  negative  and  with 
difficult employment opportunities, we initiated a number of actions for the gradual disposal of the whole container vessels’ 
fleet, although no decision at that time was reached for a strategic shift to the tanker vessels segment. In August and September 
2019, we entered into two memoranda of agreement to sell the container vessels m/v Pamina and m/v Pucon to unrelated 
parties, for an aggregate sale price of $29.0 million, net of commissions. The vessels were delivered to their new owners in 
October and November 2019, respectively.

In  September  2019,  we  announced  that  we  received  written  notification  from  Nasdaq  dated  September  6,  2019, 
indicating that because the closing bid price of our common stock for 30 consecutive business days was below the minimum 
$1.00 per share bid price requirement for continued listing on the Nasdaq Global Select Market, we were not in compliance 
with Nasdaq Listing Rule 5450(a)(1). The applicable grace period to regain compliance was 180 days, or until March 4, 2020. 
On March 5, 2020, Nasdaq approved our application to list our common stock on the Nasdaq Capital Market, and our securities 
were transferred to Nasdaq Capital Market at the opening of business on March 6, 2020. Moreover, Nasdaq notified us that 
in connection with the transfer of our securities to the Nasdaq Capital Market, we were granted an additional 180 calendar 
days, until August 31, 2020, in order to regain compliance with the minimum $1.00 bid price per share requirement. On April 
20, 2020, we were informed by Nasdaq that due to the COVID-19 pandemic, temporary relief had been granted related to 
the minimum bid price requirement, and as a result, our compliance period was, at that time, suspended until June 30, 2020. 
Our applicable grace period to regain compliance was November 16, 2020, which included the temporary COVID-19 relief 
period. We regained compliance on November 18, 2020, and thus cured this deficiency within the prescribed grace period.

In  December  2019,  we,  through  the  “Initial  Borrowers”  and  Rongelap  Shipping  Company  Inc.  (collectively  “the 
Borrowers”), entered into an amended and restated loan agreement with Nordea for a senior secured term loan facility of 
up to $47.0 million. The purpose of the amended agreement is to provide additional financing of up to $14.0 million for the 
acquisition of the tanker vessel P. Fos, discussed above. The amended agreement includes substantively identical terms to the 
initial agreement of July 2019, discussed above, in all other respects.

In January 2020, we took delivery of the tanker vessel P. Fos (ex Virgo Sun) and drew down the maximum amount of 

$14.0 million under the amended loan agreement with Nordea, as discussed above.

Also, in January 2020, we announced that our board of directors authorized a share repurchase program to purchase 
up to an aggregate of $6.0 million of our common shares. The timing and amount of the repurchases would be determined 
by our management team and would depend on market conditions, capital allocation alternatives, applicable securities laws, 
and other factors. From the program’s inception on January 29, 2020, and until the program expired on December 21, 2020, 
we repurchased 81,785 common shares of value $0.7 million, net of expenses. We canceled all common shares repurchased 
as part of this program.

Also, in January 2020, we contracted to sell to unaffiliated parties the container vessel m/v Rotterdam for a gross sale 

price of $18.5 million. The vessel was delivered to her new owners on April 1, 2020.

In February 2020, we contracted to acquire, from unaffiliated parties, the tanker vessel P. Kikuma (ex FSL Shanghai) 
for a gross sale price of $26.0 million. The vessel was delivered to us on March 30, 2020, and we funded its acquisition cost 
with cash on hand and bank financing – see below.

In February 2020, the election of Mr. Andreas Michalopoulos as Class I Director of the Company was approved 
by the requisite vote at our 2020 Annual General Meeting of Shareholders, or the 2020 Annual Meeting. Also effective 
as of the date of the 2020 Annual Meeting, Mr. Anastasios Margaronis, Mr. Nikolaos Petmezas, and Mr. Ioannis Zafirakis 
resigned from our board of directors due to other business commitments. Our board of directors appointed Mr. Christos 
Glavanis and Ms. Aliki Paliou to the board of directors, effective as of February 28, 2020, to fill the existing vacancies 
created  by  the  resignations  of  Messrs  Margaronis  and  Petmezas.  Mr.  Glavanis  was  also  appointed  as  Chairman  of  the 
Compensation Committee. Finally, also effective February 28, 2020, Mr. Anastasios Margaronis resigned from his position 
as our President, Mr. Ioannis Zafirakis resigned as our Chief Strategy Officer and Secretary, and Mrs. Semiramis Paliou 
resigned as our Chief Operating Officer, in order to devote substantially all of their business time to other endeavors. On 
the same date, Mr. Michalopoulos was appointed to replace Mr. Zafirakis as Secretary. From October 31, 2019, to October 

45

2020, Mr. Andreas Michalopoulos held the position of Deputy Chief Executive Officer. In October 2020, we announced 
that our board of directors appointed Mr. Michalopoulos to the position of Chief Executive Officer following the retirement 
of Mr. Symeon Palios from that position. Our board of directors also appointed Mr. Anthony Argyropoulos to the position 
of Chief Financial Officer of the Company, succeeding Mr. Michalopoulos in that capacity.

On March 1, 2020, we terminated early our Brokerage Agreement with Steamship Shipbroking, which was originally 

due to expire on March 31, 2020, at no cost.

In March 2020, we signed the second amendment and restatement loan agreement with Nordea, which increases 
the  maximum  loan  amount  to  $59.0  million.  The  purpose  of  the  amended  loan  facility  is  to  additionally  finance  the 
acquisition cost of the vessel P. Kikuma (ex FSL Shanghai), described above, by $12.0 million. The second amendment and 
restatement loan agreement includes substantively identical terms to the previous loan agreement of December 2019. On 
March 26, 2020, we drew down the amount of $12.0 million in anticipation of the vessels’ P. Kikuma delivery – see above.

In March 2020, the disinterested members of our board of directors approved the repurchase of all of the shares 
of our Series C Preferred Stock, held by DSI since 2017, for a purchase price of $1.5 million. Our board of directors had 
previously obtained from an independent third party a fairness opinion for the transaction. On March 25, 2020, we agreed 
with DSI for the re-purchase of the shares, and on March 26, 2020, we paid the purchase price of $1.5 million and canceled 
all of the shares of our Series C Preferred Stock. See “Item 7. Major Shareholders and Related Party Transactions – B. 
Related Party Transactions.”

On March 30, 2020, our ticker symbol on Nasdaq changed from “DCIX” to “PSHG.”

In April 2020, we entered into an agreement with Kalani and re-purchased all 400 outstanding Series B-2 convertible 
preferred shares, discussed above, for a purchase price of $0.4 million. We canceled these shares upon the conclusion of 
the transaction.

In August 2020, we sold the container m/v Domingo to an unrelated party, for a sale price of $5.6 million, net of 
commissions. The vessel was delivered to her new owners in August 2020. At that point of time, we evaluated the results of 
the tanker vessels owned since 2019 and assessed that the prospects of the specific segment as being positive. Furthermore, 
we determined that our decision to exit the container segment represented a strategic shift to the exclusive ownership of 
tanker vessels and that the disposal of all of our container vessels constituted a disposal of an entity’s segment, that will 
have a major effect on our operations and financial results.

In October 2020, we announced that our board of directors approved a new dividend policy pursuant to which we 
may declare and pay a variable quarterly cash dividend. If declared, the quarterly dividend is expected to be paid each 
February, May, August and November. Our board of directors declared its first such dividend on its common stock of $0.10 
per share (or $0.01 per share before the adjustment for the reverse stock split of November 2, 2020), in accordance with 
the newly approved policy. The cash dividend was payable on November 9, 2020, to the shareholders of record at the close 
of business on October 30, 2020.

In November 2020, we contracted to acquire from an unaffiliated party the tanker vessel P. Yanbu for a gross 

purchase price of $22.0 million. The vessel was delivered to us in December 2020.

In December 2020, we entered into an agreement for a new amortizing term loan facility of up to $31.5 million 
with Piraeus Bank S.A. (“Piraeus”) through three of our separate wholly-owned subsidiaries. Proceeds from the facility 
were used to refinance outstanding indebtedness relating to P. Fos and P. Kikuma under an existing term loan facility f 
with Nordea Bank Abp, filial i Norge, and to partially finance our acquisition of P. Yanbu. Also, in December 2020, we 
entered into a supplemental loan agreement with Nordea to amend certain terms of our existing loan agreement. For 
additional information, please see “Item 5. Operating and Financial Review and Prospects - B. Liquidity and Capital 
Resources—Loan Facilities.”

On January 1, 2021, we granted to our Chief Financial Officer stock options to purchase 120,000 of our common 
shares as share-based remuneration, which can be exercised only when our stock price increases.  The stock options 
are exercisable at a price range between $10.00 and $30.00 per share, for a term of five years. The stock options were 
granted pursuant to, and in accordance with, our Equity Incentive Plan.

B. BUSINESS OVERVIEW

We provide global shipping transportation services through the ownership of tanker vessels. As of the date of this annual 
report, our fleet consists of five Aframax tanker vessels, with a combined carrying capacity of 546,094 DWT and a weighted 
average age of approximately 11.4 years. At our inception in January 2010, our business was focused on the ownership of 
container vessels and we have since gradually transitioned to a purely tanker fleet, completing our exit from the containership 
sector in August 2020.

During 2020, 2019, and 2018, fleetwide, we had a fleet utilization (including ballast leg) of 89.7%, 93.8% and 95.3%, 
respectively, our vessels achieved a daily time charter equivalent rate of $18,745, $15,435 and $10,639, respectively, and we 
generated voyage and time charter revenues from our container and tanker vessels of $46.3 million, $26.8 million and $25.6 
million, respectively.

 Our tankers fleet (continuing operations), during 2020 and 2019, had a fleet utilization (including ballast leg) of 88.1% 
and 84.6%, respectively, achieved a daily time charter equivalent rate of $20,228 and $20,431, respectively, and generated 
voyage and time charter revenues of $42.0 million and $6.3 million, respectively.

 During 2020, 2019, and 2018, our container vessels (discontinued operations) had a fleet utilization of 96.6%, 95.1% 
and 95.3%, respectively, achieved a daily time charter equivalent rate of $12,500, $14,727 and $10,639, respectively, and 
generated time charter revenues of $4.2 million, $20.6 million and $25.6 million, respectively.

 Set forth below is summary information concerning our fleet as of  March 4, 2021.

Vessel 
BUILT CAPACITY

Gross Rate  
(USD Per Day)

Commission(1)

Charterers

Delivery Date  
to Charterers

Redelivery Date  
to Owners(2)

BLUE MOON 
(ex Maersk Jeddah) 
2011   104,623DWT
BRIOLETTE 
(ex Maersk Jamnagar) 
2011   104,588DWT
P. FOS (ex Virgo Sun) 
2007   115,577DWT
P. KIKUMA 
(ex FSL Shanghai) 
2007   115,915DWT
P. YANBU 
(ex Kalamas) 
2011    105,391DWT

Aframax Tanker Vessels

$28,000  
per day

5.00%

Aramco Trading 
Company, Dhahran, 
Saudi Arabia

June 19, 2020

November 19, 2021- 
January 18, 2022

Spot

Spot

Spot

Spot

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

- - -

- - -

- - -

- - -

(1) Total commission paid to third parties.   (2) Range of redelivery dates, with the actual date of redelivery being at the Charterers’ option,  
but subject to the terms, conditions, and exceptions of the particular charterparty.

MANAGEMENT OF OUR FLEET

 The  business  of  Performance  Shipping  Inc.  is  the  ownership  of  vessels.  Performance  Shipping  Inc.  wholly  owns, 
directly or indirectly, the subsidiaries which own the vessels that comprise our fleet. The holding company sets the general 
overall direction for the company and interfaces with various financial markets. The day-to-day commercial and technical 
management of our fleet, as well as the provision of administrative services relating to our fleet’s operations, have been carried 
out since March 1, 2013, by UOT, our in-house fleet manager. Pursuant to an Administrative Services Agreement, we 
pay UOT a fixed monthly administrative fee of $10,000 in exchange for providing us with accounting, administrative, 
financial reporting, and other services necessary for the operation of our business. In addition, in exchange for providing 
us with day-to-day commercial and technical services, we pay UOT a commission of 2.00% of our gross revenues, a fixed 
management fee of $15,000 per month for each vessel in operation, and a fixed monthly fee of $7,500 for laid-up vessels, 
if any. For as long as part of the management services were assigned to third-party managers (see below), we paid to UOT 
a reduced monthly management fee in the range of $1,000 to $5,000, and a commission of 1.00% or 2.00% of our gross 

47

revenues, depending on the level of involvement of the third-party managers. These amounts are considered inter-company 
transactions and are, therefore, eliminated from our consolidated financial statements.

 Moreover, in August 2019, upon delivery of the tanker vessel Blue Moon, we appointed Maersk Tankers A/S (“Maersk 
Tankers”), an unaffiliated entity, to provide day-to-day commercial and technical management services for the vessel on 
a temporary basis. The day-to-day commercial and technical services provided to the vessel Blue Moon were terminated 
in December 2019 and February 2020, respectively. In November 2019, upon delivery of the tanker vessel Briolette, we 
appointed Maersk Tankers to provide technical management services for the vessel on a temporary basis.  For as long as 
Maersk Tankers were providing commercial management services to the vessel Blue Moon, they received a daily fee of 
$275 per vessel plus 1.25% commission on the vessel’s gross income. For the technical management services that Maersk 
Tankers provided to the vessel Blue Moon until February 2020, and for the technical management fees they provided to 
Briolette until August 2020, they received a daily fee of $570 per vessel. Following the termination of these management 
agreements with Maersk, UOT was appointed to provide these services for the fees and commissions described above.

Furthermore,  in  late  December  2019,  UOT  appointed  Diana  Wilhelmsen  Management  Limited  (“DWM”),  to 
provide management services to our former container vessels, m/v Rotterdam and m/v Domingo. DWM was an affiliated 
entity  to  us  until  February  2020.  See  “Item  7.  Major  Shareholders  and  Related  Party  Transactions  -  B.  Related  Party 
Transactions.”  For  the  technical  management  services,  we  paid  DWM  a  fixed  management  fee  of  $9,000  per  month. 
DWM provided commercial management services to two of our former container vessels until March 1, 2020, for a fixed 
fee of $5,000 per month and 1.00% commissions on the vessels’ gross income, and on March 1, 2020, the commercial 
agreements were terminated.  Upon termination of the commercial management services by DWM and through the vessels’ 
disposals in April and August 2020, UOT was appointed to provide these services to our former container vessels for the 
fees and commissions described above. Upon the vessels’ sales, the technical management agreements with DWM were 
also terminated.

 From 2016 to 2018, in addition to the management services provided by UOT, we also appointed Wilhelmsen Ship 
Management LTD, an unaffiliated third party, to provide specific management services in relation to the laying-up for a 
fixed monthly fee for each laid-up vessel.

BUSINESS STRATEGY

Our primary objective is to operate our business on behalf of our shareholders in a manner that is consistent with our 

business strategy. The key elements of our strategy are:

Fleet

Modern, High Specification Fleet. We intend to operate a fleet of modern, high specification tanker vessels that include 
high cargo-carrying capacity and competitive fuel efficiency. We believe these features will be commercially attractive to 
charterers because the high specifications will result in cost-effective vessels with increased flexibility, and we expect these 
factors will, in turn, maximize our vessels’ utilization rates. We believe that owning a versatile, modern, well-maintained fleet 
reduces operating costs, improves the quality of service we deliver, and enables us to secure employment with high-quality 
counterparties. As we grow our fleet, we intend to continue acquiring secondhand vessels built in well-established shipyards 
in South Korea, Japan, and China with high specifications and fuel efficiency standards.

Growing Sector Presence. While we cannot assure you that we will do so, we intend to grow our fleet over time through 
selective acquisitions of secondhand vessels. This will increase our market presence and enhance our attractiveness to charterers 
and other customers, including major oil companies, oil traders, and refineries. We believe that by expanding our fleet, we will 
gain a significant presence in the tanker vessel market, enabling us to offer customers greater flexibility and a higher level of 
service while achieving greater efficiencies through economies of scale and enhanced vessel utilization.

Continuous Fleet Renewal. We are focused on renewing our fleet as our vessels age. We plan to acquire younger vessels as 
we dispose of our older ones to continuously renew and replace our fleet. We expect that this will, in part, be funded through 
our mandatory debt repayments and replacement reserves and will enable us to maintain a fleet of modern, high specification 
secondhand tankers.

Secondhand Acquisitions. We expect to grow our fleet primarily through selective acquisitions of secondhand tanker vessels 
from unaffiliated third parties. Although we may acquire vessels upon their delivery from the shipyard, we do not expect to 
enter into agreements to construct new vessels. When evaluating acquisitions, we will consider and analyze our expectation 
of fundamental developments in the seaborne transportation of crude oil and refined petroleum products, changes in trading 
patterns, the cash flow currently earned and our expectation of future cash flows to be earned  by the target vessel relative to 
its value, as well as its condition and technical specifications.

Management

Significant Management Expertise. We believe that our executive management team has extensive public company and 
vessel operations experience. In the competitive tanker vessel industry, charterers are focused on the quality of vessel operators 
and we believe that our wholly-owned subsidiary fleet manager has a reputation as a respected commercial and technical 
manager. The long experience of our executive, commercial and technical management team ensures we have established 
relationships with charterers, financial institutions, insurers, suppliers, ship repair yards, and other industry participants.  We 
believe that these relationships will assist us in further developing our position as a sought-after business partner with our 
charterers and provide access to attractive acquisition opportunities.

Highly Efficient Operations. We believe that we have established our Company as a cost-efficient and reliable operator 
due to the skill of our executive management team, backed by an experienced commercial and technical team comprised of 
industry veterans, and the quality and maintenance standards of our fleet.  We intend to actively monitor and seek to control 
vessel operating expenses without compromising the quality of our vessels by utilizing regular inspection and maintenance 
programs, employing and retaining qualified crew members, and taking advantage of the economies of scale that we expect to 
enjoy when we acquire additional vessels.

Commercial

Spot Market Focus. Our commercial policy is focused mainly on voyage charters and short-term time charters of less than 12 
months and, in some cases, medium-term charters of less than 36 months to provide our shareholders with exposure to cyclical 
fluctuations in charter rates. When available, we will also consider entering time charters with a fixed floor rate and profit-
sharing participation in the spot market. Our spot market focus should allow us and our shareholders to realize the benefits 
from rising charter rates. Still, the spot market is very volatile, and our strategy will also expose us and our shareholders to 
periods when spot rates decline below the cash breakeven level of our fleet. In line with our strategy, our current fleet of 
tankers operate primarily under voyage charters and one time charter, with an initial term of minimum seventeen (17) months 
to maximum nineteen (19) months and expires the earlierst in mid-November 2021.

Established Commercial Relationships. We expect to capitalize on our commercial and technical management team’s long-
standing relationships with leading charterers such as multinational oil companies, including Shell, BP, Total, Statoil, Exxon, 
and Lukoil; international oil traders, including Glencore, Vitol and Trafigura; refiners, including Valero and Reliance. We 
believe that our experienced management team will assist us in securing employment for our vessels and will provide us with 
an established and diverse customer base in both western and eastern geographical basins. Following their delivery to us, we 
expect all our vessels to be acceptable for business by one or more major oil companies, oil traders, and refineries based on 
their inspections of our vessels and their review of our operational procedures.

Financial

Maintain Low Leverage. Our policy is to incur an amount of debt that, upon its incurrence, does not cause our ratio of 
net debt-to-market value of our fleet to exceed our target of 35%. We believe that having a level of indebtedness upon its 
incurrence that is at or below our target will allow us to operate in adverse market conditions. After the delivery of our tanker 
vessel P. Yanbu, on December 31, 2020, our outstanding debt was $58.1 million, and we held approximately $21.4 million in 
cash. At the time of the vessel’s delivery, we estimated our ratio of net debt to the value of our fleet was approximately 35%. 
We expect that as we grow our fleet, our net debt upon its incurrence will gradually fall below our target.

49

Equity Capital Reliance. We expect to partially rely on follow-on offerings of shares of our common stock to fund the 
acquisition of additional secondhand tanker vessels. Consistent with our low leverage strategy, we may enter into new 
credit agreements or access the public or private debt markets to fund the remaining portion of these acquisitions. We 
expect the issuance of shares of our common stock to grow our fleet  will increase our market capitalization, the trading 
activity for the shares of our common stock and the number of such shares held by non-affiliated shareholders, but there 
can be no assurances that such increases will materialize. In addition, our reliance on follow-on offerings of our shares of 
common stock may significantly dilute existing shareholders.

Variable Cash Dividends. Pursuant to our dividend policy, when our cash on hand is above a certain threshold, we intend 
to declare and pay a variable quarterly dividend each February, May, August and November from available cash from 
operations during the previous quarter after cash payments for debt repayment and interest expense and reserves for the 
replacement of our vessels, scheduled dry dockings, intermediate and special surveys, and other purposes as our board of 
directors may from time to time determine are required. Our quarterly dividends, if any, will vary significantly from quarter 
to quarter because of variations in our operating performance, which is mainly driven by fluctuations in spot charter rates 
for tanker vessels. We cannot assure you that we will generate sufficient cash flow for dividends in any quarter, and so we 
may not declare and pay any dividends in certain quarters. Please see “Item 8. Financial Information - A. Consolidated 
Statements and Other Financial Information—Dividend Policy.”

Governance

In-House  Management.  We  wholly  own,  directly  or  indirectly,  the  subsidiaries  that  own  the  vessels  comprising  our 
fleet. Our executive management team’s responsibilities include working to ensure the implementation of our business 
strategy, general corporate oversight, interfacing with financial markets, and supervising the day-to-day commercial and 
technical management teams.  The day-to-day commercial and technical management of our fleet, and the provision of 
administrative services relating to the fleet’s operations, is carried out by our wholly-owned subsidiary company, UOT, 
our fleet manager. For accounting and administrative purposes only, in exchange for providing us with commercial and 
technical services, we pay UOT certain fees and commissions. These amounts are considered inter-company transactions 
and are, therefore, eliminated from our consolidated financial statements.

Transparent Corporate Structure. In addition to performing all management functions in-house, we maintain a majority 
independent board of directors comprising of individuals with extensive experience in all aspects of our business. We do 
not intend to enter into any transactions with related parties for the acquisition or disposal of vessels. Members of our 
executive, commercial, and technical management teams have no other ownership or professional interest in other tanker 
vessel companies, and except for our Chairman, do not have any executive positions in other public or private shipping 
companies. We have and intend to maintain a simplified capital structure comprising of only one class of shares of common 
stock and debt.

OUR CUSTOMERS

Our customers include national, regional, and international companies, such as Aramco Trading Company, Dhahran, 
Saudi Arabia,  BP  Singapore  PTE  LTD,  Reliance  Industries  Limited,  Nayara  Energy  Limited,  Trafigura.  In  2020,  the 
charterer Aramco Trading Company, Dhahran, Saudi Arabia accounted for 20% of our revenues. During 2019, five of our 
charterers accounted for 81% of our revenues: Wan Hai Lines (Singapore) Pte. Ltd (31%), Hyundai Merchant Marine Co 
Ltd., (11%), CMA CGM (16%), Orient Overseas Container Line Ltd (10%), and Lukoil Asia Pacific (13%). During 2018, 
three of our charterers accounted for 80% of our revenues: CMA CGM (19%), Orient Overseas Container Line Ltd (32%), 
and Wan Hai Lines (Singapore) Pte. Ltd (29%). We believe that developing strong relationships with the end-users of our 
services allows us to better satisfy their needs with appropriate and capable vessels. A prospective charterer’s financial 
condition, creditworthiness, reliability, and track record are important factors in negotiating our vessels’ employment.

THE TANKER SHIPPING INDUSTRY

The oil tanker shipping industry constitutes a vital link in the global energy supply chain, in which tanker vessels play 
a critical role by carrying large quantities of crude oil. The rationale behind this is that only tanker vessels can carry crude oil 
from one continent to the other and across the oceans based on practical and economical terms. The shipping of crude oil is the 
only transportation method that implies the lower cost per oil barrel compared to other methods, such as pipelines.

Αn oil tanker shipping company earns revenues by the freight rates paid for transportation capacity. Freight is paid for 
the movement of cargo between a load port and a discharge port. The cost of moving the ship from a discharge port to the 
next load port is not directly compensated by the charterers in the freight payment but is an expense of the owners if not on 
time charter.

TYPES OF CRUDE TANKER VESSELS

The main categories of crude tanker vessels are:

•  VLCCs, with an oil cargo carrying capacity in excess of 200,000 dwt (typically 300,000 to 320,000 dwt or approximately 
two million barrels). VLCCs generally trade on long-haul routes from the Middle East and West Africa to Asia, Europe, and 
the U.S. Gulf or the Caribbean.

•  Suezmax  tankers,  with  an  oil  cargo  carrying  capacity  of  approximately  120,000  to  200,000  dwt  (typically  150,000  to 
160,000 dwt or approximately one million barrels). Suezmax tanker vessels are engaged in a range of crude oil trades across 
a number of major loading zones.

•  Aframax tankers, with an oil cargo carrying capacity of approximately 80,000 to 120,000 dwt (or approximately 500,000 
barrels). Aframax tanker vessels are employed in shorter regional trades, mainly in North West Europe, the Caribbean, the 
Mediterranean, and Asia.

TANKER NEWBUILDING PRICES

The factors which influence new-built prices include ship type, shipyard capacity, demand for ships, “berth cover”, 
i.e., the forward book of business of shipyards, buyer relationships with the yard, individual design specifications, including 
fuel efficiency or environmental features and the price of ship materials, engine and machinery equipment and particularly the 
price of steel.

TANKER SECONDHAND PRICES

Second-hand prices are primarily driven by trends in the supply and demand for vessel capacity. During extended 
periods  of  high  demand,  as  evidenced  by  high  charter  rates,  secondhand  vessel  values  tend  to  appreciate,  and  during 
periods of low demand, evidenced by low charter rates, vessel values tend to decline. Vessel values are also influenced by 
age and specification and by the replacement cost (new-built price) in the case of vessels up to five years old.

The sale and purchase (S&P) market, where vessels are sold and bought through specialized brokers, determines 
vessel values on a daily basis. The S&P market is transparent and liquid, with a significant number of vessels changing 
hands annually.

Values for younger vessels tend to fluctuate on a percentage basis less than values for older vessels. This is due to 
the fact that younger vessels with a longer remaining economic life are less susceptible to the level of charter rates than older 
vessels with limited remaining economic life.

51

THE CRUDE OIL TANKER FREIGHT MARKET

CHARTER TYPES

Employment of oil tanker vessels occurs through the following chartering options:

•  Bareboat Charter: In this charter type, vessels are usually employed for several years. All voyage related costs such as 
bunkers, port dues, and daily operating expenses are paid by the charterer. The owner of the vessel is entitled to monthly 
charter hire payments and covers the capital cost associated with the vessel.

•  Time Charter: Involves the use of the vessel for a number of months or years or for a trip between specific delivery and 
redelivery positions. The charterer covers all voyage related costs while the owner receives monthly charter hire payments 
on a per day basis and pays all operating expenses and capital costs of the vessel.

•  Spot or Voyage Charter: Vessels are used for a single voyage for the carriage of a specific amount and type of cargo on 
a load port to discharge port. The owner covers the repositioning cost of the ship as well as all expenses, namely voyage, 
operating, and capital costs of the ship.

TANKER VESSELS CHARTER RATES

The main factors affecting vessel charter rates are primarily the supply and demand for tanker shipping.  The shorter the 
charter period, the greater the vessel charter rate is affected by the current supply to demand balance and by the current phase 
of the market cycle (high point or low point). For longer charter periods, vessel charter rates tend to be more stable and less 
cyclical because the period may cover not only a particular phase of a market cycle but a full market cycle or several market 
cycles. Other factors affecting charter rates include the age and characteristics of the ships (fuel consumption, speed), the price 
of new-built and secondhand ships (buying as an alternative to chartering ships), and market conditions.

ENVIRONMENTAL AND OTHER REGULATIONS IN THE SHIPPING INDUSTRY

International, Federal, State, and local regulations and laws significantly affect the ownership and operation of our 
fleet. We are subject to international conventions and treaties, national, state, and local laws and regulations in force in the 
countries in which our vessels may operate or are registered relating to safety and 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  our  vessels  to  both  scheduled  and  unscheduled  rigorous 
inspections.  These  entities  include  the  local  port  authorities  (applicable  national  authorities  such  as  the  Ports  State 
Controls (PSC) or United States Coast Guard (“USCG”), harbor master or equivalent), classification societies, flag state 
administrations (countries of registry), and particularly the charterers through the SIRE inspection regime and terminal 
inspections. SIRE inspection program stands for Ship Inspection Report and is a comprehensive, worldwide inspection 
regime utilizing inspectors with common training and oversight to inspect oil tankers, chemical tankers, and gas carriers, 
based on a standardized set of questions and requirements known as the SIRE Vessel Inspection Questionnaire. Certain of 
these entities require us to obtain permits, licenses, certificates, and other authorizations for the operation of our vessels. 
Failure to maintain necessary permits or approvals could require us to incur substantial costs or result in the temporary 
suspension of the operation of one or more of our vessels.

Increasing  environmental  concerns  have  created  a  demand  for  vessels  that  conform  to  stricter  environmental 
standards. We are required to maintain operating standards for all of our vessels that emphasize operational safety, quality 
maintenance, continuous training of our officers and crews, and compliance with U.S. and international regulations. We 
believe that the operation of our vessels is in substantial compliance with applicable environmental laws and regulations 
and that our vessels have all material permits, licenses, certificates, or other authorizations necessary for the conduct of 
our  operations.  However,  because  such  laws  and  regulations  frequently  change  and  may  impose  increasingly  stricter 
requirements, we cannot predict the ultimate cost of complying with these requirements or the impact of these requirements 
on the resale value or useful lives of our vessels. In addition, a future serious marine incident that causes significant adverse 
environmental impact could result in additional legislation or regulation that could negatively affect our profitability.

International Maritime Organization

The  International  Maritime  Organization,  the  United  Nations  agency  for  maritime  safety  and  the  prevention  of 
pollution by vessels (the “IMO”), has adopted the International Convention for the Prevention of 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 establishes environmental standards 
relating to oil leakage or spilling, garbage management, sewage, air emissions, handling and disposal of noxious liquids, 
and the handling of harmful substances in packaged forms.  MARPOL is applicable to drybulk, tanker, and LNG 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 in packaged 
form,  respectively; Annexes  IV  and  V  relate  to  sewage  and  garbage  management,  respectively;  and Annex  VI,  lastly, 
relates to air emissions. Annex VI was separately adopted by the IMO in September of 1997; 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. We may need to make certain 
financial expenditures to comply with these amendments.

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 sulfur oxide and nitrogen oxide emissions from all commercial vessel exhausts and prohibits 
“deliberate  emissions”  of  ozone  depleting  substances  (such  as  halons  and  chlorofluorocarbons),  emissions  of  volatile 
compounds from cargo tanks, and the shipboard incineration of specific substances. Annex VI also includes a global cap on 
the sulfur content of fuel oil and allows for special areas to be established with more stringent controls on sulfur emissions, 
as explained below.  Emissions of “volatile organic compounds” from certain vessels and the shipboard incineration (from 
incinerators installed after January 1, 2000) of certain substances (such as polychlorinated biphenyls, or PCBs) are also 
prohibited.  We believe that all our vessels are currently compliant in all material respects with these regulations.

The Marine Environment Protection Committee, or “MEPC,” adopted amendments to Annex VI regarding emissions 
of sulfur oxide, nitrogen oxide, particulate matter, and ozone depleting substances, which 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 on board 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 took effect March 1, 2020.

These  regulations  subject  ocean-going  vessels  to  stringent  emissions  controls,  and  may  cause  us  to  incur 

substantial costs.

Sulfur content standards are even stricter within certain “Emission Control Areas” or (“ECAs”). As of January 1, 
2015, ships operating within an ECA were not permitted to use fuel with sulfur content in excess of 0.1% m/m. Amended 
Annex VI establishes procedures for designating new ECAs. Currently, the IMO has designated four ECAs, including 
specified portions of the Baltic Sea area, North Sea area, North American area, and United States Caribbean area.  Ocean-
going vessels in these areas will be subject to stringent emission controls and may cause us to incur additional costs. Other 
areas in China are subject to local regulations that impose stricter emission controls.  If other ECAs are approved by the 
IMO, or other new or more stringent requirements relating to emissions from marine diesel engines or port operations by 
vessels are adopted by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (“EPA”) or the states where we operate, compliance with 
these regulations could entail significant capital expenditures or otherwise increase the costs of our operations.

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Amended Annex VI also establishes new tiers of stringent nitrogen oxide emissions standards for marine diesel 
engines, depending on their date of installation. At the MEPC meeting held from March to April 2014, amendments to 
Annex VI were adopted, which address the date on which Tier III Nitrogen Oxide (NOx) standards in ECAs will go into 
effect.  Under the amendments, Tier III NOx standards apply to ships that operate in the North American and U.S. Caribbean 
Sea ECAs designed for the control of NOx produced by vessels with a marine diesel engine installed and constructed on or 
after January 1, 2016.  Tier III requirements could apply to areas that will be designated for Tier III NOx in the future. At 
MEPC 70 and MEPC 71, the MEPC approved the North Sea and Baltic Sea as ECAs for nitrogen oxide for ships built on 
or after January 1, 2021. The EPA promulgated equivalent (and in some senses stricter) emissions standards in 2010.  As a 
result of these designations or similar future designations, we may be required to incur additional operating or other costs.

As determined at the MEPC 70, the new Regulation 22A of MARPOL Annex VI became effective as of March 1, 
2018, and requires ships above 5,000 gross tonnage to collect and report annual data on fuel oil consumption to an IMO 
database, with the first year of data collection having commenced on January 1, 2019.  The IMO intends to use such data 
as the first step in its roadmap (through 2023) for developing its strategy to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from ships, 
as discussed further below.

As of January 1, 2013, MARPOL made certain measures mandatory relating to energy efficiency for ships. All ships 
are now required to develop and implement a Ship Energy Efficiency Management Plan (“SEEMP”), and new ships must be 
designed in compliance with minimum energy efficiency levels per capacity mile as defined by the Energy Efficiency Design 
Index (“EEDI”). Under these measures, by 2025, all new ships built will be 30% more energy efficient than those built in 2014.  
Additionally, MEPC 75 adopted amendments to MARPOL Annex VI which brings forward the effective date of the EEDI’s 
“phase 3” requirements from January 1, 2025, to April 1, 2022, for several ship types, including gas carriers, general cargo 
ships, and LNG carriers.

Additionally, 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.  The 
requirements 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”).  The attained EEXI is required to be calculated for ships of 400 gross tonnage and above, in accordance 
with different values set for ship types and categories.  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.  Additionally, MEPC 75 proposed draft amendments requiring that, on or before January 1, 2023, all ships 
above 400 gross tonnage must have an approved 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 (“HFO”) by ships in Arctic waters on and after July 1, 2024.   The draft 
amendments introduced at MEPC 75 may be adopted at the MEPC 76 session, to be held during 2021.

We may incur costs to comply with these revised standards. Additional or new conventions, laws, and regulations may 
be adopted that could require the installation of expensive emission control systems and could adversely affect our business, 
results of operations, cash flows, and financial condition.

Safety Management System Requirements

The SOLAS Convention was amended to address the safe manning of vessels and emergency training drills.  The 
Convention  of  Limitation  of  Liability  for  Maritime  Claims  (the  “LLMC”)  sets  limitations  of  liability  for  a  loss  of  life  or 
personal injury claim or a property claim against ship owners.  We believe that our vessels are in substantial compliance with 
SOLAS and LLMC standards.

Under Chapter IX of the SOLAS Convention, or the International Safety Management Code for the Safe Operation 
of  Ships  and  for  Pollution  Prevention  (the  “ISM  Code”),  our  operations  are  also  subject  to  environmental  standards  and 
requirements. The ISM Code requires the party with operational control of a vessel to develop an extensive safety management 
system that includes, among other things, the adoption of a safety and environmental protection policy setting forth instructions 
and procedures for operating its vessels safely and describing procedures for responding to emergencies. Together with our 
technical management team, we have developed a functional Safety Management System (SMS), conforming to ISM Code 
requirements,  which  includes  a  safety  and  environmental  protection  policy,  safe  operating  procedures,  defined  levels  of 

authority, procedures for internal audits, etc. The failure of a vessel owner or bareboat charterer 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.

The ISM Code requires that vessel operators obtain a safety management certificate for each vessel they operate. This 
certificate evidences compliance by a vessel’s management with the ISM Code requirements for a safety management system. 
No vessel can obtain a safety management certificate unless its manager has been awarded a document of compliance, issued 
by each flag state, under the ISM Code. We have obtained applicable documents of compliance for our offices and safety 
management certificates for all of our vessels for which the certificates are required by the IMO. The document of compliance 
and safety management certificate are renewed as required.

Regulation II-1/3-10 of the SOLAS Convention governs ship construction and stipulates that ships over 150 meters 
in  length  must  have  adequate  strength,  integrity,  and  stability  to  minimize  risk  of  loss  or  pollution.  Goal-based  standards 
amendments in SOLAS regulation II-1/3-10 entered into force in 2012, with July 1, 2016, set for application to new oil tankers 
and bulk carriers.   The SOLAS Convention regulation II-1/3-10 on goal-based ship construction standards for bulk carriers 
and oil tankers, which entered into force on January 1, 2012, requires that all oil tankers and bulk carriers of 150 meters in 
length and above, for which the building contract is placed on or after July 1, 2016, satisfy applicable structural requirements 
conforming to the functional requirements of the International Goal-based Ship Construction Standards for Bulk Carriers and 
Oil Tankers (“GBS Standards”).

Amendments to the SOLAS Convention Chapter VII apply to vessels transporting dangerous goods and require those 
vessels  be  in  compliance  with  the  International  Maritime  Dangerous  Goods  Code  (“IMDG  Code”).  Effective  January  1, 
2018, the IMDG Code includes (1) updates to the provisions for radioactive material, reflecting the latest provisions from the 
International Atomic Energy Agency, (2) new marking, packing, and classification requirements for dangerous goods; and (3) 
new mandatory training requirements.  Amendments which took effect on January 1, 2020, also reflect the latest material from 
the UN Recommendations on the Transport of Dangerous Goods, including (1) new provisions regarding IMO type 9 tank, (2) 
new abbreviations for segregation groups; and (3) special provisions for carriage of lithium batteries and of vehicles powered 
by flammable liquid or gas.

The IMO has also adopted the International Convention on Standards of Training, Certification and Watchkeeping for 
Seafarers (“STCW”).  As of February 2017, all seafarers are required to meet the STCW standards and be in possession of a 
valid STCW certificate.  Flag states that have ratified SOLAS and STCW generally employ the classification societies, which 
have incorporated SOLAS and STCW requirements into their class rules, to undertake surveys to confirm compliance.

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.

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 an International Convention for the 
Control and Management of Ships’ Ballast Water and Sediments (the “BWM Convention”), in 2004. The BWM Convention 
entered into force on September 8, 2017.  The BWM Convention requires ships to manage their ballast water to remove, 
render harmless, or avoid the uptake or discharge of new or invasive aquatic organisms and pathogens within ballast water 
and sediments.  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, and require all ships to carry a ballast 
water record book and an international ballast water management certificate.

On December 4, 2013, the IMO Assembly passed a resolution revising the application dates of the BWM Convention 
so that the dates are triggered by the entry into force date and not the dates originally in the BWM Convention. This, in 
effect, makes all vessels delivered before the entry into force date “existing vessels” and allows for the installation of ballast 
water management systems on such vessels at the first International Oil Pollution Prevention (“IOPP”), renewal survey 
following  the  entry  into  force  of  the  convention. The  MEPC  adopted  updated  guidelines  for  approval  of  ballast  water 

55

management systems (G8) at MEPC 70. At MEPC 71, the schedule regarding the BWM Convention’s implementation 
dates was also discussed, and amendments were introduced to extend the date existing vessels are subject to certain ballast 
water standards.  Those changes were adopted at MEPC 72. Ships over 400 gross tons generally must comply with a “D-1 
standard,” requiring the exchange of ballast water only in open seas and away from coastal waters.  The “D-2 standard” 
specifies  the  maximum  amount  of  viable  organisms  allowed  to  be  discharged,  and  compliance  dates  vary  depending 
on the IOPP renewal dates. Depending on the date of the IOPP renewal survey, existing vessels must comply with the 
D-2 standard on or after September 8, 2019. For most ships, compliance with the D-2 standard will involve installing 
on-board  systems  to  treat  ballast  water  and  eliminate  unwanted  organisms.  Ballast  water  management  systems,  which 
include systems that make use of chemicals, biocides, organisms, or biological mechanisms, or which alter the chemical or 
physical characteristics of the ballast water, must be approved in accordance with IMO Guidelines (Regulation D-3). As of 
October 13, 2019, MEPC 72’s amendments to the BWM Convention took effect, making the Code for Approval of Ballast 
Water Management Systems, which governs the assessment of ballast water management systems, mandatory rather than 
permissive, and formalized an implementation schedule for the D-2 standard.  Under these amendments, all ships must meet 
the D-2 standard by September 8, 2024.    Costs of compliance with these regulations may be substantial.  Additionally, 
in November 2020, MEPC 75 adopted amendments to the BWM Convention, which would require a commissioning test 
of the ballast water management system for the initial survey or when performing an additional survey for retrofits.  This 
analysis will not apply to ships that already have an installed BWM system certified under the BWM Convention.   These 
amendments are expected to enter into force on June 1, 2022.

Although mid-ocean ballast exchange or ballast water treatment is not yet mandated by many countries, the cost 
of compliance could increase for ocean carriers and may have a material effect on our operations. However, a substantial 
number of countries already regulate the discharge of ballast water carried by vessels from country to country to prevent 
the introduction of invasive and harmful species via such discharges. The U.S, for example, requires vessels entering its 
waters from another country to conduct mid-ocean ballast exchange, or undertake some alternate measure, and to comply 
with certain reporting requirements.

The IMO adopted the International Convention on Civil Liability for Oil Pollution Damage of 1969, as amended 
by different Protocols in 1976, 1984, and 1992, and amended in 2000 (“the CLC”). Under the CLC and depending on 
whether the country in which the damage results is a party to the 1992 Protocol to the CLC, a vessel’s registered owner 
may be strictly liable for pollution damage caused in the territorial waters of a contracting state by discharge of persistent 
oil, subject to certain exceptions. The 1992 Protocol changed certain limits on liability expressed using the International 
Monetary Fund currency unit, the Special Drawing Rights. The limits on liability have since been amended so that the 
compensation limits on liability were raised. The right to limit liability is forfeited under the CLC where the spill is caused 
by the shipowner’s actual fault and under the 1992 Protocol where the spill is caused by the shipowner’s intentional or 
reckless  act  or  omission  where  the  shipowner  knew  pollution  damage  would  probably  result. The  CLC  requires  ships 
over 2,000 tons covered by it to maintain insurance covering the liability of the owner in a sum equivalent to an owner’s 
liability for a single incident. We have protection and indemnity insurance for environmental incidents. P&I Clubs in the 
International Group issue the required Bunkers Convention “Blue Cards” to enable signatory states to issue certificates. All 
of our vessels are in possession of a CLC State issued certificate attesting that the required insurance coverage is in force.

The IMO also adopted the International Convention on Civil Liability for Bunker Oil Pollution Damage (the “Bunker 
Convention”) to impose strict liability on ship owners (including the registered owner, bareboat charterer, manager, or 
operator) 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 LLMC). 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.

Ships are required to maintain a certificate attesting that they maintain adequate insurance to cover an incident. In 
jurisdictions, such as the United States where the Bunker Convention has not been adopted, various legislative schemes or 
common law govern, and liability is imposed either on the basis of fault or on a strict-liability basis.

Anti-Fouling Requirements

In 2001, the IMO adopted the International Convention on the Control of Harmful Anti-fouling Systems on Ships, 
or the “Anti-fouling Convention.” The Anti-fouling Convention, which entered into force on September 17, 2008, prohibits 
the use of organotin compound coatings to prevent the attachment of mollusks and other sea life to the hulls of vessels. 
Vessels of over 400 gross tons engaged in international voyages will also be required to undergo an initial survey before 
the vessel is put into service, or before an International Anti-fouling System Certificate is issued for the first time, and 
subsequent surveys when the anti-fouling systems are altered or replaced.

In November 2020, MEPC 75 approved draft amendments to the Anti-fouling Convention to prohibit anti-fouling 
systems containing cybutryne, which would apply to ships from January 1, 2023, or, for ships already bearing such an anti-
fouling system, at the next scheduled renewal of the system after that date, but no later than 60 months following the last 
application to the ship of such a system.  These amendments may be formally adopted at MEPC 76 in 2021.

All of our vessels have obtained Anti-fouling System Certificates in accordance with the Anti-fouling Convention.

Compliance Enforcement

Noncompliance  with  the  ISM  Code  or  other  IMO  regulations  may  subject  the  shipowner  or  bareboat  charterer  to 
increased liability, may lead to decreases in available insurance coverage for affected vessels, and may result in the denial of 
access to, or detention in, some ports. The USCG and European Union authorities have indicated that vessels not in compliance 
with the ISM Code by applicable deadlines will be prohibited from trading in U.S. and European Union ports, respectively.  As 
of the date of this report, each of our vessels has a valid Safety Management Certificate (SMC) in accordance with ISM Code, 
a document issued to the vessel which signifies that the Company and its shipboard management operate in accordance with 
the approved Safety Management System.  However, there can be no assurance that such certificates will be maintained in the 
future.  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 our operations.

United States Regulations

The U.S. Oil Pollution Act of 1990 and the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act

The  U.S.  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 
or operate within the U.S., its territories and possessions, or whose vessels operate in U.S. waters, which includes the 
U.S.’s territorial sea and its 200 nautical mile exclusive economic zone around the U.S. The U.S. has also enacted the 
Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act (“CERCLA”), which applies to the discharge 
of hazardous substances other than oil, except in limited circumstances, 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 our 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, including bunkers (fuel).  
OPA defines these other damages broadly to include:

(i)   injury to, destruction or loss of, or loss of use of, natural resources and related assessment costs; 
(ii)   injury to, or economic losses resulting from, the destruction of real and personal property;
(iii) loss of subsistence use of natural resources that are injured, destroyed, or lost;
(iv)  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;

(v)   lost profits or impairment of earning capacity due to injury, destruction or loss of real or personal property or natural 

resources; and

(vi)  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.

57

OPA contains statutory caps on liability and damages; such caps do not apply to direct cleanup costs. Effective 
November 12, 2019, the USCG adjusted the limits of OPA liability for a tank vessel, other than a single-hull tank vessel, 
over 3,000 gross tons liability to the greater of $2,300 per gross ton or $19,943,400 (subject to periodic adjustment for 
inflation). Also, effective November 12, 2019, the USCG adjusted the limits of OPA liability for non-tank vessels, edible 
oil tank vessels, and any oil spill response vessels, to the greater of $1,200 per gross ton or $997,100 (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 as required 
by law where the responsible 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 the 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  each  preserve  the  right  to  recover  damages  under  existing  law,  including  maritime  tort  law.  
OPA and CERCLA both require owners and operators of vessels to establish and maintain with the USCG 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 proof of 
insurance, a surety bond, qualification as a self-insurer, or a guarantee. We comply and plan to comply going forward with 
the USCG’s financial responsibility regulations by providing applicable certificates of financial responsibility.

The 2010 Deepwater Horizon oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico resulted in additional regulatory initiatives or statutes, 
including higher liability caps under OPA, new regulations regarding offshore oil and gas drilling, and a pilot inspection 
program for offshore facilities.  However, several of these initiatives and regulations have been or may be revised.  For 
example, the U.S. Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement’s (“BSEE”) revised Production Safety Systems Rule 
(“PSSR”), effective December 27, 2018, modified and relaxed certain environmental and safety protections under the 2016 
PSSR.  Additionally, the BSEE amended the Well Control Rule, effective July 15, 2019, which rolled back certain reforms 
regarding the safety of drilling operations, and former U.S. President Trump had has proposed leasing new sections of U.S. 
waters to oil and gas companies for offshore drilling.  The effects of these proposals and changes are currently unknown, 
and  recently,  current  U.S.  President  Biden  signed  an  executive  order  temporarily  blocking  new  leases  for  oil  and  gas 
drilling in federal waters.  Compliance with any new requirements of OPA and future legislation or regulations applicable 
to the operation of our vessels could impact the cost of our operations and adversely affect our business.

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.  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.  Moreover, some states have enacted legislation providing for unlimited liability for discharge of pollutants within 
their waters, although in some cases, states which have enacted this type of legislation have not yet issued implementing 
regulations defining vessel owners’ responsibilities under these laws. The Company’s Management System details all the 
important operational practices, guidelines, and procedures that are to be followed in order to ensure compliance with all 
applicable state regulations in the ports where the Company’s vessels call.

We currently maintain pollution liability coverage insurance in the amount of $1 billion per incident for each of our 
vessels. If the damages from a catastrophic spill were to exceed our insurance coverage it could have an adverse effect on 
our business and results of operation.

Other United States Environmental Initiatives

The U.S. Clean Air Act of 1970 (including its amendments of 1977 and 1990) (“CAA”) requires the EPA to promulgate 
standards applicable to emissions of volatile organic compounds and other air contaminants. Our vessels are subject to vapor 
control and recovery requirements for certain cargoes when loading, unloading, ballasting, cleaning, and conducting other 
operations in regulated port areas. The CAA also requires states to draft State Implementation Plans, or “SIPs,” designed 
to  attain  national  health-based  air  quality  standards  in  each  state. Although  state-specific,  SIPs  may  include  regulations 
concerning emissions resulting from vessel loading and unloading operations by requiring the installation of vapor control 
equipment. Our vessels operating in such regulated port areas with restricted cargoes are equipped with vapor recovery 
systems that satisfy these existing requirements.

The U.S. Clean Air Act of 1970 (including its amendments of 1977 and 1990) (“CAA”) requires the EPA to promulgate 
standards applicable to emissions of volatile organic compounds and other air contaminants. The CAA requires states to 
adopt State Implementation Plans, or SIPs, some of which regulate emissions resulting from vessel loading and unloading 
operations which may affect our vessels.

The U.S. Clean Water Act (“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. In 2015, the EPA expanded the definition of 
“waters of the United States” (“WOTUS”), thereby expanding federal authority under the CWA.  Following litigation on 
the revised WOTUS rule, in December 2018, the EPA and Department of the Army proposed a revised, limited definition 
of “waters of the United States.” The proposed rule was published in the Federal Register on February 14, 2019, and was 
subject  to  public  comment.  On  October  22,  2019,  the  agencies  published  a  final  rule  repealing  the  2015  Rule  defining 
“waters of the United States” and recodified the regulatory text that existed prior to the 2015 Rule. The final rule became 
effective on December 23, 2019. On January 23, 2020, the EPA published the “Navigable Waters Protection Rule,” which 
replaces the rule published on October 22, 2019, and redefines “waters of the United States.” This rule became effective on 
June 22, 2020, although the effective date has been stayed in at least one U.S. state pursuant to court order. The effect of this 
rule is currently unknown.

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 the 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 shall submit NOIs for our vessels where required.

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.

59

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. 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. Criminal liability for pollution 
may result in substantial penalties or fines and increased civil liability claims. Regulation (EU) 2015/757 of the European 
Parliament and of the Council of 29 April 2015 (amending EU Directive 2009/16/EC) governs the monitoring, reporting, 
and verification of carbon dioxide emissions from maritime transport, and, subject to some exclusions, requires companies 
with ships over 5,000 gross tonnage to monitor and report carbon dioxide emissions annually, which may cause us to incur 
additional expenses.

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  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. Furthermore, the EU has implemented regulations requiring vessels to use 
reduced sulfur content fuel for their main and auxiliary engines. The EU Directive 2005/33/EC (amending Directive 1999/32/
EC) introduced requirements parallel to those in Annex VI relating to the sulfur content of marine fuels. In addition, the EU 
imposed a 0.1% maximum sulfur requirement for fuel used by ships at berth in the Baltic, the North Sea, and the English 
Channel (the so-called “SOx-Emission Control Area”). As of January 2020, EU member states must also ensure that ships in 
all EU waters, except the SOx-Emission Control Area, use fuels with a 0.5% maximum sulfur content.

On September 15, 2020, the European Parliament voted to include greenhouse gas emissions from the maritime sector 
in the European Union’s carbon market from 2022. This will require shipowners to buy permits to cover these emissions. 
Contingent on another formal approval vote, specific regulations are forthcoming and are expected to be proposed by 2021.

International Labour Organization

The International Labour Organization (the “ILO”) is a specialized agency of the UN that has adopted the Maritime 
Labor Convention 2006 (“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 that are 500 gross tonnage or over and are either engaged 
in international voyages or flying the flag of a Member and operating from a port, or between ports, in another country. 
The Company’s Safety Management System establishes working and living standards for all seafarers working onboard 
that exceed MLC 2006 requirements. All our vessels have been issued the MLC Certificate following surveys, inspections, 
paperwork, and approval by the registered flag state.

Greenhouse Gas Regulation

Currently, the emissions of greenhouse gases from international shipping are not subject to the Kyoto Protocol to the 
United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, which entered into force in 2005 and pursuant to which adopting 
countries  have  been  required  to  implement  national  programs  to  reduce  greenhouse  gas  emissions  with  targets  extended 
through 2020.  International negotiations are continuing with respect to a successor to the Kyoto Protocol, and restrictions on 
shipping emissions may be included in any new treaty. In December 2009, more than 27 nations, including the U.S. and China, 
signed the Copenhagen Accord, which includes a non-binding commitment to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.  The 2015 
United Nations Climate Change Conference in Paris resulted in the Paris Agreement, which entered into force on November 
4, 2016, and does not directly limit greenhouse gas emissions from ships.  The U.S. initially entered into the agreement, but on 
June 1, 2017, former U.S. President Trump announced that the United States intends to withdraw from the Paris Agreement, 
and the withdrawal became effective on November 4, 2020. On January 20, 2021, U.S. President Biden signed an executive 
order to rejoin the Paris Agreement, which the U.S. officially rejoined on February 19, 2021

At MEPC 70 and MEPC 71, a draft outline of the structure of the initial strategy for developing a comprehensive 
IMO strategy on reduction of greenhouse gas emissions from ships was approved. In accordance with this roadmap, in April 

2018, nations at the MEPC 72 adopted an initial strategy to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from ships. The initial strategy 
identifies “levels of ambition” to reducing greenhouse gas emissions, including (1) decreasing the carbon intensity from ships 
through the implementation of further phases of the EEDI for new ships; (2) reducing carbon dioxide emissions per transport 
work, as an average across international shipping, by at least 40% by 2030, pursuing efforts towards 70% by 2050, compared 
to 2008 emission levels; and (3) reducing the total annual greenhouse emissions by at least 50% by 2050 compared to 2008 
while pursuing efforts towards phasing them out entirely. The initial strategy notes that technological innovation, alternative 
fuels and/or energy sources for international shipping will be integral to achieve the overall ambition. These regulations could 
cause us to incur substantial additional expenses.

The EU made a unilateral commitment to reduce overall greenhouse gas emissions from its member states from 20% 
of 1990 levels by 2020. The EU also committed to reducing its emissions by 20% under the Kyoto Protocol’s second period 
from 2013 to 2020.  Starting in January 2018, large ships over 5,000 gross tonnage calling at EU ports are required to collect 
and publish data on carbon dioxide emissions and other information.  As previously discussed, regulations relating to the 
inclusion of greenhouse gas emissions from the maritime sector in the European Union’s carbon market are also forthcoming.

In  the  United  States,  the  EPA  issued  a  finding  that  greenhouse  gases  endanger  public  health  and  safety,  adopted 
regulations to limit greenhouse gas emissions from certain mobile sources, and proposed regulations to limit greenhouse gas 
emissions from large stationary sources. However, in March 2017, former U.S. President Trump signed an executive order 
to review and possibly eliminate the EPA’s plan to cut greenhouse gas emissions, and in August 2019, the Administration 
announced plans to weaken regulations for methane emissions, and on August 13, 2020, the EPA released rules rolling back 
standards  to  control  methane  and  volatile  organic  compound  emissions  from  new  oil  and  gas  facilities.    However,  U.S. 
President Biden recently directed the EPA to publish a proposed rule suspending, revising, or rescinding certain of these rules. 
The EPA or individual U.S. states could enact environmental regulations that would affect our operations.

Any passage of climate control legislation or other regulatory initiatives by the IMO, the EU, the U.S., or other countries 
where we operate, or any treaty adopted at the international level to succeed the Kyoto Protocol or Paris Agreement, that 
restricts emissions of greenhouse gases could require us to make significant financial expenditures which we cannot predict 
with certainty at this time. Even in the absence of climate control legislation, our business may be indirectly affected to the 
extent that climate change may result in sea level changes or certain weather events.

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  U.S.  Maritime  Transportation  Security Act  of  2002  (“MTSA”).  To  implement 
certain portions of the MTSA, the USCG issued regulations requiring the implementation of certain security requirements 
aboard vessels operating in waters subject to the jurisdiction of the United States and at certain ports and facilities, some 
of which are regulated by the EPA.

Similarly,  Chapter  XI-2  of  the  SOLAS  Convention  imposes  detailed  security  obligations  on  vessels  and  port 
authorities and mandates compliance with the International Ship and Port Facility Security Code (“the ISPS Code”). The 
ISPS Code is designed to enhance the security of ports and ships against terrorism. In order to trade internationally, a vessel 
must attain an International Ship Security Certificate (“ISSC”) from a recognized security organization approved by the 
vessel’s flag state. Ships operating without a valid certificate may be detained, expelled from, or refused entry at port until 
they obtain an ISSC.  The various requirements, some of which are found in the SOLAS Convention, include, for example:

•  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;
•  a 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.

61

The USCG regulations, intended to align 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 the SOLAS Convention security requirements and the ISPS Code. Future security measures could have 
a significant financial impact on us.

All vessels have been issued with ISSC, which is subject to Verifications that have ensured that the security system 
and any associated security equipment of the vessel fully complies with the applicable requirements of MTSA and the ISPS 
Code, is in satisfactory condition and fit for the service for which the vessel is intended.

The cost of vessel security measures has also been affected by the escalation in the frequency of acts of piracy 
against  ships,  notably  off  the  coast  of  Somalia,  including  the  Gulf  of Aden  and Arabian  Sea  area.  Substantial  loss  of 
revenue and other costs may be incurred as a result of the detention of a vessel or additional security measures, and the 
risk of uninsured losses could significantly affect our business. Costs are incurred in taking additional security measures 
in accordance with Best Management Practices to Deter Piracy, notably those contained in the BMP5 industry standard.

Inspection by Classification Societies

The hull and machinery of every commercial vessel must be classed by a classification society recognized by its 
country of registry and member of the International Association of Classification Societies, the IACS. The classification 
society certifies that a vessel is constructed to specific structural standards and carries out regular surveys throughout the 
vessel’s service life to ensure continuing compliance with the standards. The Classification Certificate issued is required to 
enable the vessel’s owner to register the ship and to obtain Marine Insurance on the ship. Commercially, it is required to 
be produced before a vessel’s entry into ports or waterways and is of interest to Charterers and potential Buyers. The IACS 
has adopted harmonized Common Structural Rules, or the Rules, which apply to oil tankers and bulk carriers contracted 
for construction on or after July 1, 2015.  The Rules attempt to create a level of consistency between IACS Societies.  All 
of our vessels are certified as being “in class” by IACS recognized Classification Societies (e.g., Bureau Veritas, Lloyd’s 
Register of Shipping).

The Class and Statutory Certificates need to be renewed every five (5) years. A vessel must undergo a five-year 
survey cycle consisting of periodical surveys, such as annual and intermediate surveys, and special or renewal surveys. 
Periodical surveys are carried out to confirm the vessel’s compliance with Rules and Regulations. In the scope of ensuring 
the vessel’s structural integrity, a docking survey is required twice in the five year cycle and without exceeding a 36 month 
interval  between  surveys. Vessels  younger  than  fifteen  (15)  years  old  can  be  exempted  from  the  intermediate  docking 
survey by an Underwater Inspection to Class acceptance. In lieu of a special survey, the vessel’s Machinery may be on a 
continuous survey cycle, under which the machinery would be surveyed periodically over a five-year period. In addition, 
Hull and Construction are surveyed and tested, resulting in the renewal of Class and Statutory Certificates. If any vessel 
does not maintain its class and/or fails any annual survey, intermediate survey, docking, or special survey, the vessel will 
be unable to carry cargo between ports and will be unemployable and uninsurable, which could cause us to be in violation 
of certain covenants in our loan agreements. Any such inability to carry cargo or be employed, or any such violation of 
covenants, could have a material adverse impact on our financial condition and results of operations.

RISK OF LOSS AND LIABILITY INSURANCE COVERAGE

General

The  operation  of  any  cargo  vessel  includes  risks  such  as  mechanical  failure,  physical  damage,  collision,  property 
loss, cargo loss or damage, and business interruption due to political circumstances in foreign countries, piracy incidents, 
hostilities, and labor strikes. In addition, there is always an inherent possibility of marine disaster, including oil spills and 
other environmental mishaps, and the liabilities arising from owning and operating vessels in international trade. OPA, which 
imposes virtually unlimited liability upon shipowners, operators and bareboat charterers of any vessel trading in the exclusive 
economic zone of the United States for certain oil pollution accidents in the United States, has made liability insurance more 
expensive for shipowners and operators trading in the United States market.

While we maintain hull and machinery insurance, war risks insurance, protection and indemnity cover and freight, 
demurrage and defense cover for our vessels in amounts that we believe to be prudent to cover normal risks in our operations, 

we may not be able to achieve or maintain this level of coverage throughout a vessel’s useful life. Furthermore, while we 
believe we procure adequate insurance coverage, not all risks can be insured, and there can be no guarantee that any specific 
claim will be paid, or that we will always be able to obtain adequate insurance coverage at reasonable rates.

Hull and Machinery and War Risk Insurance

We maintain for our vessels marine hull and machinery and war risks insurance, which covers, among other risks, the 
risk of actual or constructive total loss. Our vessels are each covered up to at least market value with deductibles which vary 
according to the size and value of the vessel.

Protection and Indemnity Insurance

Protection  and  indemnity  insurance  is  provided  by  mutual  protection  and  indemnity  associations,  or  “P&I 
Associations,” and covers our third-party liabilities in connection with our shipping activities. This includes third-party 
liability and other related expenses of injury or death of crew, passengers, and other third parties, 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. Protection and indemnity insurance is a 
form of mutual indemnity insurance, extended by protection and indemnity mutual associations, or “clubs.”

We  procure  protection  and  indemnity  insurance  coverage  for  pollution  in  the  amount  of  $1  billion  per  vessel 
per incident. The 13 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. The International 
Group’s website states that the Pool provides a mechanism for sharing all claims in excess of $10 million up to, currently, 
approximately $8.2 billion. As a member of certain P&I Associations which are members of the International Group, we 
are 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. 
Supplemental calls are made by the P&I Associations based on estimates of premium income and anticipated and paid 
claims, and such estimates are adjusted each year by the Board of Directors of the P&I Associations until the closing of the 
relevant policy year, which generally occurs within three years from the end of the policy year. We do not know whether 
any supplemental calls will be charged in respect of any policy year by the P&I Associations in which the Company’s 
vessels are entered. To the extent we experience supplemental calls, our policy is to expense such amounts.

C. ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE

We are a corporation incorporated under the laws of the Republic of the Marshall Islands on January 7, 2010. We 

are the sole owner of all of the issued and outstanding shares of the subsidiaries listed in exhibit 8.1 to this annual report.

D. PROPERTY, PLANTS, AND EQUIPMENT

Our in-house fleet manager, UOT, rents our office space from unrelated third parties and owns office furniture and 
equipment. In December 2014, UOT also acquired, jointly with two other related parties, a plot of land in Athens, Greece. 
The plot of land is under the common ownership of the joint purchasers.

Other than this interest in real property, our only material properties are the vessels in our fleet.

Item 4A. UNRESOLVED STAFF COMMENTS Not applicable.

Item 5. OPERATING AND FINANCIAL REVIEW AND PROSPECTS

Since August 2019, that the delivery of our first tanker vessel Blue Moon took place, until August 2020, when the last 
container vessel Domingo was sold, our fleet was a mixture of container and tanker vessels. Accordingly, we had determined 
that we would operate under two reportable segments, one relating to our operations of container vessels (containers segment) 
and one to the operations of tanker vessels (tankers segment). Concurrently with the acquisition of our first tanker vessel, as 
the market environment for our containers fleet continued to be negative and with difficult employment opportunities, our 
management initiated a number of actions for the gradual disposal of the whole container vessels’ fleet, although no decision 

63

at that time was reached for a strategic shift to a different segment.  In the first months of 2020, we acquired two additional 
tanker vessels, the P. Fos and the P. Kikuma. In August 2020, at the time when our fleet’s last container vessel was sold, we 
evaluated the results of the tanker vessels owned since 2019 and assessed that the prospects of the specific segment as positive. 
At  that  time,  we  determined  that  our  decision  to  exit  the  container  segment  represented  a  strategic  shift  to  the  exclusive 
ownership of tanker vessels and further assessed that the disposal of all of our container vessels constituted a disposal of an 
entity’s segment, that will have a major effect on our operations and financial results. Furthermore, we determined that we 
will not have continuing involvement in the operation of the disposed assets. In this respect, the results of operations of the 
container vessels, as well as their assets and liabilities, are reported as discontinued operations for all periods presented in our 
consolidated financial statements. The comparative figures in these consolidated financial statements have been adjusted on 
the basis of presenting separately the discontinued operations’ figures.

The following management’s discussion and analysis should be read in conjunction with our consolidated financial 
statements, and their notes included elsewhere in this report. This discussion contains forward-looking statements that reflect 
our current views with respect to future events and financial performance. Our actual results may differ materially from those 
anticipated in these forward-looking statements as a result of certain factors, such as those set forth in the section entitled 
“Item 3. Key Information – D.  Risk Factors” and elsewhere in this report.

A. OPERATING RESULTS

We have historically chartered our vessels to customers primarily pursuant to short-term and long-term time charters 
and on spot voyages. Under our time charters, the charterer typically pays us a fixed daily charter hire rate and bears all 
voyage  expenses,  including  the  cost  of  bunkers  (fuel  oil)  and  port  and  canal  charges.    Under  spot  charter  arrangements, 
voyage expenses that are unique to a particular charter are paid for by us. We remain responsible for paying the chartered 
vessel’s operating expenses, including the cost of crewing, insuring, repairing and maintaining the vessel, the costs of spares 
and consumable stores, tonnage taxes, environmental costs, and other miscellaneous expenses. We also pay commissions to 
unaffiliated shipbrokers for the arrangement of the relevant charter, and have paid for a limited period of time management 
fees and commissions to third-party managers.

FACTORS AFFECTING OUR RESULTS OF OPERATIONS

We believe that the important measures for analyzing trends in our results of operations consist of the following:

•  Ownership days. We define ownership days as the aggregate number of days in a period during which each vessel in 
our fleet has been owned by us. Ownership days are an indicator of the size of our fleet over a period and affect both the 
amount of revenues and the amount of expenses that we record during a period.

•  Available days. We define available days as the number of our ownership days less the aggregate number of days that our 
vessels are off-hire due to scheduled repairs or repairs under guarantee, vessel upgrades or special surveys, including the 
aggregate amount of time that we spend positioning our vessels for such events. The shipping industry uses available days 
to measure the number of days in a period during which vessels should be capable of generating revenues.

•  Operating days, excluding ballast leg. We define operating days, excluding ballast leg, as the number of available days 
in a period less the aggregate number of days that our vessels are off-hire. The specific calculation counts the ballast leg 
of spot voyages as off-hire days, even if a charter party exists, so as to be in line with the accounting guidelines of ASC 
606 for the revenue recognition (“loading” to “discharging” accounting). The shipping industry uses operating days to 
measure the aggregate number of days in a period during which vessels actually generate revenues.

•  Operating days, including ballast leg. We define operating days, including ballast leg, as the number of available days in 
a period less the aggregate number of days that our vessels are off-hire. The specific calculation does not count as off-hire 
the days of the ballast leg of the spot voyages, as long as a charter party is in place. The shipping industry uses operating 
days to measure the aggregate number of days in a period during which vessels actually generate revenues.

•  Fleet  utilization.  We  calculate  fleet  utilization  by  dividing  the  number  of  our  operating  days  during  a  period  by  the 
number  of  our  available  days  during  the  period. The  shipping  industry  uses  fleet  utilization  to  measure  a  company’s 
efficiency in finding suitable employment for its vessels and minimizing the amount of days that its vessels are off-hire 
for reasons other than scheduled repairs or repairs under guarantee, vessel upgrades and special surveys, including vessel 
positioning for such events.

•  Time Charter Equivalent (TCE) rates. We define TCE rates as our voyage and time charter revenues, less voyage expenses 
during a period divided by the number of our available days during the period, which is consistent with industry standards. 
Voyage  expenses  include  port  charges,  bunker  (fuel)  expenses,  canal  charges  and  commissions.  TCE  is  a  non-GAAP 
measure. TCE rate is a standard shipping industry performance measure used primarily to compare daily earnings generated 
by vessels despite changes in the mix of charter types (i.e., voyage (spot) charters, time charters, and bareboat charters).
•  Daily Operating Expenses. We define daily operating expenses as total vessel operating expenses, which include crew 
wages and related costs, the cost of insurance and vessel registry, expenses relating to repairs and maintenance, the costs 
of spares and consumable stores, lubricant costs, tonnage taxes, regulatory fees, environmental costs, lay-up expenses 
and other miscellaneous expenses divided by total ownership days for the relevant period.

The following table reflects our ownership days, available days, operating days, fleet utilization, TCE rate, and daily 

operating expenses for our total fleet (tanker and container vessels) for the periods indicated.

For the year ended 
December 31, 2020

For the year ended 
December 31, 2019

For the year ended 
December 31, 2018

Ownership days

Available days

Operating days, excluding ballast leg

Operating days, including ballast leg

Fleet utilization, excluding ballast leg

Fleet utilization, including ballast leg

Time charter equivalent (TCE) rate

Daily operating expenses

1,689

1,689

1,258

1,515

74.5%

89.7%

$18,745

$6,835

1,516

1,516

1,401

1,422

92.4%

93.8%

$15,435

$7,468

2,307

2,284

2,177

2,177

95.3%

95.3%

$10,639

$6,698

For the year ended 
December 31, 2020

For the year ended 
December 31, 2019

For the year ended 
December 31, 2018

Voyage and time charter revenues

Less voyage expenses

Voyage and time charter equivalent rates

Available days

Time charter equivalent (TCE) rate

$46,283

$(14,622)

$31,661

1,689

$18,745

26,846

(3,447)

23,399

1,516

$15,435

25,566

(1,267)

24,299

2,284

$10,639

The following table reflects our ownership days, available days, operating days, fleet utilization, TCE rate and daily 

operating expenses of our tankers fleet (continuing operations) for the periods indicated.

For the year ended 
December 31, 2020

For the year ended 
December 31, 2019

For the year ended 
December 31, 2018

Ownership days

Available days

Operating days, excluding ballast leg

Operating days, including ballast leg

Fleet utilization, excluding ballast leg

Fleet utilization, including ballast leg

Time charter equivalent (TCE) rate

Daily operating expenses

1,365

1,365

945

1,202

69.2%

88.1%

$20,228

$6,746

188

188

138

159

73.4%

84.6%

$20,431

$5,968

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

65

For the year ended 
December 31, 2020

For the year ended 
December 31, 2019

For the year ended 
December 31, 2018

Voyage and time charter revenues

Less voyage expenses

Voyage and time charter equivalent rates

Available days

Time charter equivalent (TCE) rate

$42,045

$(14,434)

$27,611

1,365

$20,228

6,301

(2,460)

3,841

188

$20,431

-

-

-

-

-

The following table reflects our ownership days, available days, operating days, fleet utilization, TCE rate and daily 

operating expenses of our containers fleet (discontinued operations) for the periods indicated.

For the year ended 
December 31, 2020

For the year ended 
December 31, 2019

For the year ended 
December 31, 2018

Ownership days

Available days

Operating days

Fleet utilization

Time charter equivalent (TCE) rate

Daily operating expenses

324

324

313

96.6%

$12,500

$7,210

1,328

1,328

1,263

95.1%

$14,727

$7,680

2,307

2,284

2,177

95.3%

$10,639

$6,698

For the year ended 
December 31, 2020

For the year ended 
December 31, 2019

For the year ended 
December 31, 2018

Time charter revenues

Less voyage expenses

Time charter equivalent rates

Available days

$4,238

$(188)

$4,050

324

Time charter equivalent (TCE) rate

$12,500

Voyage and Time Charter Revenues

20,545

(987)

19,558

1,328

$14,727

25,566

(1,267)

24,299

2,284

$10,639

Our revenues are driven primarily by the number of vessels in our fleet, the number of voyage days and the amount of 

daily charter hire that our vessels earn under charters which, in turn, are affected by a number of factors, including:

• the duration of our charters; 
• our decisions relating to vessel acquisitions and disposals 
• the amount of time that we spend positioning our vessels 
• the amount of time that our vessels spend in drydock undergoing repairs; 
• maintenance and upgrade work; 
• the age, condition, and specifications of our vessels; 
• levels of supply and demand in the shipping industry; and 
• other factors affecting spot market charter rates for vessels.

Vessels operating on time charters for a certain period of time provide more predictable cash flows over that period 
of time, but can yield lower profit margins than vessels operating in the spot charter market during periods characterized by 
favorable market conditions. Vessels operating in the spot charter market generate revenues that are less predictable but may 
enable their owners to capture increased profit margins during periods of improvements in charter rates, although their owners 
would be exposed to the risk of declining charter rates, which may have a materially adverse impact on financial performance. 
As we employ vessels on time and spot charters, we mitigate our charter rates fluctuation exposure.

Currently, the vessels in our fleet are employed either on time charters or on spot voyages. Our charter agreements 
subject us to counterparty risk. In depressed market conditions, charterers may seek to renegotiate the terms of their existing 
charter agreements or avoid their obligations under those contracts. Should a counterparty fail to honor its obligations under 
agreements with us, we could sustain significant losses, which could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial 
condition, results of operations and cash flows.

Voyage Expenses

We incur voyage expenses that include port and canal charges, bunker (fuel oil) expenses and commissions. Port and 
canal  charges  and  bunker  expenses  primarily  increase  in  periods  during  which  vessels  are  employed  on  voyage  charters 
because these expenses are for the account of the owner of the vessels, while they are on the account of the charterer when 
vessels are time-chartered. Laid-up vessels, if any, do not incur bunkers costs. However, at times when our vessels are off-hire 
due to other reasons, we incur port and canal charges and bunker expenses.

We have paid commissions ranging from 0% to 5% of the total daily charter hire rate of each charter to unaffiliated 
shipbrokers, depending on the number of brokers involved with arranging the charter. Our in-house fleet manager, UOT, our 
wholly-owned subsidiary, receives a commission that is equal to 2% of our gross revenues in exchange for providing us with 
technical and commercial management services in connection with the employment of our fleet. However, this commission 
is eliminated from our consolidated financial statements as an intercompany transaction. For 2021, we expect our voyage 
expenses to follow the same trend as our voyage and time charter revenues.

Vessel Operating Expenses

Vessel operating expenses include crew wages and related costs, the cost of insurance and vessel registry, expenses 
relating to repairs and maintenance, the cost of spares and consumable stores, tonnage taxes, regulatory fees, environmental 
costs, lay-up expenses, and other miscellaneous expenses. Other factors beyond our control, some of which may affect the 
shipping industry in general, including, for instance, COVID-related disruptions which could cause our crew costs and other 
operating expenses to increase, developments relating to market prices for crew wages and insurance, may also cause these 
expenses to increase. In conjunction with our senior executive officers, UOT has established an operating expense budget for 
each vessel and performs the day-to-day management of our vessels under separate management agreements with our vessel-
owning subsidiaries. We monitor the performance of UOT by comparing actual vessel operating expenses with the operating 
expense budget for each vessel. For 2021, we expect our vessel operating expenses to increase if we further expand our fleet.

Vessel Depreciation

We depreciate all our vessels on a straight-line basis over their estimated useful lives, which we estimate to be 25 years 
for the tanker vessels and 30 years for the containers from the date of their initial delivery from the shipyard. Depreciation 
is based on the cost less the estimated salvage values. Each vessel’s salvage value is the product of her light-weight tonnage 
and estimated scrap rate, which is estimated at $350 per light-weight ton for all vessels in our fleet. We believe that these 
assumptions are common in the tanker and containership industry. For 2021, we expect depreciation expense to increase if we 
further expand our fleet.

General and Administrative Expenses

We incur general and administrative expenses, including our onshore related expenses such as legal and professional 
expenses.  Certain  of  our  general  and  administrative  expenses  have  been  provided  for,  until  March  1,  2020,  under  our 
Broker Services Agreement with Steamship Shipbroking Enterprises Inc. and, effective June 15, 2020, under our Brokerage 
Services Agreement with Pure Brokerage and Shipping Corp. We also incur payroll expenses of employees and general and 
administrative  expenses  reflecting  the  costs  associated  with  running  a  public  company,  including  board  of  director  costs, 
director and officer insurance, investor relations, registrar and transfer agent fees, and legal and accounting costs related to 
our compliance with public reporting obligations and the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002. For 2021, we expect our general and 
administrative expenses to remain approximately at the same levels, as these expenses are relatively fixed and are not widely 
affected by the expansion (or shrinkage) of our fleet.

67

INTEREST AND FINANCE COSTS

We  have  historically  incurred  interest  expense  and  financing  costs  in  connection  with  vessel-specific  debt. As  of 
December  31,  2020,  our  aggregate  outstanding  debt  amounted  to  $58.1  million. We  expect  to  manage  any  exposure  in 
interest  rates  through  our  regular  operating  and  financing  activities  and,  when  deemed  appropriate,  through  the  use  of 
derivative financial instruments. For 2021, we expect interest and finance expenses to increase due to increased average debt.

LACK OF HISTORICAL OPERATING DATA FOR VESSELS BEFORE THEIR ACQUISITION

Consistent  with  shipping  industry  practice,  other  than  inspection  of  the  physical  condition  of  the  vessels  and 
examinations of classification society records, there is no historical financial due diligence process when we acquire vessels. 
Accordingly, we do not obtain the historical operating data for the vessels from the sellers because that information is not 
material to our decision to make acquisitions, nor do we believe it would be helpful to potential investors in our common 
shares in assessing our business or profitability. Most vessels are sold under a standardized agreement, which, among other 
things, provides the buyer with the right to inspect the vessel and the vessel’s classification society records. The standard 
agreement does not give the buyer the right to inspect, or receive copies of, the historical operating data of the vessel. Prior 
to the delivery of a purchased vessel, the seller typically removes from the vessel all records, including past financial records 
and accounts related to the vessel. In addition, the technical management agreement between the seller’s technical manager 
and the seller is automatically terminated, and the vessel’s trading certificates are revoked by its flag state following a change 
in ownership.

Consistent  with  shipping  industry  practice,  we  treat  the  acquisition  of  a  vessel  (whether  acquired  with  or  without 
charter) as the acquisition of an asset rather than a business. Although vessels are generally acquired free of charter, we have 
in the past, and we may in the future, acquire vessels with existing time charters. Where a vessel has been under a voyage 
charter, the vessel is delivered to the buyer free of charter, and it is rare in the shipping industry for the last charterer of the 
vessel in the hands of the seller to continue as the first charterer of the vessel in the hands of the buyer. In most cases, when a 
vessel is under time charter, and the buyer wishes to assume that charter, the vessel cannot be acquired without the charterer’s 
consent and the buyer’s entering into a separate direct agreement with the charterer to assume the charter. The purchase of a 
vessel itself does not transfer the charter, because it is a separate service agreement between the vessel owner and the charterer.

When we purchase a vessel and assume or renegotiate a related time charter, we must take, among other things, the 

following steps before the vessel will be ready to commence operations:

• obtain the charterer’s consent to us as the new owner;
• obtain the charterer’s consent to a new technical manager;
• obtain the charterer’s consent to a new flag for the vessel;
• arrange for a new crew for the vessel;
• replace all hired equipment on board, such as gas cylinders and communication equipment;
• negotiate and enter into new insurance contracts for the vessel through our own insurance brokers;
•  register the vessel under a flag state and perform the related inspections in order to obtain new trading certificates from the 

flag state;

• implement a new planned maintenance program for the vessel; and
•  ensure that the new technical manager obtains new certificates for compliance with the safety and vessel security regulations 

of the flag state.

The following discussion is intended to help you understand how acquisitions of vessels affect our business and results 

of operations.

Our business is mainly comprised of the following elements:

• acquisition and disposition of vessels;
• employment and operation of our vessels; and
•  management of the financial, general and administrative elements involved in the conduct of our business and ownership of 

our vessels.

The employment and operation of our vessels mainly require the following components:

• vessel maintenance and repair;
• crew selection and training;
• vessel spares and stores supply;
• contingency response planning;
• on board safety procedures auditing;
• accounting;
• vessel insurance arrangement;
• vessel chartering;
• vessel hire management;
• vessel surveying; and
• vessel performance monitoring.

The  management  of  financial,  general  and  administrative  elements  involved  in  the  conduct  of  our  business  and 

ownership of vessels, mainly requires the following components:

• management of our financial resources, including banking relationships, i.e., administration of bank loans and bank accounts;
•  management of our accounting system and records and financial reporting;
•  administration of the legal and regulatory requirements affecting our business and assets; and
• management of the relationships with our service providers and customers.

The principal factors that may affect our profitability, cash flows and shareholders’ return on investment include:

• rates and periods of charterhire;
•  levels of vessel operating expenses;
•  depreciation expenses;
•  financing costs; and
• fluctuations in foreign exchange rates.

See “Item 3. Key Information – D. Risk Factors” for additional factors that may affect our business.

Our Fleet – Comparison of Possible Excess of Carrying Value Over Estimated Charter-Free Market Value of our 
Vessels

In “Critical Accounting Policies – Impairment of long-lived assets,” we discuss our policy for impairing the carrying 
values of our vessels. Historically, the market values of vessels have experienced volatility, which from time to time may be 
substantial.  As a result, the charter-free market value of certain of our vessels may have declined below those vessels’ carrying 
value, even though we would not impair those vessels’ carrying value under our accounting impairment policy. In 2020, we 
recorded an impairment charge for $0.3 million for one of our container vessels as a result of its classification as held for sale. 
In 2019, we recorded impairment charges of $31.6 million for three of our vessels as a result of their classification as held for 
sale during the year, or due to our impairment test exercise indicating that their carrying values were not recoverable.

Based on: (i) the carrying value of each of our vessels as of December 31, 2020; and (ii) what we believe the charter-
free market value of each of our vessels was as of December 31, 2020, the aggregate carrying value of our five tanker vessels 
exceeded their aggregate charter-free market values by approximately $31.5 million. Accordingly, based on: (i) the carrying 
value of each of our vessels as of December 31, 2019; and (ii) what we believe the charter-free market value of each of our 
vessels was as of December 31, 2019, the aggregate carrying value of all the vessels in our fleet as of December 31, 2019, did 
not exceed their aggregate charter-free market values.

69

Our estimates of charter-free market value assume that our vessels were all in good and seaworthy condition without 
need  of  repair  and  if  inspected  would  be  certified  in  class  without  notations  of  any  kind.  Our  estimates  are  based  on 
information available from various industry sources, including:

•  reports by industry analysts and data providers that focus on our industry and related dynamics affecting vessel values;
•  news and industry reports of similar vessel sales;
•  offers that we may have received from potential purchasers of our vessels; and
•  vessel sale prices and values of which we are aware through both formal and informal communications with shipowners, 

shipbrokers, industry analysts, and various other shipping industry participants and observers.

As we obtain information from various industry and other sources, our estimates of charter-free market values are 
inherently uncertain. In addition, vessel values are highly volatile; as such, our estimates may not be indicative of the current 
or future charter-free market values of our vessels or prices that we could achieve if we were to sell them.  We also refer 
you to the risk factor under “Item 3. Key Information – D. Risk Factors” entitled “Vessel values may fluctuate, which may 
adversely affect our financial condition, or result in the incurrence of a loss upon disposal of a vessel, impairment losses or 
increases in the cost of acquiring additional vessels.”

Vessel

TEU

DWT

Year Built

At December 31, 2020 At December 31, 2019

Carrying Value 
(in millions of US dollars)

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

7.

Domingo

Rotterdam

Blue Moon

Briolette

P. Fos

P. Kikuma

P. Yanbu

3,739

6,494

2001

2008

2011

2011

2007

2007

2011

104,623

104,588

115,577

115,915

105,391

-

-

28.1

28.4

24.6

24.9

22.1

5.0

18.5

29.5

29.9

-

-

-

Vessels’ Net Book Value

128.1

82.9

Critical Accounting Policies

The discussion and analysis of our financial condition and results of operations are based upon our consolidated financial 
statements, which have been prepared in accordance with U.S. GAAP. The preparation of consolidated financial statements 
requires us to make estimates and judgments that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities, revenues and expenses 
and related disclosures of contingent assets and liabilities at the date of our financial statements. Actual results may differ from 
these estimates under different assumptions and conditions.

Critical accounting policies are those that reflect significant judgments of uncertainties and potentially result in materially 
different results under different assumptions and conditions. We have described below what we believe are our most critical 
accounting  policies  when  we  acquire  and  operate  vessels,  because  they  generally  involve  a  comparatively  higher  degree 
of judgment in their application. For a description of all our significant accounting policies, see Note 2 to our consolidated 
financial statements included in this annual report.

Accounting for Voyage and Time Charter Revenues and Related Expenses

Since our vessels are employed under time and voyage charter contracts, we disaggregate our revenue from contracts 

with customers by the type of charter (time charters and spot charters).

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
We have determined that all of our time charter agreements contain a lease and are therefore accounted for as operating 
leases in accordance with ASC 842. Time charter revenues are accounted for over the term of the charter as the service is 
provided. Vessels are chartered when a contract exists, and the vessel is delivered (commencement date) to the charterer, 
for a fixed period of time, at rates that are generally determined in the main body of charter parties and the relevant voyage 
expenses burden the charterer (i.e., port dues, canal tolls, pilotages, and fuel consumption). Upon delivery of the vessel, the 
charterer has the right to control the use of the vessel (under agreed prudent operating practices) as they have the enforceable 
right to: (i) decide the delivery and redelivery time of the vessel; (ii) arrange the ports from which the vessel shall pass; (iii) 
give directions to the master of the vessel regarding vessel’s operations (i.e., speed, route, bunkers purchases, etc.); (iv) sub-
charter the vessel and (v) consume any income deriving from the vessel’s charter. Any off-hires are recognized as incurred. 
The charterer may charter the vessel with or without the owner’s crew and other operating services. In the case of time 
charter agreements, the agreed charter rates include compensation for part of the agreed crew and other operating services 
provided by the owner (non-lease components). We, as a lessor, elected to apply the practical expedient which allowed us to 
account for the lease and the non-lease components of time charter agreements as one, as the criteria of the paragraphs ASC 
842-10-15-42A through 42B are met. Time-charter revenue is usually received in advance, and as such, unearned revenue 
represents cash received prior to the balance sheet date for which related service has not been provided.

Spot, or voyage, charter is a charter where a contract is made in the spot market for the use of a vessel for a specific 
voyage for a specified freight rate per ton, regardless of time to complete. We have determined that under voyage charters, 
the charterer has no right to control any part of the use of the vessel. Thus, our voyage charters do not contain lease and are 
accounted for in accordance with ASC 606. More precisely, we satisfy our single performance obligation to transfer cargo 
under the contract over the voyage period. Thus, revenues from voyage charters on the spot market are recognized ratably 
from the date of loading (Notice of Readiness to the charterer, that the vessel is available for loading) to discharge date of 
cargo (loading-to-discharge). Voyage charter payments are due upon discharge of the cargo. Demurrage revenue, which is 
included in voyage revenues, represents charterers’ reimbursement for any potential delays exceeding the allowed lay time 
as per charter party agreement, represents a form of variable consideration and is recognized as the performance obligation 
is satisfied.

Under  a  time  charter,  specified  voyage  costs,  such  as  bunkers  and  port  charges  are  paid  by  the  charterer  while 
commissions are paid by the Company. Under spot charter arrangements, voyage expenses that are unique to a particular 
charter  are  paid  for  by  the  Company.  Commissions  are  expensed  as  incurred. Voyage  expenses  that  qualify  as  contract 
fulfillment costs (mainly consisting of bunkers expenses and port dues) and are incurred by us from the latter of the end of 
the previous vessel employment, provided that the vessel is fixed, or from the date of inception of a voyage charter contract 
until the arrival at the loading port, are capitalized to Deferred Voyage Expenses and amortized ratably over the total transit 
time of the voyage (loading-to-discharge). Vessel voyage expenses that do not qualify as contract fulfillment costs, operating 
expenses and charter hire expenses are expensed when incurred.

Vessel Cost and Vessel Depreciation

Vessels are stated at cost which consists of the contract price and costs incurred upon acquisition or delivery of a 
vessel from a shipyard. Subsequent expenditures for conversions and major improvements are also capitalized when they 
appreciably extend the life, increase the earnings capacity or improve the efficiency or safety of the vessels; otherwise, these 
amounts are charged to expense as incurred.

We depreciate our vessels on a straight-line basis over their estimated useful lives, after considering the estimated 
salvage value. Each vessel’s salvage value is the product of her light-weight tonnage and estimated scrap rate, which is 
estimated at $0.35 per light-weight ton for the tanker and the container vessels in the fleet. Management estimates the useful 
life of our tanker and container vessels to be 25 and 30 years, respectively, from the date of initial delivery from the shipyard. 
Second-hand vessels are depreciated from the date of their acquisition through their remaining estimated useful life. When 
regulations place limitations on the ability of a vessel to trade on a worldwide basis, the vessel’s useful life is adjusted at the 
date such regulations are adopted.

Dry-Docking Costs

We follow the deferral method of accounting for dry-docking costs whereby actual costs incurred are deferred and 
amortized on a straight-line basis over the period through the date the next dry-docking will be scheduled to become due. 

71

Unamortized dry-docking costs of vessels that are sold are written off and included in the calculation of the resulting gain 
or loss in the year of the vessel’s sale. Unamortized dry-docking costs of vessels classified as held for sale are written off as 
impairment charges when these vessels’ carrying values are impaired as a result of their classification.

Impairment of Long-lived Assets

We evaluate the carrying amounts, primarily for vessels and related drydock costs, and periods over which our long-
lived assets are depreciated to determine if events have occurred which would require modification to their carrying values 
or useful lives. When the estimate of future undiscounted net operating cash flows, excluding interest charges, expected to be 
generated by the use of the vessel over her remaining useful life and her eventual disposition is less than her carrying amount 
plus unamortized drydocking costs, we evaluate the vessel for an impairment loss. The measurement of the impairment loss 
is based on the fair value of the vessel. We determine the fair value of our vessels based on assumptions, by making use of 
available market data and taking into consideration third party valuations. We evaluate the carrying amounts and periods over 
which vessels are depreciated to determine if events have occurred which would require modification to their carrying values 
or useful lives. In evaluating useful lives and carrying values of long-lived assets, management reviews certain indicators 
of potential impairment, such as undiscounted projected operating cash flows, vessel sales and purchases, business plans, 
and  overall  market  conditions. The  current  conditions  in  the  shipping  market,  with  decreased  charter  rates  and  decreased 
vessel market values, are conditions that we consider indicators of a potential impairment. In developing estimates of future 
undiscounted  cash  flows,  we  make  assumptions  and  estimates  about  the  vessels’  future  performance,  with  the  significant 
assumptions being related to charter rates and fleet utilization, while other assumptions include vessels’ operating expenses, 
vessels’ residual value, dry-dock costs, and the estimated remaining useful life of each vessel. The assumptions used to develop 
estimates of future undiscounted cash flows are based on historical trends as well as future expectations. We also take into 
account factors such as the vessels’ age and employment prospects under the then current market conditions, and determines 
the future undiscounted cash flows considering its various alternatives, including sale possibilities existing for each vessel as 
of the testing dates.

In detail, the projected net operating cash flows are determined by considering the historical and estimated vessels’ 
performance and utilization, as well as historical utilization of other vessels of similar type and size considering our recent 
shift to the tanker market and the lack of extended historical data, the charter revenues from existing time charters for the fixed 
fleet days and an estimated daily rate for the unfixed days (based on the most recent 10 year average historical rates available 
for each type of vessel) over the remaining estimated life of each vessel, net of commissions, expected outflows for scheduled 
vessels’  maintenance  and  vessel  operating  expenses  assuming  an  average  annual  inflation  rate.    Effective  fleet  utilization 
is assumed to 90% our exercise for the tanker vessels, and has been 98% for the container vessels until their sale, taking 
into account the period(s) each vessel is expected to undergo her scheduled maintenance (dry docking and special surveys), 
assumptions in line with our historical performance since the acquisition of our tanker vessels, peers’ historical performance, 
and  our  expectations  for  future  fleet  utilization  under  our  fleet  employment  strategy.  The  review  of  the  vessel’s  carrying 
amounts in connection with the estimated recoverable amounts for 2020 and 2019 did not result in any impairment charges 
for our tanker vessels (continuing operations). For 2020, 2019 and 2018, impairment charges amounting to $0.3 million, $31.6 
million and $20.7 million respectively, were recognized for certain of our container vessels (discontinued operations).

The average estimated daily earnings rate used in our impairment analysis for our tanker vessels as of December 31, 

2020 was $20,292.

For the purposes of presenting our investors with additional information to determine how our future results of operations 
may be impacted in the event that daily earnings rates do not improve from their current levels in future periods, we set forth 
below an analysis that shows the 1-year, 3-year and 5-year average blended rates and the effect the use of each of these rates 
would have on our impairment analysis.

5-year 
period (in 
USD)

Impairment 
charge 
(in USD million)

3-year 
period  
(in USD)

Impairment 
charge  
(in USD million)

1-year period  
(in USD)

Impairment 
charge 
(in USD million)

Aframax  
tanker vessels

$20,273

$0.0

$21,508

$0.0

$22,125

$0.0

RESULTS OF OPERATIONS

RESULTS OF OPERATIONS (CONTINUING OPERATIONS)

For the Years Ended December 31,

2020

2019

variation

% change

in millions of U.S. dollars

Voyage and time-charter 
revenues

Voyage expenses

Vessel operating expenses

Depreciation

Management fees

General and administrative 
expenses
Provision for doubtful 
receivables

Foreign currency (gains) / losses

Interest and finance costs

Interest income

Net income / (loss) from 
continuing operations

42.0

(14.4)

(9.2)

(5.8)

(0.2)

(8.0)

(0.1)

0.0

(2.1)

0.1

2.3

6.3

(2.5)

(1.1)

(0.8)

(0.1)

(8.2)

0.0

0.0

(0.7)

0.3

(6.8)

35.7

(11.9)

(8.1)

(5.0)

(0.1)

0.2

(0.1)

0.0

(1.4)

(0.2)

9.1

566.7%

476.0%

736.4%

625.0%

100.0%

(2.4)%

-

-

200.0%

(66.7)%

(133.8)%

RESULTS OF OPERATIONS (DISCONTINUED OPERATIONS)

For the Years Ended December 31,

2020

2019

variation

% change

in millions of U.S. dollars

Time-charter revenues

Voyage expenses

Vessel operating expenses

Depreciation and amortization of 
deferred charges

Management fees

Impairment losses

Gain / (loss) on sale of vessels

Foreign currency (gains) / losses

Net income / (loss) from 
discontinued operations

4.2

(0.2)

(2.3)

(0.1)

(0.1)

(0.3)

0.3

0.0

1.5

20.5

(1.0)

(10.2)

(2.9)

0.0

(31.6)

(0.1)

0.0

(25.3)

(16.3)

0.8

7.9

2.8

(0.1)

31.3

0.4

0.0

26.8

(79.5)%

(80.0)%

(77.5)%

(96.6)%

-

(99.1)%

(400.0)%

-

(105.9)%

For  purposes  of  both  the  following  discussion  and  the  Financial  Statements,  results  of  operations  of  the  container 

vessels segment we exited during 2020, are reported as discontinued operations for all periods presented.

73

Year ended December 31, 2020, compared to the year ended December 31, 2019

Net  Income  /  (Loss)  from  continuing  operations.  Net  income  from  continuing  operations  for  2020  amounted  to 
$2.3 million, compared to a net loss of $6.8 million for 2019. In 2019, the small size of the fleet generated low revenues, 
which did not exceed the level of the continuing operations’ expenses (vessel-related expenses and general administrative 
expenses). The net income of 2020 was a result of the increase of our tankers fleet, which led our revenues to significantly 
increase while the general administrative expenses remained almost fixed.

Net Income / (Loss) from discontinued operations. Net income from discontinued opeartions for 2020 amounted 
to $1.5 million, compared to a net loss of $25.3 million for 2019. The loss for 2019 depicted the impact of $31.6 million 
of impairment charges for three container vessels and $0.1 million of aggregate loss in connection with the sale of two 
vessels, while in 2020, the net income from discontinued operations includes impairment charges of $0.3 million for one 
vessel and a gain on vessels’ sale of $0.3 million for two vessels.

Voyage and Time Charter Revenues from continuing operations. Voyage and Time charter revenues from continuing 
operations in 2020 amounted to $42.0 million, compared to $6.3 million in 2019. The voyage and time charter revenues 
increased as a result of the contribution to revenues for the full year 2020 of the vessels Blue Moon and Briolette, which 
were  acquired  in  2019,  and  the  revenues  generated  by  the  vessels  P.  Fos,  delivered  to  us  in  January  2020,  and  of  P. 
Kikuma, delivered to us in March 2020. On average, the time charter rates achieved by our tanker vessels did not fluctuate 
significantly, as their TCE rates amounted to $20,228 for 2020, and $20,431 for 2019.

Voyage  and  Time  Charter  Revenues  from  discontinued  operations.  Voyage  and  Time  charter  revenues  from 
discontinued operations in 2020 amounted to $4.2 million, compared to $20.5 million in 2019. The voyage and time charter 
revenues decreased due to the gradual disposal of our container vessels, as we sold the vessels m/v Pamina in October 
2019, m/v Pucon in November 2019, m/v Rotterdam in April 2020, and m/v Domingo in August 2020.

Voyage Expenses from continuing operations. Voyage expenses from continuing operations for 2020 amounted to 
$14.4 million, compared to $2.5 million in 2019. Voyage expenses of our tanker vessels mainly consist of bunkers costs, 
port and canal expenses, and commissions paid to third-party brokers. The increase in voyage expenses in 2020 compared 
to 2019 was mainly due to the increase in the average number of tanker vessels owned by us.

Voyage Expenses from discontinued operations. Voyage expenses from discontinued operations for 2020 amounted 
to $0.2 million, compared to $1.0 million in 2019. Voyage expenses of the container vessels mainly consist of commissions 
paid to third-party brokers and a smaller portion of bunkers costs, port and canal expenses, as our container vessels were 
exclusively operating on time-charters. The decrease in voyage expenses in 2020 compared to 2019 was mainly due to the 
gradual disposition of our container vessels and the decrease of the respective ownership days.

Vessel  Operating  Expenses  from  continuing  operations.  Vessel  operating  expenses  from  continuing  operations 
amounted to $9.2 million in 2020, compared to $1.1 million in the prior year and mainly consist of expenses for running 
and  maintaining  our  vessels,  such  as  crew  wages  and  related  costs,  consumables  and  stores,  insurances,  repairs  and 
maintenance, environmental compliance costs and other miscellaneous expenses. The increase in vessel operating expenses 
in 2020 was again attributable to the increase in the average number of tanker vessels owned by us. On average, the daily 
operating expenses of our continuing operations for 2020 increased to $6,746, as compared to $5,968 for 2019, mainly as 
a result of disruptions due to the COVID-19 outbreak, which increased our crew traveling expenses and also led to more 
expensive supplies as our vessels had limited access to inexpensive ports.

Vessel Operating Expenses from discontinued operations. Vessel operating expenses from discontinued operations 
amounted  to  $2.3  million  in  2020,  compared  to  $10.2  million  in  the  prior  year  and  mainly  consist  of  expenses  for 
running and maintaining our vessels, such as crew wages and related costs, consumables and stores, insurances, repairs 
and maintenance, environmental compliance costs and other miscellaneous expenses. The decrease in vessel operating 
expenses in 2020 was again attributable to the gradual disposition of our container vessels.

Depreciation  from  continuing  operations.  Depreciation  from  continuing  operations  for  2020  amounted  to  $5.8 
million, compared to $0.8 million in 2019 and represents the depreciation expense of our tanker vessels. The increase in 
depreciation expenses in 2020 was attributable to the increase in the average number of tanker vessels owned by us.

Depreciation and Amortization of Deferred Charges from discontinued operations. Depreciation and amortization 
of deferred charges from discontinued operations for 2020 amounted to $0.1 million, compared to $2.9 million in 2019, 
and represents the depreciation expense and the amortization charge of dry-docking costs for our vessels. The decrease is 
attributable to the disposal of two container vessels in October and November 2019, and the disposal the last two container 
vessels in April and August 2020.

Management Fees from continuing operations. Management fees from continuing operations for 2020 amounted to 
$0.2 million, compared to $0.1 million in 2019, and represent the management fees to Maersk Tankers as long as they were 
providing commercial and technical management services to our tanker vessels Blue Moon and Briolette. The management 
fees were calculated on a daily basis an accordingly, the increase of 2020 compared to 2019 is attributable to a longer 
period that the agreements were in effect. The management agreements with Maersk Tankers were gradually terminated 
and, effective August 2020, UOT, our in-house Manager, has undertaken the full management of these vessels. Mangement 
fees and commissions paid to UOT are eliminated in consolidation, as intercompany transactions.

Management Fees from discontinued operations. Management fees from discontinued operations for 2020 amounted 
to $0.1 million, compared to $5 thousand in 2019, and and represent the management fees we paid Diana Whilhelmsen for 
the management services they provided to our container vessels m/v Rotterdam and m/v Domingo from December 2019 
through the vessels’ disposal in April and August 2020, respectively.

General  and  Administrative  Expenses  from  continuing  operations.  General  and  administrative  expenses  from 
continuing operations for 2020 amounted to $8.0 million, compared to $8.2 million in 2019 and mainly consist of payroll 
expenses of office employees, consultancy fees, brokerage services fees, compensation cost on restricted stock awards, 
legal fees and audit fees. The slight decrease in general administrative expenses was mainly attributable to the decrease 
of  our  brokerage  fees  following  the  termination  of  our  agreement  with  Steamship  in  March  2020,  and  was  partially 
counterbalanced by increased consultancy fees and increased payroll of the office employees. General and administrative 
expenses relate exclusively to onshore related expenses incurred by UOT and also to costs associated with running a public 
company, therefore no allocation was performed to the discontinued operations.

Provision for doubtful receivables from continuing operations. Provision for doubtful receivables from continuing 
operations for 2020 and 2019 amounted to $0.1 million and $0.0 million, respectively, as effective January 1, 2020, we 
adopted ASU No 2016-13, which requires that, at each balance sheet date, we recognize an allowance for our estimated 
credit losses on all outstanding freight and demurrage receivables.

Impairment  Losses  from  discontinued  operations.  Impairment  losses  from  discontinued  operations  in  2020  and 
2019 amounted to $0.3 million and $31.6 million, respectively, and represent non-cash impairment charges recorded for 
the container vessels m/v Rotterdam in 2020, and m/v Pucon, m/v Pamina and m/v Rotterdam in 2019. The impairment 
charges were recorded as our assessment concluded that the book values of the respective vessels were not recoverable, or 
due to the vessel’s classification as held for sale during the year under consideration.

Gain / (Loss) on Vessels’ Sale from discontinued operations. In 2020, gain on vessels’ sales amounted to $0.3 million 
and relates to the sale of the container vessels m/v Rotterdam and m/v Domingo. In 2019, loss on vessels’ sales amounted 
to $0.1 million and relates to the sale of the container vessels m/v Pamina and m/v Puelo in October and November 2019, 
respectively.

Interest and Finance Costs from continuing operations. Interest and finance costs from continuing operations for 
2020 amounted to $2.1 million, compared to $0.7 million for 2019. The increase in 2020 was attributable to the increase 
of our average debt and was partially off-set by decreased average interest rates, which was 3.32% for 2020, compared to 
4.68% in 2019.

Interest Income from continuing operations. Interest income from continuing operations for 2020 and 2019 amounted 
to $0.1 million and $0.3 million, respectively, and mainly consisted of interest income received on deposits of cash and 
cash equivalents.

75

Year ended December 31, 2019, compared to the year ended December 31, 2018

In 2018, we only owned container vessels, which are reported as discontinued operations in our consolidated financial 
statements. Accordingly, the continuing operations of 2018 relate solely to the operation of our UOT, our-in house Manager, 
and Performance Shipping, whose accounting records mainly comprise of general and administrative expenses.

Please refer to our annual report on Form 20-F for the year ended December 31, 2019, as amended, filed with the SEC 

on April 10, 2020.

Inflation

Inflation does not have a material effect on our expenses given current economic conditions. In the event that significant 
global inflationary pressures appear, these pressures would increase our operating, voyage, administrative and financing costs.

B. LIQUIDITY AND CAPITAL RESOURCES

We  have  historically  financed  our  capital  requirements  with  cash  flow  from  operations,  equity  contributions  from 
shareholders, and long- and medium-term debt. Our operating cash flow is generated from charters on our vessels, through our 
subsidiaries. Our main uses of funds have been capital expenditures for the acquisition of new vessels, expenditures incurred 
in connection with ensuring that our vessels comply with international and regulatory standards, repayments of loans, and 
payments of dividends. At times when we are not restricted by our lenders from acquiring additional vessels, we will require 
capital to fund vessel acquisitions and debt service.

As of December 31, 2020, and 2019, our working capital, which is current assets minus current liabilities, including 
the current portion of long-term debt, was $17.6 million and $27.3 million, respectively. We expect that we will fund our 
operations with cash on hand, cash generated from operations, bank debt and equity offerings, or a combination thereof, in the 
twelve-month period ending one year after the financial statements’ issuance.

However, beginning in February 2020, due in part to fears associated with the spread of COVID-19, global financial 
markets, and starting in late February, financial markets in the U.S. experienced even greater relative volatility and a steep 
and abrupt downturn, which volatility and downturn may continue as COVID-19 continues to spread. Credit markets and the 
debt and equity capital markets have been distressed, and the uncertainty surrounding the future of the global credit markets 
has resulted in reduced access to credit worldwide, particularly for the shipping industry. These issues, along with significant 
write-offs in the financial services sector, the repricing of credit risk, and the current weak economic conditions, have made, 
and will likely continue to make it difficult to obtain additional financing. The current state of global financial markets and 
current economic conditions might adversely impact our ability to issue additional equity at prices that will not be dilutive to 
our existing shareholders or preclude us from issuing equity at all.

Cash Flow (Continuing and Discontinued Operations)

As of December 31, 2020, cash and cash equivalents amounted to $21.4 million, compared to $26.4 million for the prior 
year. We consider highly liquid investments such as time deposits and certificates of deposit with an original maturity of three 
months or less to be cash equivalents. Cash and cash equivalents are primarily held in U.S. dollars.

For the presentation of the statement of cash flows in our financial statements, we elected to combine cash flows from 
discontinued operations with cash flows from continuing operations within each cash flow statement category. The absence of 
cash flows from discontinued operations is not expected to affect our future liquidity and capital resources.

Net Cash Provided by / (Used in) Operating Activities

Net cash provided by operating activities in 2020 amounted to $13.2 million (out of which approximately $0.9 million 
was cash provided by operating activities of the discontinued operations). Net cash used in operating activities in 2019 amounted 
to $4.2 million (out of which approximately $2.2 million was cash used in operating activities of the discontinued operations). 
Net cash used in operating activities in 2018 amounted to $0.3 million (out of which $6.2 million was cash provided by 
operating activities of the discontinued operations). Cash from operations in 2020 significantly increased compared to 2019, 
due to the revenues contributions of our tanker vessels. Cash from operations in 2019 was weaker compared to the prior year, 

as trade accounts receivables, inventories and prepaid and other assets had significantly higher balances as of December 31, 
2019, compared to December 31, 2018.  These changes are mainly attributable to the employment of our new tanker vessels 
for the first time in the spot market, where freight under these type of contracts is typically paid at the end of the voyage, and 
the owners bear the cost of bunkers, compared to the time-charter contracts where revenue is typically paid in advance, and 
fuel cost are on charterers’ account.

Net Cash Provided by/ (Used in) Investing Activities

Net  cash  used  in  investing  activities  in  2020  was  $40.1  million  and  consists  of  $63.4  million  that  we  paid  for  the 
acquisition  of  three  tanker  vessels  (continuing  operations),  $0.2  million  that  we  paid  for  equipment  additions  (continuing 
operations), and $23.5 million net proceeds received from the sale of two container vessels during the year (discontinued 
operations). Also, the parent company (continuing operations), received an amount of $24.4 million, representing a return of 
capital from discontinued operations, which is eliminated in consolidation.

Net cash used in investing activities in 2019 was $18.5 million and consists of $28.9 million net proceeds received from 
the sale of two container vessels during the year (discontinued operations), $50.2 million that we paid for the acquisition of 
two tanker vessels (continuing operations), $17 thousand we paid as vessel’s advances (continuing operations), $2.8 million 
received,  representing  insurance  settlements  (discontinued  operations),  and  $38  thousand  paid  for  equipment  additions 
(continuing operations). Also, the parent company (continuing operations), received an amount of $30.1 million, representing 
a return of capital from discontinued operations, which is eliminated in consolidation.

Net cash provided by investing activities in 2018 was $93.2 million and consists of $92.9 million received from the sale 
of seven container vessels during the year (discontinued operations), $0.1 million paid for equipment additions (continuing 
operations), and finally, $0.4 million received, representing insurance settlements (discontinued operations). Also, the parent 
company (continuing operations), received an amount of $99.2 million, representing a return of capital from discontinued 
operations, which is eliminated in consolidation.

Net Cash Provided by / (Used in) Financing Activities

Net cash provided by financing activities from continuing operations in 2020 was $22.0 million, and consists of $34.8 
million of bank loan proceeds, $9.2 million of bank loan repayments, $0.6 million of equity issuance and financing costs, $0.6 
million that we paid for the repurchase of our common shares, $1.5 million that we paid for the re-purchase of our Series C 
preferred shares, $0.4 million that we paid for the re-purchase of our Series B preferred shares and $0.5 million that we paid 
as cash dividends to our shareholders. Net cash used in financing activities for discontiued operations were $24.4 million and 
relate to the return of capital to the parent company from container ship-owning companies. Such outflow is eliminated in the 
consolidated cash flows.

Net cash provided by financing activities from continuing operations in 2019 was $38.6 million and consists of $33.0 
million of bank loan proceeds, $0.5 million of bank debt repayments, $6.5 million of net proceeds from the equity offering, 
and  finally,  $0.4  million  of  paid  equity  issuance  and  finance  costs.  Net  cash  used  in  financing  activities  for  discontinued 
operations were $30.1 million and relate to the return of capital to the parent company from container ship-owning companies. 
Such outflow is eliminated in the consolidated cash flows.

Net  cash  used  in  financing  activities  in  2018  was  $88.8  million  and  consists  of  $87.6  million  of  debt  repayments 
to related parties, $18.5 million of debt repayments to unrelated parties and $0.1 million of finance costs that we paid by 
partially using the container vessels sales proceeds, and also includes $17.4 million of net proceeds from our equity offering 
(continuing operations). Net cash used in financing activities for discontinued operations were $99.2 million and relate to the 
return of capital to the parent company from container ship-owning companies. Such outflow is eliminated in the consolidated 
cash flows.

77

Loan Facilities

As at December 31, 2020, we had $58.1 million of long-term debt outstanding under our loan facilities. As of March 4, 

2021, we had $57.2 million aggregate amount of indebtedness outstanding under our loan facilities.

As at December 31, 2020, and the date of this report, we were in compliance with all of our loan covenants.

As of December 31, 2020, and the date of this annual report, we have not used any derivative instruments for hedging 

purposes or other purposes.

Nordea Bank Abp, Filial i Norge (Nordea):

On July 24, 2019, we, through two of our wholly-owned subsidiaries (the “Initial Borrowers”), entered into a 
loan agreement with Nordea for a senior secured term loan facility of up to $33.0 million (as amended from time to 
time, the “Nordea Facility”). The purpose of the loan facility was to partially finance the acquisition cost of the tanker 
vessels Blue Moon and Briolette. In July and November 2019, the Initial Borrowers drew down the maximum amount 
of $16.5 million each.

On December 23, 2019, we, through the “Initial Borrowers” and one new wholly-owned subsidiary (collectively 
“the Borrowers”), entered into the first amendment and restatement loan agreement with Nordea for a senior secured 
term loan facility of up to $47.0 million.  The purpose of the amended agreement was to provide additional financing 
of up to $14.0 million for the acquisition of the tanker vessel P. Fos (ex Virgo Sun), and in all other respects included 
identical terms to the initial agreement of July 2019. On January 22, 2020, we drew down the amount of $14.0 million 
to support the acquisition of the vessel P. Fos (ex Virgo Sun), whose delivery took place on January 27, 2020.

On March 20, 2020, we signed the second amendment and restatement loan agreement with Nordea for a senior 
secured term loan facility of up to $59.0 million. The purpose of the second amendment and restatement loan agreement 
was to provide additional financing of up to $12.0 million for the acquisition of the tanker vessel P. Kikuma (ex FSL 
Shanghai), and in all other respects included identical terms to the prior agreement of December 2019. On March 26, 
2020, we drew down the amount of $12.0 million. The vessel P. Kikuma was delivered to us on March 30, 2020.

On December 9, 2020, we refinanced the outstanding indebtedness relating to the vessels P. Fos and P. Kikuma 
in the aggregate amount of $21.2 million using a portion of the proceeds from the Piraeus Facility (described below). 
Concurrently, we entered into a Supplemental Loan Agreement with Nordea, to amend the existing repayment schedules 
of the Blue Moon and Briolette tranches and to amend the major shareholder’s clause included in the agreement. The 
First and Second Amendment and Restatement Loan Agreements, and the Supplemental Loan Agreement with Nordea 
included substantially identical terms to the Initial Agreement.

As of December 31, 2020, the outstanding balance on the Nordea Facility was $28.1 million.

Piraeus Bank S.A.:

On December 3, 2020, we, through three of our subsidiaries (collectively the “Piraeus Bank Borrowers”), entered 
into a loan agreement with Piraeus Bank S.A. (“Piraeus Bank”) for a senior secured term loan facility of up to $31.5 
million (the “Piraeus Facility”), to refinance the existing indebtedness of the vessels “P. Fos” and “P. Kikuma” under 
the  Nordea  Facility,  described  above,  and  partially  finance  the  acquisition  cost  of  the  vessel  “P.  Yanbu”,  which  was 
delivered to us on December 15, 2020. As of December 31, 2020, we drew down an aggregate amount of $30.0 million 
under the loan agreement, and no amount remained available for drawdown thereafter.

As of December 31, 2020, the outstanding balance on the Piraeus Facility was $30.0 million.

Covenants and Security

Our loan facilities have financial covenants, which require us to maintain, among other things:

 •  Minimum hull value of the financed vessels. 
•   Minimum cash liquidity. As at December 31, 2020, and December 31, 2019, the compensating cash balance 

required under our loan agreements amounted to $9.0 million and $7.0 million, respectively.

Our loan facilities also contain undertakings limiting or restricting us from, among other things:

 •  Effecting dividend distributions following the occurrence of an event of default. 
• Effecting certain changes in shareholdings.

  Our secured loan facilities are generally secured by, among other things:

• A parent guarantee by Performance Shipping Inc.
• First priority mortgages over the financed tanker vessels.
• First priority assignments of earnings, insurances and of any charters exceeding durations of two years.
• Pledge over the borrowers’ shares and over their earnings accounts.
• Undertakings by the vessels’ managers.

Capital Expenditures

Our future capital expenditures relate to the purchase of vessels and vessel upgrades.

We also expect to incur additional capital expenditures when our vessels undergo surveys. This process of recertification 
may require us to reposition these vessels from a discharge port to shipyard facilities, which will reduce our operating days 
during the period. The loss of earnings associated with the decrease in operating days, together with the capital needs for 
repairs and upgrades results in increased cash flow needs which we fund with cash on hand.

C. RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT, PATENTS AND LICENSES

From time to time, we incur expenditures relating to inspections for acquiring new vessels that meet our standards. Such 
expenditures are capitalized to vessel’s cost upon such vessel’s acquisition or expensed, if the vessel is not acquired, however, 
historically, such expenses were not material.

D. TREND INFORMATION

Tanker Shipping Market

The  global  outbreak  of  COVID-19  is  creating  wide  ranging  operational  disruptions  and  a  potential  major  demand 
“shock” on the oil market. Global crude oil demand is currently projected to rebound by 6.0% in 2021 (97.0m bp), driven by 
the gradual easing of travel restrictions as vaccine programs are rolled out in key regions, following a severe -8.9% drop in 
2020 (91.5m bpd). The pressure exerted by the still high rate of infection of Covid-19, the emergence of numerous new strains 
of the virus, and associated ‘lockdown’ measures across much of the West means the short-term outlook for oil demand is still 
uncertain, with recovery relying on the efficient roll-out of vaccination programs across the world. However, initial projections 
for 2022 suggest that global oil demand will grow by 3.2% y-o-y, to 100.1m bpd.

‘Headline’ fundamentals across the crude tanker sector currently appear relatively balanced in 2021, although downside 
risks to the Aframax market outlook have clearly built. Crude Aframax dwt demand is currently projected to increase by 
c.4.0%) in 2021, supported in part by returning crude output volumes in Libya, though is expected to remain clearly below 
2019 levels. After falling by an estimated 6.0% in 2020, crude tanker dwt demand is projected to increase by 3.5% in 2021, 
with support from growing crude oil output in Libya, Brazil, Norway and Guyana, moderate growth in Chinese imports, and 
recovering import demand in the US and India. However, ongoing OPEC supply cuts and high oil stocks in some regions 
(e.g., Europe, which has also seen a number of refinery closures) are expected to limit the extent of the ‘bounceback’ this year.

79

According to industry sources, the average spot earnings for an Aframax tanker trading on selected routes (e.g., Intra-
Asia, Med-Med, Black Sea-Med and others) in 2020 was a daily TCE rate of $22,161. This compares to an estimated daily 
TCE rate of $26,225 in 2019.

The total ‘trading’ Aframax crude tanker fleet is projected to grow by c.5.0% in 2021, while crude Aframax fleet 

capacity is expected to remain relatively steady and grow by a modest 2.5% in 2021.

E. OFF-BALANCE SHEET ARRANGEMENTS

As of the date of this annual report, we do not have any off-balance sheet arrangements.

F.  TABULAR DISCLOSURE OF CONTRACTUAL OBLIGATIONS

The following table presents our contractual obligations, in thousands of US Dollars, and their maturity dates as of 

December 31, 2020.

Contractual Obligations

Total Amount

Less than 1 
year

2-3 years

4-5 years

More than 5 
years

Payments due by period

(in thousands of US dollars)

Long-term Debt Obligations

$ 58,100

$ 7,911

$ 15,822

$ 34,367

Estimated Interest Payments 
on Loan Agreements (1)

Operating Leases - Office 
Rent Payments (2)

5,071

1,649

2,588

200

100

100

834

0

Total

$ 63,371

$ 9,660

$18,510

$ 35,201

$ 0

0

0

$ 0

(1)  Estimated interest payments represent projected interest payments on our long-term debt, which are based on  LIBOR 

rate plus the margin of our loan agreements in 2020. LIBOR rate used for estimation was the actual as of December 31, 
2020.

(2)  We pay rent for our offices in Athens, Greece, in Euro. The amounts presented in the table above have been 

denominated to USD with a rate of 1.22.

(3)  The table above does not include our contractual obligations under our agreement with Pure Shipbroking, dated June 
15, 2020, which has an indefinite term. Please see “Item 7. Major Shareholders and Related Party Transactions – B. 
Related Party Transactions” for more details.

G.  SAFE HARBOR

See the section entitled “Forward-looking Statements” at the beginning of this annual report.

Item 6. DIRECTORS, SENIOR MANAGEMENT, AND EMPLOYEES

A. DIRECTORS AND SENIOR MANAGEMENT

Set forth below are the names, ages, and positions of our directors and executive officers. Our board of directors 
is elected annually on a staggered basis, and each director elected holds office for a three-year term and until his or her 
successor is elected and has qualified, except in the event of such director’s death, resignation, removal, or the earlier 
termination of his or her term of office. Officers are appointed from time to time by our board of directors and hold office 
until a successor is elected.

 
 
 
 
 
On February 18, 2020, the re-election of Mr. Antonios Karavias and the election of Mr. Andreas Nikolaos Michalopoulos 
as Class I Directors was approved by the requisite vote at our 2020 Annual Meeting. Also, effective February 18, 2020, 
Mr. Anastasios Margaronis, Mr. Nikolaos Petmezas and Mr. Ioannis Zafirakis resigned from our board of directors due to 
other business commitments. Our board of directors appointed Mr. Christos Glavanis and Ms. Aliki Paliou to the board of 
directors, effective as of February 28, 2020, to fill the existing vacancies created by the resignations of Messrs Margaronis 
and Petmezas. Until February 18, 2020, all of our executive officers were also executive officers of Diana Shipping. Among 
our current board of directors, only Symeon Palios, the Chairman of our Board, also currently serves as Chairman of the 
Board of Diana Shipping. At our 2021 Annual Meeting, Aliki Paliou and Reidar Brekke were re-elected to our board.

The term of the Class III directors expires in 2022, the term of the Class I directors expires in 2023, and the term of 

the Class II directors expires in 2024.

NAME

Symeon Palios

Andreas Michalopoulos

Anthony Argyropoulos

Aliki Paliou

Giannakis (John) Evangelou

Antonios Karavias

Christos Glavanis

Reidar Brekke

AGE

POSITION

80

50

56

45

76

78

68

59

Class III Director and Chairman of the Board

Class I Director, Chief Executive Officer and Secretary

Chief Financial Officer

Class II Director

Class III Director

Class I Director

Class III Director

Class II Director

The business address of each officer and director is the address of our principal executive offices, which are located at 

373 Syngrou Avenue, 175 64 Palaio Faliro, Athens, Greece.

Biographical information concerning the directors and executive officers as of the date of this annual report is set 

forth below.

Symeon Palios has served as Chairman of our Board since January 13, 2010, and served as our Chief Executive 
Officer from January 2010 until October 2020. He has also served in senior positions at Diana Shipping Inc., including as 
Chief Executive Officer from February 21, 2005, through March 1, 2020, and as a Director since March 9, 1999 (serving as 
Chairman of the Board since February 21, 2005). Mr. Palios also currently serves as the President of Diana Shipping Services 
S.A. Prior to November 12, 2004, Mr. Palios was the Managing Director of Diana Shipping Agencies S.A. Since 1972, 
when he formed Diana Shipping Agencies S.A., Mr. Palios has had overall responsibility for its activities. Mr. Palios has 
experience in the shipping industry since 1969 and expertise in technical and operational issues. He has served as an ensign 
in the Greek Navy for the inspection of passenger boats on behalf of Ministry of Merchant Marine and is qualified as a naval 
architect and engineer. Mr. Palios is a member of various leading classification societies worldwide and he is a member of 
the board of directors of the United Kingdom Freight Demurrage and Defense Association Limited. Since October 7, 2015, 
Mr. Palios has served as President of the Association “Friends of Biomedical Research Foundation, Academy of Athens.” 
He holds a bachelor’s degree in Marine Engineering from Durham University.

Andreas Michalopoulos serves as the Chief Executive Officer of Performance Shipping Inc. since October 2020 
and as a Director since February 2020. From October 2019 to October 2020, he served as our Deputy Chief Executive 
Officer. From January 13, 2010, to October 2020, he also served as our Chief Financial Officer. Mr. Michalopoulos served 
as Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer of Diana Shipping Inc. from March 2006 to February 2020, and he also served as 
a Director of Diana Shipping Inc. from August 2018 to February 2020. He started his career in 1993 when he joined Merrill 
Lynch Private Banking in Paris. In 1995, he became an International Corporate Auditor with Nestle SA based in Vevey, 
Switzerland and moved in 1998 to the position of Trade Marketing and Merchandising Manager. From 2000 to 2002, he 
worked for McKinsey and Company in Paris, France as an Associate Generalist Consultant before joining a major Greek 
Pharmaceutical Group with U.S. R&D activity as a Vice President of International Business Development and Member of 
the Executive Committee in 2002 where he remained until 2005. From 2005 to 2006, he joined Diana Shipping Agencies S.A. 

81

as a Project Manager. Mr. Michalopoulos graduated from Paris IX Dauphine University with Honors in 1993 obtaining an 
MSc in Economics and a master’s degree in Management Sciences specialized in Finance. In 1995, he also obtained a master’s 
degree in Business Administration from Imperial College, University of London. Mr. Andreas Michalopoulos is married to 
Aliki Paliou, who is also one of our Directors and daughter of Mr. Symeon Palios, our Chairman.

Aliki Paliou has served as a Director since February 2020. She has also served as Director, Vice-President and Treasurer 
of Unitized Ocean Transport Limited since January 2020. From 2010 to 2015 she was employed as a Director and Treasurer 
of Alpha Sigma Shipping Corp. Ms. Paliou studied Theatre Studies at the University of Kent in Canterbury, UK and obtained 
an M.A. in Scenography at Central Saint Martins School of Art and Design in London, UK. In 2005 she graduated with honors 
from the Greek School of Fine Art in Athens, Greece. She is the daughter of Symeon Palios, our Chairman and former Chief 
Executive Officer, and is married to Andreas Michalopoulos, our Chief Executive Officer, Director and Secretary.

Giannakis (John) Evangelou has served as an independent Director and as the Chairman of our Audit Committee 
since  February  8,  2011.  Mr.  Evangelou  is  also  a  member  of  the  Board  of  Directors  of  Baker Tilly  South  East  Europe,  a 
professional services company. Mr. Evangelou retired from Ernst & Young (Hellas), which he joined as a partner in 1998, 
on June 30, 2010. During his 12 years at Ernst & Young, he acted as Transaction Support leader for Greece and a number of 
countries in Southeast Europe including Turkey, Bulgaria, Romania and Serbia. In addition to his normal duties as a partner, 
Mr. Evangelou held the position of Quality and Risk Management leader for Transaction Advisory Services responsible for a 
sub-area comprising 18 countries spanning from Poland and the Baltic in the North to Cyprus and Malta in the South. From 
1986 through 1997, Mr. Evangelou held the position of Group Finance director at Manley Hopkins Group, a Marine Services 
Group of Companies. From 1991 through 1997, Mr. Evangelou served as Chief Accounting Officer for Global Ocean Carriers, 
a shipping company that was listed on a U.S. stock exchange during that time. From 1996 to 1998, Mr. Evangelou was an 
independent consultant and a member of the team that prepared Royal Olympic Cruises for its listing on Nasdaq. From 1974 
through 1986, Mr. Evangelou was a partner of Moore Stephens in Greece. Additionally, Mr. Evangelou is a Fellow of the 
Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales, a member of The Institute of Certified Public Accountants of Cyprus 
and a member of the Institute of Certified Accountants—Auditors of Greece.

Antonios Karavias has served as an independent Director since the completion of the private offering. He also serves 
as a member of our Audit Committee and as a member of our Compensation Committee (where he was previously Chairman 
from April 2010 - February 2020). Since 2007 Mr. Karavias has served as an Independent Advisor to the Management of 
Société Générale Bank and Trust and Marfin Egnatia Bank. Previously, Mr. Karavias was with Alpha Bank from 1999 to 2006 
as a Deputy Manager of Private Banking and with Merrill Lynch as a Vice President from 1980 to 1999. He holds a bachelor’s 
degree in Economics from Mississippi State University and a master’s degree in Economics from Pace University.

Christos Glavanis has served as an independent Director and as Chairman of our Compensation Committee since 
February 2020. He also served as a Director of Diana Shipping Inc. from August 1, 2018, to February 19, 2020. Mr. Glavanis 
has over 30 years of experience in the audit profession, serving in several senior roles at Ernst & Young, including as Chairman 
and Managing Partner of EY Greece from 1987 to 2010 and Managing Partner of EY Southeast Europe from 1996 to 2010. 
Mr. Glavanis was also a main Board Member of EY EMEIA Regional and a member of EY Global Council. Currently, Mr. 
Glavanis is a non-executive board member of W S Karoulias S.A., a beverage distribution company based in Athens, Greece 
and BuyaPowa Ltd., a London, England based online platform allowing users to design, launch, and analyze social sales 
campaigns. He is also the trustee of Phase Worldwide, a United Kingdom charity. He previously served as a non-executive 
board member and chairman of the Audit Committee of Korres S.A, a Greece based cosmetics company, chairman of the Audit 
Committee of the Hellenic Financial Stability Fund, board member and audit committee member of Eurobank SA and a non-
executive board member of Pharmaten S.A. Greece based pharmaceutical company.

Reidar Brekke has served as an independent Director since June 1, 2010. Mr. Brekke has been a principal, advisor 
and deal-maker in the international energy, container logistics and transportation sector for the last 20+ years. Mr. Brekke 
is currently Partner of Brightstar Capital Partners, a private equity firm focused on investing in closely held, middle-market 
companies.  From 2012–Sept 2018, he was President of Intermodal Holdings LP, a company investing in intermodal assets. 
In 2008 he started his own firm, Energy Capital Solutions Inc., (New York and Florida) providing strategic and financial 
advisory services to international shipping, logistics and energy related companies. From 2003-2008 he served as Manager 
of Poten Capital Services LLC, a registered broker-dealer specializing in the maritime sector. Prior to 2003, Mr. Brekke was 
C.F.O., then President and C.O.O., of SynchroNet Marine, a logistics service provider to the global container transportation 
industry. From 1994 to 2000, he held several senior positions with American Marine Advisors, including Fund Manager of 
American Shipping Fund I LLC, and C.F.O. of its broker dealer subsidiary. Prior to this, Mr. Brekke was an Advisor for the 

Norwegian Trade Commission in New York and Oslo, Norway, and a financial advisor in Norway. Mr. Brekke graduated 
from the New Mexico Military Institute in 1986 and in 1990 he obtained a MBA from the University of Nevada, Reno. He 
has been an adjunct professor at Columbia University’s School of International and Public Affairs–Center for Energy, Marine 
Transportation and Public Policy, and is currently on the board of directors of Scorpio Tankers Inc. (NYSE: STNG) and two 
privately-held companies involved in compact equipment sales and rentals and container rentals, sales and modifications.

Anthony Argyropoulos has served as our Chief Financial Officer since October 2020. Mr. Argyropoulos is the founder 
of Seaborne Capital Advisors, an Athens, Greece based financial advisory firm focused on the shipping and maritime industries. 
Prior to Seaborne Capital Advisors, Mr. Argyropoulos was a Partner at Cantor Fitzgerald & Co. until September 2011, where 
he was responsible for the investment banking group’s activities in the maritime sector. Through early 2004, he was a Senior 
Vice President with Jefferies & Company, Inc. where he was instrumental in developing their maritime investment banking 
practice.  Mr. Argyropoulos graduated from Deree College, Athens, with a B.A. in Economics and from Bentley College, 
Waltham, Mass. with an M.B.A. in Finance. He is a member of the Beta Gamma Sigma honor society of collegiate schools 
of business. He is a frequent speaker in global shipping events, contributor to several publications and recipient of a number 
of awards.

B.  COMPENSATION

Since June 1, 2010, and through March 1, 2020, the members of our senior management have been compensated through 
their affiliation with Steamship Shipbroking Enterprises Inc. (or Steamship), a related party controlled by our Chairman of the 
Board and former Chief Executive Officer, Mr. Symeon Palios, as described under “Item 7. Major Shareholders and Related 
Party Transactions – B. Related Party Transactions.” Pursuant to the respective Broker Services Agreements, fees, and bonuses 
payable to Steamship for brokerage services provided to us in 2020, 2019 and 2018, amounted to $0.3 million, $2.1 million 
and $2.1 million, respectively. On March 1, 2020, we early terminated our Broker Services Agreement with Steamship, which 
was originally due to expire on March 31, 2020, at no cost. Effective March 1, 2020, our senior management is remunerated 
based  on  their  consultancy  or  employment  agreements,  as  applicable.  Pursuant  to  the  consultancy  agreement  we  have  in 
place with Mr. Anthony Argyropoulos, our Chief Financial Officer, we have agreed to pay Mr. Argyropoulos additional cash 
compensation in the amount of 0.35% of the consideration paid or received by us in connection with certain capital raising 
and other transactions.

For 2020, after the termination of the Steamship agreement, the aggregate fees and bonuses of our exceutives amounted 

to $1.1 million.

In December 2020, our board of directors approved the issuance of restricted common stock with an aggregate value 
of $320,000  as an award to our executive and non-executive directors. Accordingly, 67,225 restricted common shares were 
issued, of which 12,605 shares were issued to our executive officers. One-fourth of these shares vested on the issuance date 
and the remainder will vest ratably over three years from the issuance date. In 2018, our board of directors approved an award 
of restricted common stock, which was proposed by our Compensation Committee, with an aggregate value of $5.0 million to 
our executive officers and non-executive directors, as a one-time special award, in recognition of the successful refinancing of 
the RBS loan in 2017, which resulted in a significant gain of $42.2 million, net of expenses. The number of restricted common 
shares was determined in February 2019, at which time an aggregate of 574,779 restricted common shares were issued, of 
which 491,586 shares were issued to our executive officers. One-third of these shares vested on the issuance date and the 
remainder vested ratably over two years from the issuance date. In 2017, our board of directors approved an award of restricted 
common stock with an aggregate value of $380,000 to our executive officers and non-executive directors. The number of 
restricted common shares was determined in February 2018, at which time an aggregate of 16,170 restricted common shares 
were issued, of which 13,829 shares were issued to our executive officers. One-third of these shares vested on the issuance date 
and the remainder will vested ratably over two years from the issuance date.

Our non-executive directors receive annual compensation in the aggregate amount of $40,000 plus reimbursement of 
their out-of-pocket expenses incurred while attending any meeting of the board of directors or any board committee, and the 
chairman of the board receives annual compensation of $60,000. In addition, a committee chairman receives an additional 
$20,000 annually, and other committee members receive an additional $10,000 annually. As noted above, in December 2020, 
our board of directors approved the issuance of restricted common stock with an aggregate value of $320,000  as an award 
to our executive and non-executive directors. Out of the 67,225 aggregate restricted common shares issued, 54,620 shares 
were awarded to our non-executive directors. Also, in 2018, our board of directors approved an award of restricted common 
stock with an aggregate value of $5.0 million to our executive officers and non-executive directors. The number of restricted 

83

common shares was determined in February 2019, at which time an aggregate of 574,779 restricted common shares were 
issued, of which 83,193 shares were issued to our non-executive directors. Also, in 2017, our board of directors approved an 
award of restricted common stock with an aggregate value of $380,000 to our executive officers and non-executive directors. 
The number of restricted common shares was determined in February 2018, at which time an aggregate of 16,170 restricted 
common shares were issued, of which 2,341 shares were issued to our non-executive directors. One-third of these shares 
vested on the issuance date and the remainder has vested ratably over two years from the issuance date. We do not have a 
retirement plan for our officers or directors. For 2020, 2019 and 2018, fees, bonuses and expenses to non-executive directors 
amounted to $0.3 million, $0.3 million and $0.3 million, respectively.

On January 1, 2021, we granted to our Chief Financial Officer stock options to purchase 120,000 of our common 
shares  as  share-based  remuneration  which  can  be  exercised  only  when  our  stock  price  increases. The  stock  options  are 
exercisable at a price range between $10.00 and $30.00 per share, for a term of five years.

In 2020, 2019, and 2018, compensation costs relating to the aggregate amount of restricted stock awards amounted 

to $1.9 million, $1.8 million and $1.6 million, respectively.

2015 EQUITY INCENTIVE PLAN

On May 5, 2015, we adopted an equity incentive plan, which we refer to as the 2015 Equity Incentive Plan, as 
amended  from  time  to  time,  under  which  directors,  officers,  employees,  consultants  and  service  providers  of  us  and 
our subsidiaries and affiliates would be eligible to receive options to acquire common stock, stock appreciation rights, 
restricted stock, restricted stock units and unrestricted common stock. On February 9, 2018, our board of directors adopted 
Amendment No 1 to the 2015 Equity Incentive Plan, solely to increase the aggregate number of common shares issuable 
under  the  plan  to  55,000  shares  (as  adjusted  after  the  effectiveness  of  the  reverse  stock  split  of  November  2,  2020). 
Effective December 30, 2020, we amended and restated the 2015 Equity Incentive Plan, primarily to increase the aggregate 
number of common shares issuable under the plan to 538,830 and to extend the term. The plan will expire ten years from 
its date of adoption (as amended and restated) unless terminated earlier by our board of directors.  During the year ended 
December 31, 2020, we have issued 67,225 restricted shares under the plan to our executive officers and non-executive 
directors. On January 1, 2021, we granted to our Chief Financial Officer stock options to purchase 120,000 of our common 
shares as share-based remuneration which can be exercised only when our stock price increases. The stock options are 
exercisable at a price range between $10.00 and $30.00 per share, for a term of five years.

The 2015 Equity Incentive Plan is administered by our compensation committee, or such other committee of our 

board of directors as may be designated by the board to administer the plan.

Under the terms of the 2015 Equity Incentive Plan, stock options and stock appreciation rights granted under the 
plan will have an exercise price per common share equal to the market value of a common share on the date of grant, unless 
otherwise specifically provided in an award agreement, but in no event will the exercise price be less than the greater of (i) 
the market value of a common share on the date of grant and (ii) the par value of one share of common stock. Options and 
stock appreciation rights will be exercisable at times and under conditions as determined by the plan administrator, but in 
no event will they be exercisable later than ten years from the date of grant.

The plan administrator may grant shares of restricted stock and awards of restricted stock units subject to vesting 
and forfeiture provisions and other terms and conditions as determined by the plan administrator in accordance with the 
terms of the plan. Following the vesting of a restricted stock unit, the award recipient will be paid an amount equal to the 
number of restricted stock units that then vest multiplied by the market value of a common share on the date of vesting, 
which payment may be paid in the form of cash or common shares or a combination of both, as determined by the plan 
administrator. The plan administrator may grant dividend equivalents with respect to grants of restricted stock units.

Adjustments may be made to outstanding awards in the event of a corporate transaction or change in capitalization 
or other extraordinary event. In the event of a “change in control” (as defined in the plan), unless otherwise provided by 
the plan administrator in an award agreement, awards then outstanding will become fully vested and exercisable in full.

Our board of directors may amend the plan and may amend outstanding awards issued pursuant to the plan, provided 
that no such amendment may be made that would materially impair any rights, or materially increase any obligations, of 

a grantee under an outstanding award without the consent of such grantee. Shareholder approval of plan amendments will 
be required under certain circumstances. The plan administrator may cancel any award and amend any outstanding award 
agreement, except no such amendment shall be made without shareholder approval if such approval is necessary to comply 
with any tax or regulatory requirement applicable to the outstanding award.

C.  BOARD PRACTICES

Actions by our Board of Directors

Our  amended  and  restated  bylaws  provide  that  vessel  acquisitions  and  disposals  from  or  to  a  related  party  and 
long term time charter employment with any charterer that is a related party will require the unanimous approval of the 
independent members of our board of directors and that all other material related party transactions shall be subject to the 
approval of a majority of the independent members of the board of directors.

Committees of our Board of Directors

We have established an Audit Committee, comprised of two members of our board of directors, which is responsible 
for reviewing our accounting controls, recommending to the board of directors the engagement of our independent auditors, 
and pre-approving audit and audit-related services and fees. Each member has been determined by our board of directors to 
be “independent” under Nasdaq rules and the rules and regulations of the SEC. As directed by its written charter, the Audit 
Committee is responsible for reviewing all related party transactions for potential conflicts of interest and all related party 
transactions are subject to the approval of the Audit Committee. Mr. John Evangelou has served as the Chairman of the 
Audit Committee since February 8, 2011. We believe that Mr. Evangelou qualifies as an Audit Committee financial expert 
as such term is defined under SEC rules. Mr. Antonios Karavias serves as a member of our Audit Committee.

In addition, we have established a Compensation Committee, comprised of two independent directors, which, as 
directed by its written charter, is responsible for recommending to the board of directors our senior executive officers’ 
compensation  and  benefits.  Until  February  2020,  Mr. Antonios  Karavias  served  as  the  Chairman  of  the  Compensation 
Committee and Mr. Nikolaos Petmezas served as a member of our Compensation Committee, and since then, Mr. Christos 
Glavanis serves as the Chairman of the Compensation Committee and Mr. Antonios Karavias serves as a member of our 
Compensation Committee.

We have also established an Executive Committee, which is responsible for the overall management of our business. 
Until February 2020, our Executive Committee was comprised of three directors, Mr. Symeon Palios, our Chairman of the 
Board and former Chief Executive Officer, Mr. Anastasios Margaronis, our President until February 2020, and Mr. Ioannis 
Zafirakis, our Chief Strategy Officer and Secretary until February 2020. Since February 2020 and until October 2020, the 
Executive Committee was comprised of Mr. Symeon Palios, the Chairman of our Board, and Mr. Andreas Michalopoulos, 
our Director, Chief Executive Officer and Secretary. Effective November 19, 2020, our Executive Committee comprises of 
Ms. Aliki Paliou, our Director, and Mr. Andreas Michalopoulos.

We also maintain directors’ and officers’ insurance, pursuant to which we provide insurance coverage against certain 

liabilities to which our directors and officers may be subject, including liability incurred under U.S. securities law.

D. EMPLOYEES

We crew our vessels with Filipino officers and crew members, who are referred to us by independent crewing agencies. 
The crewing agencies handle each seaman’s training and payroll. We ensure that all our seamen have the qualifications and 
licenses required to comply with international regulations and shipping conventions. We typically man our vessels with 
more crew members than are required by the country of the vessel’s flag in order to allow for the performance of routine 
maintenance duties.

85

The following table presents the number of shoreside personnel employed by our in-house manager and the number 

of seafaring personnel employed by our vessel-owning subsidiaries as of December 31, 2020, 2019, and 2018:

As of December 31, 2020

As of December 31, 2019

As of December 31, 2018

Shoreside

Seafaring

Total

23

128

151

28

84

112

37

100

137

E. SHARE OWNERSHIP

With respect to the total amount of common stock owned by our officers and directors individually and as a group, see 

“Item 7. Major Shareholders and Related Party Transactions – A. Major Shareholders.”

Item 7. MAJOR SHAREHOLDERS AND RELATED PARTY TRANSACTIONS

A. MAJOR SHAREHOLDERS

The following table sets forth current information regarding ownership of our common stock of which we are aware as 
of March 4, 2021, for (i) beneficial owners of five percent or more of our common shares; and (ii) our officers and directors, 
individually and as a group. All of our shareholders, including the shareholders listed in this table, are entitled to one vote for 
each common share held.

Name

Aliki Paliou(2)

Anamar Investments Inc.(3)

Number of Common Shares

Percentage Owned (1)

2,352,047

254,558

46.3%

5.0% 

All other executive officers and directors individually(4)

(1) Percentages based on 5,082,726 common shares outstanding as of March 4, 2021. 
(2) Ms. Aliki Paliou, a member of our Board of Directors, owns and controls Mango Shipping Corp. (“Mango Shipping”), 
which is the record holder of 2,352,047 common shares. As a result, Ms. Paliou may be deemed to beneficially own the shares 
held by Mango Shipping.Mango Shipping acquired these common shares from Taracan Investments S.A. (“Taracan”), a 
Marshall Islands corporation ultimately beneficially owned by Mr. Symeon Palios, our Chairman of the Board and former 
Chief Executive Officer, pursuant to a Contribution Agreement dated September 29, 2020, by and between Taracan and 
Mango Shipping. In exchange, Mango Shipping issued 999 shares of its own common stock to Taracan. Taracan thereafter 
distributed  as  dividend  in  kind  such  999  shares  of  Mango  Shipping  (through  an  intermediary  holding  company)  to  its 
ultimate beneficial owner, Mr. Symeon Palios. Subsequently, also on September 29, 2020, Mr. Symeon Palios transferred 
in a private transaction all of his interest in Mango Shipping to Ms. Paliou.
(3) This information is derived from a Schedule 13G filed with the Commission on July 2, 2020.
(4) Ms.  Paliou  is  our  only  director  that  beneficially  owns  5%  or  more  of  our  outstanding  common  stock.  Mr. Andreas 
Michalopoulos, our Chief Executive Officer, may be deemed to beneficially own 106,915 shares, or 2.1% of our outstanding 
common stock, beneficially owned through Mitzela Corp. Mr. Anthony Argyropoulos, our Chief Financial Officer, holds 
stock options to purchase up to 120,000 of our common shares, which, if fully exercised, would represent 2.3% of our 
outstanding common shares (assuming 5,202,726 of our common shares are outstanding), which stock options we granted 
to Mr. Argyropoulos as stock-based remuneration. The stock options are exercisable at a price range between $10.00 and 
$30.00 per share, for a term of five years. Mr. Argyropoulos does not hold any of our common shares.  All other officers 
and directors each own less than 1% of our outstanding common stock.

 
 
Diana Shipping acquired 100% of our Series C preferred voting stock on May 30, 2017 (each Series C preferred share 
entitled the holder thereof to up to 250,000 votes, subject to certain restrictions), and on March 26, 2020, we re-purchased and 
canceled all of the shares of our Series C Preferred Stock. See “Item 7. Major Shareholders and Related Party Transactions – B. 
Related Party Transactions.”

As of March 3, 2021, we had 13 shareholders of record, 3 of which were located in the United States and held an 
aggregate of 4,896,615 of our common shares, representing 96.34% of our outstanding common shares. However, one of 
the U.S. shareholders of record is CEDE & CO., a nominee of The Depository Trust Company, which held 4,872,661 of 
our common shares as of March 3, 2021. Accordingly, we believe that the shares held by CEDE & CO. include common 
shares beneficially owned by both holders in the United States and non-U.S. beneficial owners. We are not aware of any 
arrangements the operation of which may at a subsequent date result in our change of control.

B. RELATED PARTY TRANSACTIONS

PURE BROKERAGE AND SHIPPING CORP.

Pure Brokerage and Shipping Corp., a company controlled by Ms. Aliki Paliou, a member of our Board of Directors and 
our major shareholder, provides us with brokerage services since June 15, 2020, pursuant to a Brokerage Services Agreement 
for a fixed monthly fee for each of our owned tanker vessels. Pure Shipbroking may also, from time to time, receive chartering 
commissions on the gross freight and hire revenue of our tanker vessels, depending on the respective charter parties’ terms, 
and may also receive sale and purchase brokerage commissions.  For 2020, commissions and brokerage fees paid to Pure 
Brokerage amounted to $0.3 million and $0.08 million, respectively.

STEAMSHIP SHIPBROKING ENTERPRISES INC.

Steamship Shipbroking Enterprises Inc., an affiliated entity controlled by our Chairman of the Board and former Chief 
Executive Officer, Mr. Symeon Palios, provided us brokerage services for an annual fee pursuant to a Brokerage Services 
Agreement through March 1, 2020. In 2020, 2019 and 2018, brokerage fees and bonuses amounted to $0.28 million, $2.1 
million and $2.1, respectively. The Brokerage Services Agreement dated April 1, 2019, originally due to expire on March 31, 
2020, was early terminated on March 1, 2020, at no cost.

DIANA SHIPPING INC.

In May 2017, in we issued 100 shares of our newly-designated Series C Preferred Stock to Diana Shipping in exchange 
for a reduction of $3.0 million in the principal amount of our then existing loan to DSI. The Series C Preferred Stock had no 
dividend or liquidation rights. The Series C Preferred Stock voted with our common shares, and each share of the Series C 
Preferred Stock entitled the holder thereof to up to 250,000 votes, subject to a cap such that the aggregate voting power of any 
holder of Series C Preferred Stock together with its affiliates would not exceed 49.0% of the total number of votes eligible to 
be cast on all matters submitted to a vote of our stockholders.

On March 25, 2020, we agreed with DSI for the repurchase of all 100 shares of Series C Preferred Stock outstanding, 
and on March 26, 2020, we paid the purchase price of $1.5 million. The disinterested members of our board of directors 
approved the re-purchase, after obtaining a fairness opinion from an independent third party that the transaction was fair from 
a financial point of view. We canceled the Series C Preferred Stock upon the conclusion of the transaction on March 26, 2020.

ALTAIR TRAVEL AGENCY S.A

Effective March 1, 2013, Altair Travel Agency S.A., or Altair, an affiliated entity that is controlled by our Chairman of 
the Board and former Chief Executive Officer, Mr. Symeon Palios, provided us with travel related services. In 2020, 2019 and 
2018, the expenses we incurred in exchange for travel services provided by Altair, amounted to $0.2 million, $0.4 million and 
$0.6 million, respectively. In January 2021, we terminated our co-operation with Altair, at no cost to us.

87

DIANA WILHELMSEN MANAGEMENT LIMITED

In December 2019, we appointed Diana Wilhelmsen Management Limited, or DWM, to provide management services 
to  the  container  vessels  m/v  Rotterdam  and  m/v  Domingo.  DWM  was  deemed  a  related  party  to  us  until  the  resignation 
of  certain  of  the  Company’s  board  of  directors’  members  and  officers  within  February  2020,  on  the  basis  that  members 
of  our  management  and  our  board  of  directors  also  acted  as  board  of  directors’  members  at  DWM.  For  2020  and  2019, 
management fees to DWM amounted to $116,000 and $5,000, respectively. In April and August 2020, upon the vessels’ sales, 
the management agreements with DWM were terminated.

C. INTERESTS OF EXPERTS AND COUNSEL Not applicable.

Item 8. FINANCIAL INFORMATION

A. CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS AND OTHER FINANCIAL INFORMATION

See “Item 18. Financial Statements.”

Legal Proceedings

Between October 23, 2017, and December 15, 2017, three largely similar lawsuits were filed against the Company and 
three of its executive officers.  On October 23, 2017, a complaint captioned Jimmie O. Robinson v. Diana Containerships Inc., 
Case No. 2:17-cv-6160, was filed in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of New York (“Eastern District”).  
The complaint is brought as a purported class action lawsuit on behalf of a putative class consisting of purchasers of common 
shares of the Company between January 26, 2017 and October 3, 2017.  On October 25, 2017, a complaint captioned Logan 
Little v. Diana Containerships Inc., Case No. 2:17-cv-6236, was filed in the Eastern District.  The complaint is brought as 
a purported class action lawsuit on behalf of a putative class consisting of purchasers of common shares of the Company 
between January 26, 2017, and October 3, 2017.  On December 15, 2017, a complaint captioned Emmanuel S. Austin v. 
Diana Containerships Inc., Case No. 2:17-cv-7329, was filed in the Eastern District.  The complaint is brought as a purported 
class action lawsuit on behalf of a putative class consisting of purchasers of common shares of the Company between June 
9, 2016, and October 3, 2017.  The complaints name as defendants, among others, the Company and three of its executive 
officers.  The complaints assert claims under Sections 9, 10(b) and/or 20(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934.  On April 
30, 2018, the Court consolidated the three lawsuits into the first-filed Robinson lawsuit, appointed lead plaintiffs and approved 
lead plaintiffs’ selection of lead plaintiffs’ counsel.  On July 13, 2018, lead plaintiffs filed a consolidated amended complaint 
(superseding  the  three  initial  complaints).    On  September  21,  2018,  the  defendants  filed  a  motion  to  dismiss  the  lawsuit.  
Briefing on that motion was concluded on November 30, 2018.  On May 28, 2020, prior to any ruling on that motion, lead 
plaintiffs filed a superseding second amended complaint. On July 22, 2020, the defendants filed a motion to dismiss the second 
amended complaint. Briefing on that motion concluded on October 9, 2020.  The Company and its management believe that 
the complaints are without merit and plan to vigorously defend themselves against the claims.

Except as set forth above, we have not been involved in any legal proceedings which may have, or have had a significant 
effect on our business, financial position, results of operations or liquidity, nor are we aware of any proceedings that are pending 
or threatened which may have a significant effect on our business, financial position, results of operations or liquidity. From 
time to time, we may be subject to legal proceedings and claims in the ordinary course of business, principally personal injury 
and property casualty claims. We expect that these claims would be covered by insurance, subject to customary deductibles. 
Those claims, even if lacking merit, could result in the expenditure of significant financial and managerial resources.

Dividend Policy

On October 20, 2020, we announced that our board of directors approved a new variable quarterly dividend policy 
after previously suspending the quarterly cash dividend on our common shares since the quarter ended June 30, 2016. On 
November 9, 2020, we made a dividend payment in the aggregate amount of $0.01 per share (or $0.10 per share as adjusted 
for the reverse stock split effected on November 2, 2020) to the shareholders of record at the close of business on October 30, 
2020, with respect to the third quarter of 2020. While we have declared and paid cash dividends on our common shares in the 
past and currently do so, there can be no assurance that our board of directors will declare dividend payments in the future.

If declared, our variable quarterly dividend is expected to be paid each February, May, August and November and to 
be a percentage of available cash from operations during the previous quarter after cash payments for debt repayment and 
interest expense and reserves for the replacement of our vessels, scheduled drydockings, intermediate and special surveys, and 
other purposes as our board of directors may from time to time determine are required, after taking into account contingent 
liabilities, the terms of any credit facility, our growth strategy and other cash needs as well as the requirements of Marshall 
Islands law, among other factors. Marshall Islands law generally prohibits the payment of dividends other than from surplus, 
or while a company is insolvent or would be rendered insolvent by the payment of such a dividend.

The declaration and payment of dividends, even during times when we have sufficient funds and are not restricted 
from declaring and paying dividends by our lenders or any other party, will always be subject to the discretion of our board 
of directors. Our board of directors may review and amend our dividend policy from time to time, taking into consideration 
our plans for future growth and other factors. The actual timing and amount of dividend payments, if any, will be determined 
by our board of directors and will be affected by various factors, including our cash earnings, financial condition and cash 
requirements, the loss of a vessel, the acquisition of one or more vessels, required capital expenditures, reserves established by 
our board of directors, increased or unanticipated expenses, a change in our dividend policy, additional borrowings or future 
issuances of securities, many of which will be beyond our control.

We are a holding company, and we depend on the ability of our subsidiaries to distribute funds to us to satisfy our 
financial obligations and to make dividend payments. In addition, our existing or future credit facilities may include restrictions 
on our ability to pay dividends.

The shipping sector is highly cyclical and volatile. We cannot predict with accuracy the amount of cash flows our 
operations will generate in any given period. Our quarterly dividends, if any, will vary significantly from quarter to quarter as 
a result of variations in our operating performance, cash flow, and other contingencies, and we cannot assure you that we will 
generate available cash for distribution in any quarter, and so we may not declare and pay any dividends in certain quarters, 
or at all. Our ability to resume payment of dividends will be subject to the limitations set forth above and in the section of this 
annual report entitled “Item 3. Key Information – D. Risk Factors.”

In times when we have debt outstanding, we intend to limit our dividends per share, if dividend payment is reinstated, 
to the amount that we would have been able to pay if we were financed entirely with equity. . In addition, any credit facilities 
that we may enter into in the future may include restrictions on our ability to pay dividends.

B.  SIGNIFICANT CHANGES

There have been no significant changes since the date of the annual consolidated financial statements included in this 

annual report, other than those described in “Note 14—Subsequent Events” of our annual consolidated financial statements.

ITEM 9. THE OFFER AND LISTING

A.  OFFER AND LISTING DETAILS

Our common shares have traded on the Nasdaq Global Market since January 19, 2011, on the Nasdaq Global Select 
Market since January 2, 2013, and on the Nasdaq Capital Market since March 6, 2020. Our ticker symbol was “DCIX” through 
March 30, 2020, at which date it changed to “PSHG.”

B.  PLAN OF DISTRIBUTION Not Applicable.

C.  MARKETS

Our common shares have traded on the Nasdaq Global Market since January 19, 2011, on the Nasdaq Global Select 
Market since January 2, 2013, and on the Nasdaq Capital Market since March 6, 2020. Our ticker symbol was “DCIX” through 
March 30, 2020, at which date it changed to “PSHG.”

D. SELLING SHAREHOLDERS Not Applicable.

E. DILUTION Not Applicable.

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F. EXPENSES OF THE ISSUE Not Applicable.

Item 10. ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

A.  SHARE CAPITAL Not Applicable.

B. MEMORANDUM AND ARTICLES OF ASSOCIATION

Our amended and restated articles of incorporation and bylaws were filed as exhibits 3.1 and 3.2, respectively, to 
our registration statement on Form F-4 (File No. 333-169974) filed with the SEC on October 15, 2010. The information 
contained in these exhibits is incorporated by reference herein.

Our  amended  and  restated  articles  of  incorporation  were  amended  on  (i)  June  8,  2016,  in  connection  with  our 
one-for-eight reverse stock split, (ii) July 3, 2017, in connection with our one-for-seven reverse stock split, (iii) July 25, 
2017, in connection with our one-for-six reverse stock split, (iv) August 23, 2017, in connection with our one-for-seven 
reverse stock split, (v) September 22, 2017, in connection with our one-for-three reverse stock split, (vi) November 1, 
2017, in connection with our one-for-seven reverse stock split and (vii) October 30, 2020, in connection with our one-for-
ten reverse stock split. Copies of these articles of amendment to the amended and restated articles of incorporation of the 
Company were filed as exhibit 3.1 to our reports on Form 6-K filed with the SEC on June 9, 2016, July 6, 2017, July 28, 
2017, August 28, 2017, September 26, 2017, November 3, 2017, and November 2, 2020, respectively. The information 
contained in these exhibits is incorporated by reference herein. Additionally, (i) on March 21, 2017, we filed a Statement 
of Designations, Preferences and Rights of our Series B-1 Convertible Preferred Stock, (ii) on March 21, 2017, we filed 
a  Statement  of  Designations,  Preferences  and  Rights  of  our  Series  B-2  Convertible  Preferred  Stock  and  (iii)  on  May 
30,  2017,  we  filed  a  Statement  of  Designations  of  Rights,  Preferences  and  Privileges  of  our  Series  C  Preferred  Stock. 
Our amended and restated articles of incorporation were further amended on February 25, 2019, in connection with our 
name change from Diana Containerships Inc. to Performance Shipping Inc. A copy of these articles of amendment to the 
amended and restated articles of incorporation is filed as an exhibit to this annual report and the information contained in 
such exhibit is incorporated by reference herein.

A description of the material terms of our amended and restated articles of incorporation and bylaws is included in 

“Description of Securities,” attached hereto as Exhibit 2.7 and incorporated by reference herein.

DESCRIPTION OF COMMON STOCK

Each outstanding common share entitles the holder to one vote on all matters submitted to a vote of shareholders. 
Subject to preferences that may be applicable to any outstanding preferred shares, holders of common shares are entitled 
to receive ratably all dividends, if any, declared by our board of directors out of funds legally available for dividends. 
Upon our dissolution or liquidation or the sale of all or substantially all of our assets, after payment in full of all amounts 
required to be paid to creditors and to the holders of our preferred shares having liquidation preferences, if any, the holders 
of our common shares will be entitled to receive pro rata our remaining assets available for distribution. Holders of our 
common shares do not have conversion, redemption or preemptive rights to subscribe to any of our securities. The rights, 
preferences and privileges of holders of common shares are subject to the rights of the holders of our preferred shares, 
including our existing classes of preferred shares and any preferred shares we may issue in the future.

DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED STOCK

Our amended and restated articles of incorporation authorize our board of directors to establish one or more series 
of preferred shares and to determine, with respect to any series of preferred shares, the terms and rights of that series, 
including the designation of the series; the number of shares of the series; the preferences and relative, participating, option 
or other special rights, if any, and any qualifications, limitations or restrictions of such series; and the voting rights, if any, 
of the holders of the series.

AMENDED AND RESTATED STOCKHOLDERS RIGHTS AGREEMENT

On August 29, 2016, we entered into a First Amended and Restated Stockholders Rights Agreement, or the Rights 
Agreement,  with  Computershare  Inc.  as  Rights Agent. The  Rights Agreement  amended  and  restated  in  its  entirety  the 
original Stockholders Rights Agreement between the Company and Mellon Investor Services LLC, dated as of August 2, 
2010, as amended on July 28, 2014. Pursuant to the Rights Agreement, each share of our common stock includes one right, 
or a Right, that entitles the holder to purchase from us a unit consisting of one one-thousandth of a share of our Series 
A Participating Preferred Stock at an exercise price of $50.00, subject to specified adjustments. The Rights will separate 
from the common stock and become exercisable only if a person or group acquires beneficial ownership of 15% or more of 
our common stock in a transaction not approved by our board of directors.  In that situation, each holder of a Right (other 
than the acquiring person, whose Rights will become void and will not be exercisable) will have the right to purchase, 
upon payment of the exercise price, a number of shares of our common stock having a then-current market value equal 
to twice the exercise price. In addition, if we are acquired in a merger or other business combination after an acquiring 
person acquires 15% or more of our common stock, each holder of the Right will thereafter have the right to purchase, 
upon payment of the exercise price, a number of shares of common stock of the acquiring person having a then-current 
market value equal to twice the exercise price.  The acquiring person will not be entitled to exercise these Rights. Under 
the Stockholders Rights Agreement’s terms, it will expire on August 2, 2020.  In June 2019, we entered into Amendment 
No. 1 to the First Amended and Restated Shareholders Rights Agreement, to amend the definition of “Acquiring Person” 
set out in the Rights Agreement.

A copy of the Stockholders Rights Agreement is filed as Exhibit 4.1 to our report on Form 6-K filed with the SEC 

on August 31, 2016.

C. MATERIAL CONTRACTS

The contracts included as exhibits to this annual report are the contracts we consider to be both material and not 
entered into in the ordinary course of business, which (i) are to be performed in whole or in part on or after the filing date 
of this annual report or (ii) were entered into not more than two years before the filing date of this annual report.  Other 
than these agreements, we have no material contracts, other than contracts entered into in the ordinary course of business, 
to which we or any member of the group is a party. We refer you to Item 5.B for a discussion of our loan facilities, Item 4.B 
and Item 7.B for a discussion of our agreements with our related parties and Item 6.B for a discussion of our 2015 Equity 
Incentive Plan.

D. EXCHANGE CONTROLS

Under Republic of the Marshall Islands law, there are currently no restrictions on the export or import of capital, 
including foreign exchange controls or restrictions that affect the remittance of dividends, interest or other payments to 
non-resident holders of our securities.

E. TAXATION

The following is a discussion of the material Marshall Islands and U.S. federal income tax considerations of the 
ownership and disposition by a U.S. Holder and a Non-U.S. Holder, each as defined below, of the common stock. This 
discussion does not purport to deal with the tax consequences of owning common stock to all categories of investors, 
some  of  which,  such  as  dealers  in  securities  or  commodities,  financial  institutions,  insurance  companies,  tax-exempt 
organizations, U.S. expatriates, persons liable for the alternative minimum tax, persons who hold common stock as part 
of a straddle, hedge, conversion transaction or integrated investment, U.S. Holders whose functional currency is not the 
United States dollar, persons required to recognize income for U.S. federal income tax purposes no later than when such 
income is reported on an “applicable financial statement”, persons subject to the “base erosion and anti-avoidance” tax and 
investors that own, actually or under applicable constructive ownership rules, 10% or more of the Company’s common 
stock, may be subject to special rules. This discussion deals only with holders who hold the common stock as a capital 
asset. You are encouraged to consult your own tax advisors concerning the overall tax consequences arising in your own 
particular situation under U.S. federal, state, local or foreign law of the ownership of common stock.

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MARSHALL ISLANDS TAX CONSIDERATIONS

In  the  opinion  of  Seward  &  Kissel  LLP,  the  following  are  the  material  Marshall  Islands  tax  consequences  of  the 
Company’s activities to the Company and of the ownership of the Company’s common stock to its shareholders. The Company 
is incorporated in the Marshall Islands. Under current Marshall Islands law, the Company is not subject to tax on income or 
capital gains, and no Marshall Islands withholding tax will be imposed upon payments of dividends by the Company to its 
shareholders.

UNITED STATES FEDERAL INCOME TAX CONSIDERATIONS

In the opinion of Seward & Kissel LLP, the Company’s U.S. counsel, the following are the material U.S. federal 
income tax consequences to the Company of its activities and to U.S. Holders and Non-U.S Holders, each as defined 
below, of the common stock. The following discussion of U.S. federal income tax matters is based on the U.S. Internal 
Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, or the Code, judicial decisions, administrative pronouncements, and existing and 
proposed regulations issued by the U.S. Department of the Treasury, all of which are subject to change, possibly with 
retroactive effect.

TAXATION OF OPERATING INCOME: IN GENERAL

The following discussion addresses the U.S. federal income taxation of our operating income if we are engaged 

in the international operation of vessels.

Unless  exempt  from  U.S.  federal  income  taxation  under  the  rules  discussed  below,  a  foreign  corporation  is 
subject to U.S. federal income taxation in respect of any income that is derived from the use of vessels, from the hiring 
or leasing of vessels for use on a time, voyage or bareboat charter basis, from the participation in a pool, partnership, 
strategic alliance, joint operating agreement, code sharing arrangements or other joint venture it directly or indirectly 
owns or participates in that generates such income, or from the performance of services directly related to those uses, 
which we refer to as “shipping income,” to the extent that the shipping income is derived from sources within the United 
States. For these purposes, 50% of shipping income that is attributable to transportation that begins or ends, but that 
does not both begin and end, in the United States constitutes income from sources within the United States, which we 
refer to as “U.S.-source shipping income.”

Shipping income attributable to transportation that both begins and ends in the United States is considered to be 
100% from sources within the United States. We are not permitted by law to engage in transportation that produces income 
which is considered to be 100% from sources within the United States. Shipping income attributable to transportation 
exclusively  between  non-U.S.  ports  will  be  considered  to  be  100%  derived  from  sources  outside  the  United  States. 
Shipping income derived from sources outside the United States will not be subject to any U.S. federal income tax.

Exemption of Operating Income from U.S. Federal Income Taxation

Under  Section  883  of  the  Code,  or  Section  883,  we  will  be  exempt  from  U.S.  federal  income  taxation  on  our  

U.S.-source shipping income if:

•  we are organized in a foreign country that grants an “equivalent exemption” to corporations organized in the United  

States, or U.S. corporations; and
either:

•  more  than  50%  of  the  value  of  our  common  stock  is  owned,  directly  or  indirectly,  by  qualified  shareholders,  which  

we refer to as the “50% Ownership Test,” or

•  our common stock is “primarily and regularly traded on an established securities market” in a country that grants an 
“equivalent exemption” to U.S. corporations or in the United States, which we refer to as the “Publicly-Traded Test.”

The Marshall Islands, the jurisdiction where we are incorporated, grant an “equivalent exemption” to U.S. corporations. 
We  anticipate  that  any  of  our  shipowning  subsidiaries  will  be  incorporated  in  a  jurisdiction  that  provides  an  “equivalent 
exemption”  to  U.S.  corporations.  Therefore,  we  will  be  exempt  from  U.S.  federal  income  taxation  with  respect  to  our  
U.S.-source shipping income if either the 50% Ownership Test or the Publicly-Traded Test is met.

We do not currently anticipate a circumstance under which we would be able to satisfy the 50% Ownership Test. Our 

ability to satisfy the Publicly-Traded Test is discussed below.

Publicly-Traded Test

In order to satisfy the Publicly-Traded Test, our common stock must be primarily and regularly traded on one or 
more established securities markets. The regulations under Section 883 provide, in pertinent part, that shares of a foreign 
corporation will be considered to be “primarily traded” on an established securities market in a country if the number of 
shares of each class of shares that are traded during any taxable year on all established securities markets in that country 
exceeds the number of shares in each such class that are traded during that year on established securities markets in any 
other single country. Our common shares are “primarily traded” on the Nasdaq Global Select Market.

Under the regulations, stock of a foreign corporation will be considered to be “regularly traded” on an established 
securities  market  if  one  or  more  classes  of  stock  representing  more  than  50%  of  the  outstanding  stock,  by  both  total 
combined voting power of all classes of shares entitled to vote and total value, are listed on such market, to which we refer 
as the “listing threshold.” Since our common shares are listed on the Nasdaq Global Select Market, we expect to satisfy 
the listing threshold.

It is further required that with respect to each class of stock relied upon to meet the listing threshold, (i) such class 
of shares is traded on the market, other than in minimal quantities, on at least 60 days during the taxable year or one-sixth 
of the days in a short taxable year, which we refer to as the trading frequency test; and (ii) the aggregate number of stock of 
such class of shares traded on such market during the taxable year is at least 10% of the average number of shares of such 
class of stock outstanding during such year or as appropriately adjusted in the case of a short taxable year, which we refer 
to as the trading volume test. Even if these tests are not satisfied, the regulations provide that such trading frequency and 
trading volume tests will be deemed satisfied if, as is expected to be the case with our common shares, such class of stock 
is traded on an established securities market in the United States and such shares are regularly quoted by dealers making a 
market in such shares, such as being traded and quoted on the Nasdaq Global Select Market.

Notwithstanding the foregoing, the regulations provide, in pertinent part, that a class of shares will not be considered 
to be “regularly traded” on an established securities market for any taxable year in which 50% or more of the vote and 
value of the outstanding shares of such class are owned, actually or constructively under specified share attribution rules, 
on more than half the days during the taxable year by persons who each own 5% or more of the vote and value of such class 
of stock, to which we refer as the “Five Percent Override Rule.”

For purposes of being able to determine the persons who actually or constructively own 5% or more of the vote and 
value of our common stock, or “5% Shareholders,” the regulations permit us to rely on those persons that are identified 
on Schedule 13G and Schedule 13D filings with the SEC, as owning 5% or more of our common stock. The regulations 
further provide that an investment company which is registered under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended, 
will not be treated as a 5% Shareholder for such purposes.

In the event the Five Percent Override Rule is triggered, the regulations provide that the Five Percent Override 
Rule will nevertheless not apply if we can establish that within the group of 5% Shareholders, there are sufficient qualified 
shareholders for purposes of Section 883 to preclude non-qualified shareholders in such group from owning 50% or more 
of our common stock for more than half the number of days during the taxable year.

Based on Schedules 13D and 13G filings, during the 2020 taxable year, less than 50% of the Company’s common 
stock was owned by 5% Shareholders. Therefore, the Company believes that it is not subject to the 5% Override Rule and 
thus has satisfied the Publicly Traded Test for the 2020 taxable year. However, there can be no assurance that the Company 
will continue to satisfy the Publicly Traded Test in future taxable years. For example, the Company could be subject to the 
5% Override Rule if another 5% Shareholder in combination with the Company’s existing 5% Shareholders were to own 
50% or more of the Company’s common stock. In such a case, the Company would be subject to the 5% Override Rule 
unless it could establish that, among the shares of the common stock owned by the 5% Shareholders, sufficient shares are 
owned by qualified shareholders, for purposes of Section 883 of the Code, to preclude non-qualified shareholders from 
owning 50% or more of the Company’s common stock for more than half the number of days during the taxable year. The 
requirements of establishing this exception to the 5% Override Rule are onerous and there is no assurance the Company 
will be able to satisfy them.

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Based on the foregoing, the Company believes that it satisfied the Publicly Traded Test and therefore believes that it 
was exempt from U.S. federal income tax under Section 883 of the Code, during the 2020 taxable year, and intends to take 
this position on its 2020 U.S. federal income tax returns.

Taxation in Absence of Exemption

To the extent the benefits of Section 883 are unavailable, our U.S.-source shipping income, to the extent not considered 
to be “effectively connected” with the conduct of a U.S. trade or business, as described below, would be subject to a 4% tax 
imposed by Section 887 of the Code on a gross basis, without the benefit of deductions, which we refer to as the 4% gross basis 
tax regime. Since under the sourcing rules described above, no more than 50% of our shipping income would be treated as 
being derived from U.S. sources, the maximum effective rate of U.S. federal income tax on our shipping income would never 
exceed 2% under the 4% gross basis tax regime.

To the extent our U.S.-source shipping income is considered to be “effectively connected” with the conduct of a U.S. trade 
or business, as described below, any such “effectively connected” U.S.-source shipping income, net of applicable deductions, 
would be subject to the U.S. federal corporate income tax currently imposed at a rate of 21%. By statutory exclusion, the 
benefits of the section 883 exemption are not available to income that is “effectively connected” with the conduct of a U.S. 
trade or business. In addition, we may be subject to an additional 30% “branch profits” tax on earnings effectively connected 
with the conduct of such trade or business, as determined after allowance for certain adjustments, and on certain interest paid 
or deemed paid attributable to the conduct of such U.S. trade or business.

Our U.S.-source shipping income would be considered “effectively connected” with the conduct of a U.S. trade or 

business only if:

•  we have, or are considered to have, a fixed place of business in the United States involved in the earning of shipping income; 

and

•  substantially all of our U.S.-source shipping income is attributable to regularly scheduled transportation, such as the operation 
of a vessel that follows a published schedule with repeated sailings at regular intervals between the same points for voyages 
that begin or end in the United States (or, in the case of income from the bareboat chartering of a vessel, is attributable to a 
fixed place of business in the United States).

We do not anticipate that we will have any vessel operating to or from the United States on a regularly scheduled basis. 
Based on the foregoing and on the expected mode of our shipping operations and other activities, we do not anticipate that any 
of our U.S.-source shipping income will be “effectively connected” with the conduct of a U.S. trade or business.

United States Federal Income Taxation of Gain on Sale of Vessels

Regardless of whether we qualify for exemption under Section 883 of the Code, we will not be subject to U.S. federal 
income taxation with respect to gain realized on a sale of a vessel, provided the sale is considered to occur outside of the United 
States under U.S. federal income tax principles. In general, a sale of a vessel will be considered to occur outside of the United 
States for this purpose if title to the vessel, and risk of loss with respect to the vessel, pass to the buyer outside of the United 
States. It is expected that any sale of a vessel by us will be considered to occur outside of the United States.

United States Federal Income Taxation of U.S. Holders

As used herein, the term “U.S. Holder” means a beneficial owner of common stock that is an individual U.S. citizen 
or resident, a U.S. corporation or other U.S. entity taxable as a corporation, an estate the income of which is subject to U.S. 
federal  income  taxation  regardless  of  its  source,  or  a  trust  if  a  court  within  the  United  States  is  able  to  exercise  primary 
jurisdiction over the administration of the trust and one or more U.S. persons have the authority to control all substantial 
decisions of the trust.

If a partnership holds the common stock, the tax treatment of a partner will generally depend upon the status of the 
partner and upon the activities of the partnership. If you are a partner in a partnership holding the common stock, you are 
encouraged to consult your tax advisor.

Distributions

Subject  to  the  discussion  of  the  passive  foreign  investment  company,  or  PFIC,  rules  below,  distributions  made  by 
us with respect to our common stock, other than certain pro-rata distributions of our common stock, to a U.S. Holder will 
generally constitute dividends, which may be taxable as ordinary income or “qualified dividend income” as described in more 
detail below, to the extent of our current and accumulated earnings and profits, as determined under U.S. federal income tax 
principles. Distributions in excess of our current and accumulated earnings and profits will be treated first as a nontaxable 
return of capital to the extent of the U.S. Holder’s tax basis in his common stock on a dollar-for-dollar basis and thereafter 
as a capital gain. Because we are not a United States corporation, U.S. Holders that are corporations will not be entitled to 
claim a dividends-received deduction with respect to any distributions they receive from us. Dividends paid with respect to 
our common stock will generally be treated as income from sources outside the United States and will generally constitute 
“passive  category  income”  or,  in  the  case  of  certain  types  of  U.S.  Holders,  “general  category  income”  for  purposes  of 
computing allowable foreign tax credits for U.S. foreign tax credit purposes.

Dividends paid on our common stock to a U.S. Holder who is an individual, trust or estate, which we refer to as a U.S. 
Individual Holder, will generally be treated as “qualified dividend income” that is taxable to such U.S. Individual Holders at 
preferential tax rates, provided that (1) the common stock is readily tradable on an established securities market in the United 
States such as the Nasdaq Global Select Market, on which our common stock is traded; (2) we are not a PFIC for the taxable 
year during which the dividend is paid or the immediately preceding taxable year, as discussed below; (3) the U.S. Individual 
Holder has held the common stock for more than 60 days in the 121-day period beginning 60 days before the date on which 
the  common  stock  becomes  ex-dividend;  and  (4)  the  U.S.  Individual  Holder  is  not  under  an  obligation  to  make  related 
payments with respect to positions in substantially similar or related property.

There is no assurance that any dividends paid on our common stock will be eligible for these preferential rates in 
the hands of a U.S. Individual Holder. Any distributions out of earnings and profits we pay which are not eligible for these 
preferential rates will be taxed as ordinary income to a U.S. Individual Holder.

Special rules may apply to any “extraordinary dividend,” generally, a dividend paid by us in an amount which is equal 
to or in excess of ten percent of a U.S. Holder’s adjusted tax basis, or fair market value in certain circumstances, in a share of 
our common stock. If we pay an “extraordinary dividend” on our common stock that is treated as “qualified dividend income,” 
then any loss derived by a U.S. Individual Holder from the sale or exchange of such common stock will be treated as long-
term capital loss to the extent of such dividend.

Sale, Exchange or other Disposition of Common Stock

Subject to the discussion of the PFIC rules below, a U.S. Holder generally will recognize taxable gain or loss upon a 
sale, exchange or other disposition of our common stock in an amount equal to the difference between the amount realized by 
the U.S. Holder from such sale, exchange or other disposition and the U.S. Holder’s tax basis in such stock. A U.S. Holder’s 
tax basis in the common stock generally will equal the U.S. Holder’s acquisition cost less any prior return of capital. Such 
gain or loss will be treated as long-term capital gain or loss if the U.S. Holder’s holding period is greater than one year at the 
time of the sale, exchange or other disposition and will generally be treated as U.S.-source income or loss, as applicable, for 
U.S. foreign tax credit purposes. A U.S. Holder’s ability to deduct capital losses is subject to certain limitations.

PFIC Status and Significant Tax Consequences

Special U.S. federal income tax rules apply to a U.S. Holder that holds stock in a foreign corporation classified as a 
PFIC for U.S. federal income tax purposes. In general, we will be treated as a PFIC with respect to a U.S. Holder if, for any 
taxable year in which such U.S. Holder held our common stock, either:

•  at least 75% of our gross income for such taxable year consists of passive income (e.g., dividends, interest, capital gains and 

rents derived other than in the active conduct of a rental business), which we refer to as the income test; or

•  at least 50% of the average value of our assets during such taxable year produce, or are held for the production of, passive 

income, which we refer to as the asset test.

For purposes of determining whether we are a PFIC, cash will be treated as an asset which is held for the production 
of passive income. In addition, we will be treated as earning and owning our proportionate share of the income and assets, 
respectively, of any of our subsidiary corporations in which we own at least 25% of the value of the subsidiary’s stock. 

95

Income  earned,  or  deemed  earned,  by  us  in  connection  with  the  performance  of  services  would  not  constitute  passive 
income. By contrast, rental income would generally constitute “passive income” unless we were treated under specific 
rules as deriving our rental income in the active conduct of a trade or business.

Our status as a PFIC will depend upon the operations of our vessels. Therefore, we can give no assurances as to 
whether we will be a PFIC with respect to any taxable year. In making the determination as to whether we are a PFIC, we 
intend to treat the gross income we derive or are deemed to derive from the time chartering and voyage chartering activities 
of  us  or  any  of  our  wholly-owned  subsidiaries  as  services  income,  rather  than  rental  income.  Correspondingly,  in  the 
opinion of Seward & Kissel LLP, such income should not constitute passive income, and the assets that we or our wholly-
owned  subsidiaries  own  and  operate  in  connection  with  the  production  of  such  income,  should  not  constitute  passive 
assets for purposes of determining whether we are a PFIC. There is substantial legal authority supporting this position 
consisting of case law and IRS pronouncements concerning the characterization of income derived from time charters 
and voyage charters as services income for other tax purposes. However, there is also authority which characterizes time 
charter income as rental income rather than services income for other tax purposes. In the absence of any legal authority 
specifically relating to the statutory provisions governing PFICs, the IRS or a court could disagree with the opinion of 
Seward & Kissel LLP. On the other hand, any income we derive from bareboat chartering activities will likely be treated 
as passive income for purposes of the income test. Likewise, any assets utilized in bareboat chartering activities will likely 
be treated as generating passive income for purposes of the asset test.

As discussed more fully below, if we were to be treated as a PFIC for any taxable year, a U.S. Holder would be 
subject  to  different  taxation  rules  depending  on  whether  the  U.S.  Holder  makes  an  election  to  treat  us  as  a  “Qualified 
Electing Fund,” which election we refer to as a “QEF election,” or a “mark-to-market” election with respect to the common 
stock. In addition, if we are a PFIC, a U.S. Holder will be required to file with respect to taxable years ending on or after 
December 31, 2013, IRS Form 8621 with the IRS.

Taxation of U.S. Holders Making a Timely QEF Election.

If a U.S. Holder makes a timely QEF election, which U.S. Holder we refer to as an “Electing Holder,” the Electing 
Holder must report each year for U.S. federal income tax purposes his pro rata share of our ordinary earnings and our net 
capital gain, if any, for our taxable year that ends with or within the taxable year of the Electing Holder, regardless of whether 
or not distributions were received from us by the Electing Holder. The Electing Holder’s adjusted tax basis in the common 
stock will be increased to reflect taxed but undistributed earnings and profits. Distributions of earnings and profits that had 
been previously taxed will result in a corresponding reduction in the adjusted tax basis in the common stock and will not be 
taxed again once distributed. An Electing Holder would generally recognize capital gain or loss on the sale, exchange or other 
disposition of our common stock. A U.S. Holder would make a QEF election with respect to any year that we are a PFIC by 
filing IRS Form 8621 with his U.S. federal income tax return. After the end of each taxable year, we will determine whether 
we were a PFIC for such taxable year. If we determine or otherwise become aware that we are a PFIC for any taxable year, 
we will provide each U.S. Holder with all necessary information, including a PFIC Annual Information Statement, in order to 
allow such holder to make a QEF election for such taxable year.

Taxation of U.S. Holders Making a “Mark-to-Market” Election.

Alternatively, if we were to be treated as a PFIC for any taxable year and, as we anticipate will continue to be the 
case, our shares are treated as “marketable stock,” a U.S. Holder would be allowed to make a “mark-to-market” election with 
respect to our common stock, provided the U.S. Holder completes and files IRS Form 8621 in accordance with the relevant 
instructions and related Treasury regulations. If that election is made, the U.S. Holder generally would include as ordinary 
income in each taxable year the excess, if any, of the fair market value of the common stock at the end of the taxable year over 
such holder’s adjusted tax basis in the common stock. The U.S. Holder would also be permitted an ordinary loss in respect of 
the excess, if any, of the U.S. Holder’s adjusted tax basis in the common stock over their fair market value at the end of the 
taxable year, but only to the extent of the net amount previously included in income as a result of the mark-to-market election. 
A U.S. Holder’s tax basis in his common stock would be adjusted to reflect any such income or loss amount. Gain realized on 
the sale, exchange or other disposition of our common stock would be treated as ordinary income, and any loss realized on the 
sale, exchange or other disposition of the common stock would be treated as ordinary loss to the extent that such loss does not 
exceed the net mark-to-market gains previously included by the U.S. Holder.

Taxation of U.S. Holders Not Making a Timely QEF or Mark-to-Market Election.

Finally, if we were to be treated as a PFIC for any taxable year, a U.S. Holder who has not timely made a QEF or mark-
to-market election for the first taxable year in which it holds our common stock and during which we are treated as PFIC, 
whom we refer to as a “Non-Electing Holder,” would be subject to special rules with respect to (1) any excess distribution 
(i.e., the portion of any distributions received by the Non-Electing Holder on our common stock in a taxable year in excess 
of 125% of the average annual distributions received by the Non-Electing Holder in the three preceding taxable years, or, if 
shorter, the Non-Electing Holder’s holding period for the common stock), and (2) any gain realized on the sale, exchange or 
other disposition of our common stock. Under these special rules:

•  the excess distribution or gain would be allocated ratably to each day over the Non-Electing Holders’ aggregate holding 

period for the common stock;

•  the amount allocated to the current taxable year and any taxable year before we became a PFIC would be taxed as ordinary 

income; and

•  the amount allocated to each of the other taxable years would be subject to tax at the highest rate of tax in effect for the 
applicable class of taxpayer for that year, and an interest charge for the deemed tax deferral benefit would be imposed with 
respect to the resulting tax attributable to each such other taxable year.

These adverse tax consequences would not apply to a pension or profit sharing trust or other tax-exempt organization 
that did not borrow funds or otherwise utilize leverage in connection with its acquisition of our common stock. In addition, if 
a Non-Electing Holder who is an individual dies while owning our common stock, such holder’s successor generally would 
not receive a step-up in tax basis with respect to such common stock.

U.S. Federal Income Taxation of Non-U.S. Holders

A beneficial owner of our common stock, other than a partnership or entity treated as a partnership for U.S. Federal 

income tax purposes, that is not a U.S. Holder is referred to herein as a Non-U.S. Holder.

Non-U.S. Holders generally will not be subject to U.S. federal income tax or withholding tax on dividends received 
from us with respect to our common stock, unless that income is effectively connected with the Non-U.S. Holder’s conduct of 
a trade or business in the United States. In general, if the Non-U.S. Holder is entitled to the benefits of certain U.S. income tax 
treaties with respect to those dividends, that income is taxable only if it is attributable to a permanent establishment maintained 
by the Non-U.S. Holder in the United States.

Non-U.S. Holders generally will not be subject to U.S. federal income tax or withholding tax on any gain realized upon 

the sale, exchange or other disposition of our common stock, unless:

•  the gain is effectively connected with the Non-U.S. Holder’s conduct of a trade or business in the United States. In general, if 
the Non-U.S. Holder is entitled to the benefits of certain income tax treaties with respect to that gain, that gain is taxable only 
if it is attributable to a permanent establishment maintained by the Non-U.S. Holder in the United States; or

•   the Non-U.S. Holder is an individual who is present in the United States for 183 days or more during the taxable year of 

disposition and other conditions are met.

If the Non-U.S. Holder is engaged in a U.S. trade or business for U.S. federal income tax purposes, the income from the 
common stock, including dividends and the gain from the sale, exchange or other disposition of the stock, that is effectively 
connected with the conduct of that trade or business will generally be subject to regular U.S. federal income tax in the same 
manner as discussed in the previous section relating to the taxation of U.S. Holders. In addition, if you are a corporate Non-
U.S. Holder, your earnings and profits that are attributable to the effectively connected income, which are subject to certain 
adjustments, may be subject to an additional branch profits tax at a rate of 30%, or at a lower rate as may be specified by an 
applicable U.S. income tax treaty.

97

Backup Withholding and Information Reporting

In general, dividend payments, or other taxable distributions, made within the United States to you will be subject to 
information reporting requirements. Such payments will also be subject to backup withholding tax if you are a non-corporate 
U.S. Holder and you:

•   fail to provide an accurate taxpayer identification number;
•  are notified by the IRS that you have failed to report all interest or dividends required to be shown on your U.S. federal 

income tax returns; or

•   in certain circumstances, fail to comply with applicable certification requirements.

Non-U.S. Holders may be required to establish their exemption from information reporting and backup withholding 

by certifying their status on an applicable IRS Form W-8.

If you sell your common stock through a U.S. office of a broker, the payment of the proceeds is subject to both U.S. 
backup withholding and information reporting unless you certify that you are a non-U.S. person, under penalties of perjury, 
or you otherwise establish an exemption. If you sell your common stock through a non-U.S. office of a non-U.S. broker and 
the sales proceeds are paid to you outside the United States then information reporting and backup withholding generally 
will not apply to that payment. However, U.S. information reporting requirements, but not backup withholding, will apply 
to a payment of sales proceeds, even if that payment is made to you outside the United States, if you sell your common 
stock through a non-U.S. office of a broker that is a U.S. person or has certain other contacts with the United States, unless 
you certify that you are a non-U.S. person, under penalty of perjury, or you otherwise establish an exemption.

Backup withholding is not an additional tax. Rather, you generally may obtain a refund of any amounts withheld 
under the backup withholding rules that exceed your U.S. federal income tax liability by timely filing a refund claim with 
the IRS.

U.S.  Holders  who  are  individuals  (and  to  the  extent  specified  in  applicable  Treasury  Regulations,  certain  U.S. 
entities) who hold “specified foreign financial assets” (as defined in Section 6038D of the Code) are required to file IRS 
Form 8938 with information relating to the asset for each taxable year in which the aggregate value of all such assets 
exceeds $75,000 at any time during the taxable year or $50,000 on the last day of the taxable year (or such higher dollar 
amount as prescribed by applicable Treasury Regulations).  Specified foreign financial assets would include, among other 
assets, our common stock, unless the common stock is held through an account maintained with a U.S. financial institution. 
Substantial penalties apply to any failure to timely file IRS Form 8938, unless the failure is shown to be due to reasonable 
cause  and  not  due  to  willful  neglect. Additionally,  in  the  event  a  U.S.  Holder  who  is  an  individual  (and  to  the  extent 
specified in applicable Treasury regulations, a U.S. entity) that is required to file IRS Form 8938 does not file such form, 
the statute of limitations on the assessment and collection of U.S. federal income taxes of such holder for the related tax 
year may not close until three years after the date that the required information is filed.

F. DIVIDENDS AND PAYING AGENTS Not Applicable.

G.STATEMENT BY EXPERTS Not Applicable.

H.  DOCUMENTS ON DISPLAY

We file reports and other information with the SEC. These materials, including this annual report and the accompanying 

exhibits, are available from the SEC’s website http://www.sec.gov.

I. SUBSIDIARY INFORMATION Not Applicable.

ITEM 11.  QUANTITATIVE AND QUALITATIVE DISCLOSURES ABOUT 

MARKET RISK

INTEREST RATES

We are exposed to market risks associated with changes in interest rates relating to our loan facility, according to 
which we pay interest at LIBOR plus a margin; and as such, increases in interest rates could affect our results of operations. 
An average increase of 1% in 2020 interest rates would have resulted in interest expenses of $2.2 million, instead of $1.7 
million, an increase of about 29%.

As  of  December  31,  2020,  we  had  $58.1  million  of  debt  outstanding.  In  the  future,  we  expect  to  manage  any 
exposure in interest rates through our regular operating and financing activities and, when deemed appropriate, through 
the use of derivative financial instruments. Global financial markets and economic conditions have been, and continue to 
be, volatile. Specifically, due to the COVID-19 outbreak, credit markets and the debt and equity capital markets have been 
distressed, and the uncertainty surrounding the future of the global credit markets has resulted in reduced access to credit 
worldwide, particularly for the shipping industry. These issues, along with significant write-offs in the financial services 
sector, the repricing of credit risk and the current weak economic conditions, have made, and will likely continue to make, 
it difficult to obtain additional financing.

As of December 31, 2020, 2019 and 2018 and as of the date of this annual report, we did not and have not designated 

any financial instruments as accounting hedging instruments.

CURRENCY AND EXCHANGE RATES

We  generate  all  of  our  revenues  in  U.S.  dollars,  but  currently  incur  a  significant  portion  of  our  general  and 
administrative expenses (around 45% in 2020 and 41% in 2019) and have historically incurred a significant portion of our 
operating expenses (around 8% in 2020 and 35% in 2019) in currencies other than the U.S. dollar, primarily the Euro. For 
accounting purposes, expenses incurred in Euros are converted into U.S. dollars at the exchange rate prevailing on the date 
of each transaction. The amount and frequency of some of these expenses, such as vessel repairs, supplies and stores, may 
fluctuate from period to period.  Since approximately 2002, the U.S. dollar has depreciated against the Euro. Depreciation 
in the value of the dollar relative to other currencies increases the dollar cost to us of paying such expenses. The portion of 
our expenses incurred in other currencies could increase in the future, which could expand our exposure to losses arising 
from currency fluctuations.

While  we  have  not  mitigated  the  risk  associated  with  exchange  rate  fluctuations  through  the  use  of  financial 
derivatives, we may determine to employ such instruments from time to time in the future in order to minimize this risk. 
Our  use  of  financial  derivatives  would  involve  certain  risks,  including  the  risk  that  losses  on  a  hedged  position  could 
exceed the nominal amount invested in the instrument and the risk that the counterparty to the derivative transaction may 
be unable or unwilling to satisfy its contractual obligations, which could have an adverse effect on our results. Currently, 
we do not consider the risk from exchange rate fluctuations to be material for our results of operations and therefore, we 
are not engaged in derivative instruments to hedge part of those expenses.

Item 12.  DESCRIPTION OF SECURITIES OTHER THAN EQUITY SECURITIES 

Not Applicable.

99

PART II

Item 13. DEFAULTS, DIVIDEND ARREARAGES AND DELINQUENCIES None.

Item 14.  MATERIAL MODIFICATIONS TO THE RIGHTS OF SECURITY 

HOLDERS AND USE OF PROCEEDS

Pursuant to the Stockholders Rights Agreement dated August 29, 2016, as amended in June 2019, each share of our 
common stock includes one preferred stock purchase right that entitles the holder to purchase from us a unit consisting of 
one-thousandth of a share of our Series A Participating Preferred Stock if any third-party acquires beneficial ownership 
of 15% or more of our common stock without the approval of our board of directors. See “Item 10.B—Memorandum and 
Articles of Association—Amended and Restated Stockholders Rights Agreement.”

Item 15. CONTROLS AND PROCEDURES

A) DISCLOSURE CONTROLS AND PROCEDURES

Management, including our Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer, has conducted an evaluation of the 
effectiveness of our disclosure controls and procedures, as defined in Rules 13a-15(e) and 15d-15(e) under the Exchange Act, 
as of the end of the period covered by this report. Based upon that evaluation, our Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial 
Officer have concluded that our disclosure controls and procedures are effective to ensure that information required to be 
disclosed by us in the reports that we file or submit to the SEC under the Exchange Act is recorded, processed, summarized 
and reported within the time periods specified in SEC rules and forms.

B)  MANAGEMENT’S  ANNUAL  REPORT  ON  INTERNAL  CONTROL  OVER  FINANCIAL 

REPORTING

Management is responsible for establishing and maintaining adequate internal control over financial reporting, as such 
term is defined in Rule 13a-15(f) of the Exchange Act. Our internal control over financial reporting is a process designed under 
the supervision of our Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer to provide reasonable assurance regarding the 
reliability of financial reporting and the preparation of our financial statements for external reporting purposes in accordance 
with U.S. GAAP.

Management has conducted an assessment of the effectiveness of our internal control over financial reporting based on 
the framework established in Internal Control – Integrated Framework issued by the Committee of Sponsoring Organizations 
of the Treadway Commission (2013 Framework). Based on this assessment, management has determined that our internal 
control over financial reporting as of December 31, 2019, is effective.

C)  ATTESTATION REPORT OF INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM  

Not applicable.

D) CHANGES IN INTERNAL CONTROL OVER FINANCIAL REPORTING None.

INHERENT LIMITATIONS ON EFFECTIVENESS OF CONTROLS

Our management, including our Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer, does not expect that our disclosure 
controls or our internal control over financial reporting will prevent or detect all error and all fraud. A control system, no matter 
how well designed and operated, can provide only reasonable, not absolute, assurance that the control system’s objectives 
will be met. Further, because of the inherent limitations in all control systems, no evaluation of controls can provide absolute 
assurance  that  misstatements  due  to  error  or  fraud  will  not  occur  or  that  all  control  issues  and  instances  of  fraud,  if  any, 
within the Company have been detected. These inherent limitations include the realities that judgments in decision-making 
can be faulty and that breakdowns can occur because of simple errors or mistakes. Controls can also be circumvented by the 

individual acts of some persons, by collusion of two or more people, or by management override of the controls. The design 
of any system of controls is based in part on certain assumptions about the likelihood of future events, and there can be no 
assurance that any design will succeed in achieving its stated goals under all potential future conditions. Projections of any 
evaluation of controls effectiveness to future periods are subject to risks. Over time, controls may become inadequate because 
of changes in conditions or deterioration in the degree of compliance with policies or procedures.

Item 16. [RESERVED]

Item 16A. AUDIT COMMITTEE FINANCIAL EXPERT

Mr. John Evangelou serves as the Chairman of our Audit Committee. Our board of directors has determined that Mr. 

Evangelou qualifies as an “audit committee financial expert” and is “independent” according to SEC rules.

Item 16B. CODE OF ETHICS

We have adopted a code of ethics that applies to officers, directors, employees and agents. Our code of ethics is posted 
on our website, http://www.pshipping.com, under “How We Care—Code of Business Conduct and Ethics.”  Copies of our 
Code of Ethics are available in print, free of charge, upon request to Performance Shipping Inc., 373 Syngrou Avenue, 175 64 
Palaio Faliro, Athens, Greece. We intend to satisfy any disclosure requirements regarding any amendment to, or waiver from, 
a provision of this Code of Ethics by posting such information on our website.

Item 16C. PRINCIPAL ACCOUNTANT FEES AND SERVICES

A) AUDIT FEES

Our principal accountants, Ernst and Young (Hellas), Certified Auditors Accountants S.A., have billed us for audit 

services.

In 2020 and 2019, audit fees amounted to Euro 68,250 or about $74,000,  and Euro 68,250 or about $77,000, respectively, 
and relate to audit services provided in connection with the audit and AS 4105 interim reviews of our consolidated financial 
statements.

B) AUDIT-RELATED FEES

In 2020, our principal accountants, Ernst and Young (Hellas), Certified Auditors Accountants S.A., have also billed us 

for audit services provided for the Company’s registration statements, which amounted to Euro 7,500 or about $8,000.

C) TAX FEES

During 2020, we received tax services for which fees amounted to $36,000, and relate to the calculation of Earnings 

and Profits of the Company.No tax fees were incurred in 2019.

101

D) ALL OTHER FEES None.

E) AUDIT COMMITTEE’S PRE-APPROVAL POLICIES AND PROCEDURES

Our Audit Committee is responsible for the appointment, replacement, compensation, evaluation and oversight of the 
work of our independent auditors. As part of this responsibility, the Audit Committee pre-approves all audit and non-audit 
services performed by the independent auditors in order to assure that they do not impair the auditor’s independence from the 
Company. The Audit Committee has adopted a policy which sets forth the procedures and the conditions pursuant to which 
services proposed to be performed by the independent auditors may be pre-approved.

F)  AUDIT WORK PERFORMED BY OTHER THAN PRINCIPAL ACCOUNTANT IF GREATER 

THAN 50% Not applicable.

Item 16D.  EXEMPTIONS FROM THE LISTING STANDARDS FOR AUDIT 

COMMITTEES Not applicable.

Item 16E.  PURCHASES OF EQUITY SECURITIES BY THE ISSUER AND 

AFFILIATED PURCHASERS

Period

Total Number of Shares 
Purchased

Average Price Paid 
per Share

January 2020 (1)

4,670 Common Shares

February 2020 (1)

40,606 Common Shares

March 2020 (2)

April 2020 (3)

100 Series C Preferred 
Shares

400 Series B-2  
Preferred Shares

May 2020 (1)

26,582 Common Shares

June 2020 (1)

9,927 Common Shares

$8.198

$8.034

$15,000

$1,000

$6.894

$6.929

Total Number  
of Shares Purchased 
as Part of Publicly 
Announced Programs

Maximum Number  
of Shares that May 
Yet Be Purchased 
Under the Programs

4,670 Common Shares

$5.96 million

45,276 Common Shares

$5.66 million

N/A

N/A

N/A

N/A

71,858 Common Shares

$5.45 million

81,785 Common Shares

$5.38 million

Total

81,785  
Common Shares

$7.539  
per Common Shares

81,785  
Common Shares

100  
Series C Preferred 
Shares

$15,000  
per Series C Preferred 
Shares

400  
Series B-2 Preferred 
Shares

$1,000  
per Series B-2 
Preferred Shares

100  
Series C Preferred Shares

400  
Series B-2 Preferred 
Shares

(1)  On January 14, 2020, we announced that our board of directors authorized a share repurchase program to purchase up 

to an aggregate of $6.0 million of our common shares. The timing and amount of the repurchases are determined by our 
management team and depend on market conditions, capital allocation alternatives, applicable securities laws, and other 
factors. Our board of directors’ authorization of the repurchase program expired on December 21, 2020. We canceled the 
common shares repurchased as part of this program. The share and per share data presented in the table above are on an 
as-adjusted basis, giving retroactive effect to the reverse stock split of November 2, 2020.

(2)  On March 23, 2020, the disinterested members of our board of directors approved the repurchase of all 100 shares of 

our Series C Preferred Stock outstanding, held by Diana Shipping since 2017, for a purchase price of $1.5 million. The 
disinterested members of our board of directors had previously received a fairness opinion from an independent third party 

that the transaction was fair from a financial point of view. On March 25, 2020, we agreed with DSI for the repurchase of 
the shares and on March 26, 2020, we paid the purchase price of $1.5 million and canceled all of the shares of our Series 
C Preferred Stock upon the conclusion of the transaction.

(3)  On April 6, 2020, our board of directors approved the repurchase of all 400 outstanding Series B-2 Preferred Shares, for a 
purchase price of $400,000. On April 7, 2020, we entered into an agreement with Kalani and repurchased and canceled all 
of our outstanding Series B-2 convertible preferred stock.

Item 16F.   CHANGE IN REGISTRANT’S CERTIFYING ACCOUNTANT 

Not applicable.

Item 16G. CORPORATE GOVERNANCE

We have certified to Nasdaq that our corporate governance practices are in compliance with, and are not prohibited by, the 
laws of the Republic of the Marshall Islands. Therefore, we are exempt from many of Nasdaq’s corporate governance practices 
other than the requirements regarding the disclosure of a going concern audit opinion, submission of a listing agreement, 
notification to Nasdaq of non-compliance with Nasdaq corporate governance practices, prohibition on disparate reduction or 
restriction of shareholder voting rights, and the establishment of an audit committee satisfying Nasdaq Listing Rule 5605(c)
(3) and ensuring that such audit committee’s members meet the independence requirement of Listing Rule 5605(c)(2)(A)(ii). 
The practices we follow in lieu of Nasdaq’s corporate governance rules applicable to U.S. domestic issuers are as follows:

•  As a foreign private issuer, we are not required to have an audit committee comprised of at least three members. Our audit 

committee is comprised of two members;

•  As a foreign private issuer, we are not required to adopt a formal written charter or board resolution addressing the nominations 
process. We do  not have a nominations committee, nor have we adopted a board resolution addressing the nominations 
process;

•  As  a  foreign  private  issuer,  we  are  not  required  to  hold  regularly  scheduled  board  meetings  at  which  only  independent 

directors are present;

•  In lieu of obtaining shareholder approval prior to the issuance of designated securities, we will comply with provisions of the 

Marshall Islands Business Corporations Act, which allows the board of directors to approve share issuances;

•  As  a  foreign  private  issuer,  we  are  not  required  to  solicit  proxies  or  provide  proxy  statements  to  Nasdaq  pursuant  to 
Nasdaq corporate governance rules or Marshall Islands law. Consistent with Marshall Islands law and as provided in our 
bylaws,  we  will  notify  our  shareholders  of  meetings  between  15  and  60  days  before  the  meeting. This  notification  will 
contain, among other things, information regarding business to be transacted at the meeting. In addition, our bylaws provide 
that shareholders must give us between 150 and 180 days advance notice to properly introduce any business at a meeting of 
shareholders.

Other than as noted above, we are in compliance with all other Nasdaq corporate governance standards applicable to 

U.S. domestic issuers.

Item 16H. MINE SAFETY DISCLOSURE Not applicable.

PART III

Item 17. FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

See Item 18.

Item 18. FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

The financial statements required by this Item 18 are filed as a part of this annual report beginning on page F-1

103

Item 19.EXHIBITS

(A) EXHIBITS

Exhibit 
Number Description
1.1
1.2
1.3
1.4
1.5
1.6
1.7
1.8
1.9
1.10
2.1

Amended and Restated Articles of Incorporation of the Company (1)
Articles of Amendment to the Amended and Restated Articles of Incorporation of the Company, dated June 8, 2016 (2)
Articles of Amendment to the Amended and Restated Articles of Incorporation of the Company, dated June 30, 2017 (3)
Articles of Amendment to the Amended and Restated Articles of Incorporation of the Company, dated July 26, 2017 (4)
Articles of Amendment to the Amended and Restated Articles of Incorporation of the Company, dated August 23, 2017 (5)
Articles of Amendment to the Amended and Restated Articles of Incorporation of the Company, dated September 22, 2017 (6)
Articles of Amendment to the Amended and Restated Articles of Incorporation of the Company, dated November 1, 2017 (7)
Articles of Amendment to the Amended and Restated Articles of Incorporation of the Company, dated February 25, 2019 (8)
Articles of Amendment to the Amended and Restated Articles of Incorporation of the Company, dated October 30, 2020 (10)
Amended and Restated Bylaws of the Company (9)
Form of Common Share Certificate (10)
Statement of Designations of Rights, Preferences and Privileges of Series A Participating Preferred Stock of Performance 
Shipping Inc., dated August 2, 2010 (11)
Description of Securities (18)
Registration Rights Agreement dated April 6, 2010 (12)
Amended and Restated Stockholders Rights Agreement, dated August 29, 2016 (13)
Amendment No. 1 to the First Amended and Restated Shareholders Rights Agreement dated June 11, 2019 (14)
Amended and Restated 2015 Equity Incentive Plan (15)
Administrative Services Agreement with UOT (16)
Form of Vessel Management Agreement with UOT (17)
Second Amendment and Restatement to Loan Agreement with Nordea Bank Abp, Filial i Norge, dated March 20, 2020 (19)
First Supplemental Agreement to Secured Loan Facility Agreement dated July 24, 2019 as amended and restated by a first 
amendment and restatement agreement dated December 23, 2019 and a second amendment and restatement agreement dated 
March 20, 2020.**
$31.5 Million Piraeus Loan Facility**
List of Subsidiaries**
Rule 13a-14(a)/15d-14(a) Certification of Chief Executive Officer**
Rule 13a-14(a)/15d-14(a) Certification of Chief Financial Officer**
Certification of Chief Executive Officer pursuant to 18 U.S.C. Section 1350, as adopted pursuant to Section 906 of the 
Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002**
Certification of Chief Financial Officer pursuant to 18 U.S.C. Section 1350, as adopted pursuant to Section 906 of the 
Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002**
Consent of independent registered public accounting firm**
Consent of Seward & Kissel LLP**
The following financial information from Performance Shipping Inc.'s Annual Report on Form 20-F for the fiscal year ended 
December 31, 2020, formatted in Extensible Business Reporting Language (XBRL): (1) Consolidated Balance Sheets as of 
December 31, 2020 and 2019; (2) Consolidated Statements of Operations for the years ended December 31, 2020, 2019 and 
2018; (3) Consolidated Statements of Comprehensive Income / (Loss) for the years ended December 31, 2020, 2019 and 2018; 
(4) Consolidated Statements of Stockholders' Equity for the years ended December 31, 2020, 2019 and 2018; (5) Consolidated 
Statements of Cash Flows for the years ended December 31, 2020, 2019 and 2018; and (6) Notes to Consolidated Financial 
Statements.

2.3

2.7
4.1
4.2
4.3
4.4
4.5
4.6
4.7

4.8

4.9
8.1
12.1
12.2

13.1

13.2

15.1
15.2

101

(1) Filed as Exhibit 3.1 to the Company’s Registration Statement on Form F-4 (File No. 333-169974) on October 15, 2010.
(2) Filed as Exhibit 3.3 to the Company’s report on Form 6-K, filed with the SEC on June 9, 2016.
(3) Filed as Exhibit 3.1 to the Company’s report on Form 6-K, filed with the SEC on July 6, 2017.
(4) Filed as Exhibit 3.1 to the Company’s report on Form 6-K, filed with the SEC on July 28, 2017.
(5) Filed as Exhibit 3.1 to the Company’s report on Form 6-K, filed with the SEC on August 28, 2017.
(6) Filed as Exhibit 3.1 to the Company’s report on Form 6-K, filed with the SEC on September 26, 2017.
(7) Filed as Exhibit 3.1 to the Company’s report on Form 6-K, filed with the SEC on November 3, 2017.
(8) Filed as Exhibit 1.8 to the Company’s Annual Report on Form 20-F on March 18, 2019.
(9) Filed as Exhibit 3.2 to the Company’s Registration Statement on Form F-4 (File No. 333-169974) on October 15, 2010.
(10) Filed as Exhibit 4.1 to the Company’s report on Form 6-K, filed with the SEC on November 2, 2020.
(11) Filed as Exhibit 4.4 to the Company’s Registration Statement on Form F-4 (File No. 333-169974) on October 15, 2010.
(12) Filed as Exhibit 4.2 to the Company’s Registration Statement on Form F-4 (File No. 333-169974) on October 15, 2010.
(13) Filed as Exhibit 4.1 to the Company’s report on Form 6-K, filed with the SEC on August 31, 2016.
(14) Filed as Exhibit 4.1 to the Company’s report on Form 6-K, filed with the SEC on June 21, 2019.
(15) Filed as Exhibit 1 to the Company’s report on Form 6-K, filed with the SEC on December 31, 2020.
(16) Filed as Exhibit 4.8 to the Company’s Annual Report on Form 20-F on March 26, 2014.
(17) Filed as Exhibit 4.11 to the Company’s Annual Report on Form 20-F on March 26, 2014.
(18) Filed as Exhibit 2.7 to the Company’s Annual Report on Form 20-F, filed with the SEC on April 10, 2020. 
(19) Filed as Exhibit 4.11 to the Company’s Annual Report on Form 20-F, filed with the SEC on April 10, 2020.

** Filed herewith.

SIGNATURES

The registrant hereby certifies that it meets all of the requirements for filing on Form 20-F and that it has duly caused and 
authorized the undersigned to sign this annual report on its behalf.

PERFORMANCE SHIPPING INC. 

By: 

/s/ Andreas Michalopoulos

Andreas Michalopoulos 
Chief Executive Officer, Director and Secretary

Dated: March 5, 2021

105

PERFORMANCE SHIPPING INC. 
INDEX TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

Report of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm

Consolidated Balance Sheets as at December 31, 2020 and 2019

Consolidated Statements of Operations for the years ended December 31, 2020, 2019 and 2018

Consolidated Statements of Comprehensive Income / (Loss) for the years ended December 31, 2020,  
2019 and 2018

Consolidated Statements of Stockholders’ Equity for the years ended December 31, 2020, 2019 and 2018

Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows for the years ended December 31, 2020, 2019 and 2018

Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements

F-1

Page

F-2

F-4

F-5

F-5

F-6

F-7

F-8

F-2

REPORT OF INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM

To the Stockholders and the Board of Directors of Performance Shipping Inc.

OPINION ON THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

We  have  audited  the  accompanying  consolidated  balance  sheets  of  Performance  Shipping  Inc.  (the  Company)  
as  of  December  31,  2020  and  2019,  the  related  consolidated  statements  of  operations,  comprehensive  income/loss,  
stockholders’  equity  and  cash  flows  for  each  of  the  three  years  in  the  period  ended  December  31,  2020,  and  
the  related  notes  (collectively  referred  to  as  the  “consolidated  financial  statements”).  In  our  opinion,  the  consolidated  
financial  statements  present  fairly,  in  all  material  respects,  the  financial  position  of  the  Company  at  December  31,  
2020  and  2019,  and  the  results  of  its  operations  and  its  cash  flows  for  each  of  the  three  years  in  the  period  ended 
December 31, 2020, in conformity with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles. 

BASIS FOR OPINION

These  financial  statements  are  the  responsibility  of  the  Company’s  management.  Our  responsibility  is  to  express  an 
opinion on the Company’s financial statements based on our audits. We are a public accounting firm registered with 
the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States) (PCAOB) and are required to be independent with 
respect to the Company in accordance with the U.S. federal securities laws and the applicable rules and regulations of 
the Securities and Exchange Commission and the PCAOB.

We conducted our audits in accordance with the standards of the PCAOB. Those standards require that we plan and 
perform the audit to obtain reasonable assurance about whether the financial statements are free of material misstatement, 
whether due to error or fraud. The Company is not required to have, nor were we engaged to perform, an audit of its 
internal control over financial reporting. As part of our audits we are required to obtain an understanding of internal 
control over financial reporting but not for the purpose of expressing an opinion on the effectiveness of the Company’s 
internal control over financial reporting. Accordingly, we express no such opinion.

Our  audits  included  performing  procedures  to  assess  the  risks  of  material  misstatement  of  the  financial  statements, 
whether  due  to  error  or  fraud,  and  performing  procedures  that  respond  to  those  risks.  Such  procedures  included 
examining, on a test basis, evidence regarding the amounts and disclosures in the financial statements. Our audits also 
included evaluating the accounting principles used and significant estimates made by management, as well as evaluating 
the overall presentation of the financial statements. We believe that our audits provide a reasonable basis for our opinion. 

CRITICAL AUDIT MATTER

The critical audit matter communicated below is a matter arising from the current period audit of the financial statements 
that  was  communicated  or  required  to  be  communicated  to  the  audit  committee  and  that:  (1)  relates  to  accounts  or 
disclosures  that  are  material  to  the  financial  statements  and  (2)  involved  our  especially  challenging,  subjective,  or 
complex  judgments.  The  communication  of  the  critical  audit  matter  does  not  alter  in  any  way  our  opinion  on  the 
consolidated financial statements, taken as a whole, and we are not, by communicating the critical audit matter below, 
providing a separate opinion on the critical audit matter or on the accounts or disclosures to which it relates.

107

Description of the matter

How we addressed  
the matter in our audit

F-3

RECOVERABILITY ASSESSMENT OF VESSELS HELD AND USED

At December 31, 2020, the carrying value of the Company’s vessels was $128.1 million. As 
discussed in Notes 2(l) and 6 to the consolidated financial statements, the Company evaluates 
its vessels for impairment whenever events or changes in circumstances indicate that the 
carrying value of a vessel plus unamortized dry-docking costs, may not be recoverable in 
accordance with the guidance in ASC 360 – Property, Plant and Equipment. If indicators of 
impairment exist, management analyzes the future undiscounted net operating cash flows 
expected to be generated throughout the remaining useful life of each vessel and compares 
it to the carrying value of the vessel plus unamortized dry-docking costs. Where the vessel’s 
carrying value plus unamortized dry-docking costs, exceeds the undiscounted net operating 
cash  flows,  management  will  recognize  an  impairment  loss  equal  to  the  excess  of  the 
carrying value of the vessel plus unamortized dry-docking costs over its fair value.

Auditing management’s recoverability assessment was complex given the judgement and 
estimation uncertainty involved in determining certain assumptions to forecast undiscounted 
net operating cash flows, specifically the future charter rates and the fleet utilization rate for 
non-contracted revenue days. The charter rates are particularly subjective as they involve 
the development and use of assumptions about the tanker shipping market through the end 
of the useful lives of the vessels, while the fleet utilization rates are particularly subjective 
due to the Company’s recent shift to the tanker market and the lack of historical data. These 
assumptions are forward looking and subject to the inherent unpredictability of future global 
economic and market conditions, and the Company’s future employment strategy.

We analyzed management’s impairment assessment by comparing the methodology used 
to evaluate impairment of each vessel against the accounting guidance in ASC 360. To test 
management’s  undiscounted  net  operating  cash  flow  forecasts,  our  procedures  included, 
among  others,  comparing  the  future  vessel  charter  rates  and  the  fleet  utilization  rate  for 
non-contracted revenue days against internal and external data sources. For example, we 
compared the assumptions against available market data from various analysts, historical 
data for both the Company’s vessels and other vessels of similar type and size. Considering 
the Company’s recent shift in the tanker market and the lack of extended historical data for 
its  vessels,  we  also  evaluated  recent  economic  and  industry  changes,  as  well  as  changes 
in  the  Company’s  employment  strategy.  In  addition,  we  performed  sensitivity  analyses 
to  assess  the  impact  of  changes  to  future  charter  rates  and  fleet  utilization  rate  for  non-
contracted  revenue  days  in  the  determination  of  the  net  operating  cash  flows.  We  also 
evaluated whether these assumptions were consistent with evidence obtained in other areas 
of the audit. Our procedures also included testing the completeness and accuracy of the data 
used within the forecasts.

/s/ Ernst & Young (Hellas) Certified Auditors Accountants S.A. 
We have served as the Company’s auditor since 2010. 
Athens, Greece 
March 5, 2021 

PERFORMANCE SHIPPING INC.
Consolidated Balance Sheets as at December 31, 2020 and 2019
(Expressed in thousands of U.S. Dollars, except for share and per share data)

F-4

ASSETS 
CURRENT ASSETS:

Cash and cash equivalents
Accounts receivable, net of provision for credit losses (Note 2)
Deferred voyage expenses (Note 2)
Inventories
Prepaid expenses and other assets
Current assets from discontinued operations (Note 3)
Total current assets

FIXED ASSETS:

Advances for vessel acquisitions and other vessels' costs (Note 5)
Vessels, net (Note 6)
Property and equipment, net
Vessels, net, of discontinued operations (Note 3)
Total fixed assets

OTHER NON - CURRENT ASSETS:

Right of use asset under operating leases (Note 8)
Non-current assets from discontinued operations (Note 3)
Total non-current assets
Total assets

LIABILITIES AND STOCKHOLDERS’ EQUITY

CURRENT LIABILITIES:

Current portion of long-term debt, net of unamortized deferred fin. costs (Note 7)
Accounts payable, trade and other
Due to related parties (Note 4)
Accrued liabilities
Lease liabilities, current (Note 8)
Current liabilities from discontinued operations (Note 3)
Total current liabilities

LONG-TERM LIABILITIES:

Long-term debt, net of unamortized deferred financing costs (Note 7)
Other liabilities, non-current
Long-term lease liabilities (Note 8)
Commitments and contingencies (Note 8)
Long-term liabilities from discontinued operations (Note 3)
Total long-term liabilities

STOCKHOLDERS' EQUITY:

Preferred stock, $0.01 par value; 25,000,000 shares authorized, none and 1,600 issued 
and outstanding as at December 31, 2020 and 2019, respectively (Note 9)
Common stock, $0.01 par value; 500,000,000 shares authorized; 5,082,726 and 
4,902,071 issued and outstanding as at December 31, 2020 and 2019, respectively  
(Note 9)
Additional paid-in capital (Note 9)
Other comprehensive income
Accumulated deficit
Total stockholders' equity
Total liabilities and stockholders' equity

The accompanying notes are an integral part of these consolidated financial statements.

December  
31, 2020

December  
31, 2019

$

$

$

$

$

$

$

21,365
3,503
75
1,981
1,275
228
28,427

-
128,108
1,135
-
129,243

184
-
184
157,854

7,768
1,472
68
1,100
94
316
10,818

49,898
251
90
-
-
50,239

26,314
3,985
69
2,242
1,115
1,639
35,364

11,017
59,421
993
23,450
94,881

190
134
324
130,569

4,282
1,322
8
1,613
72
769
8,066

28,001
146
118
-
-
28,265

-

-

51
457,171
8
(360,433)
96,797
157,854

49
459,328
69
(365,208)
94,238
130,569

$

109

 
 
 
PERFORMANCE SHIPPING INC.
Consolidated Statements of Operations
For the years ended December 31, 2020, 2019 and 2018
(Expressed in thousands of U.S. Dollars – except for share and per share data)

F-5

REVENUES:

2020

2019

2018

Voyage and time charter revenues (Notes 1 and 2)

$

42,045 $

6,301 $

-

EXPENSES:

Voyage expenses
Vessel operating expenses
Depreciation (Note 6)
Management fees (Note 1)
General and administrative expenses (Notes 4 and 9)
Provision for doubtful receivables (Note 2)
Foreign currency losses / (gains)
Operating income / (loss)

OTHER INCOME / (EXPENSES)

Interest and finance costs (Note 10)
Interest income
Total other income / (expenses), net
Net income / (loss) from continuing operations
Gain from repurchase of preferred shares (Notes 4 and 11)
Income allocated to participating securities (Note 11)
Net income/(loss) available to common stockholders from continuing 
operations
Net income / (loss) from discontinued operations (Note 3)
Total net income / (loss) available to common stockholders
Earnings / (Loss) per common share, basic, continuing operations 
(Note 11)
Earnings / (Loss) per common share, diluted, continuing operations 
(Note 11)
Earnings / (Loss) per common share, basic, discontinued operations 
(Note 11)
Earnings / (Loss) per common share, diluted, discontinued 
operations  
(Note 11)
Earnings / (Loss) per common share, basic, total (Note 11)
Earnings / (Loss) per common share, diluted, total (Note 11)
Weighted average number of common shares, basic (Note 11)
Weighted average number of common shares, diluted  
(Note 11)

PERFORMANCE SHIPPING INC. 
Consolidated Statements of Comprehensive Income / (Loss)
For the years ended December 31, 2020, 2019 and 2018
(Expressed in thousands of U.S. Dollars)

14,434
9,208
5,799
231
7,985
79
35
4,274 $

(2,089)
110
(1,979) $
2,295 $
1500 $
(87)

2,460
1,122
783
142
8,162
-
(18)
(6,350) $

(651)
258
(393) $
(6,743) $
- $
-

3,708 $

(6,743) $

-
-
37
-
8,030
-
(62)
(8,005)

-
62
62
(7,943)
-
-

(7,943)

1,482 $
5,190 $

(25,314) $
(32,057) $

(44,952)
(52,895)

0.76 $

(2.35) $

(8.40)

0.75 $

(2.35) $

(8.40)

0.30 $

(8.84) $

(47.57)

0.30 $

(8.84) $

(47.57)

1.06 $
1.05 $

(11.19) $
(11.19) $

4,875,475

2,864,676

4,945,562

2,864,676

(55.97)
(55.97)
945,056

945,056

$

$
$
$

$

$
$

$

$

$

$

$
$

2020

2019

2018

Net income / (loss) from continuing and discontinued operations
Other comprehensive income / (loss) (Actuarial gain / (loss))

Comprehensive income / (loss) from continuing and discontinued operations

$

$

The accompanying notes are an integral part of these consolidated financial statements.

3,777 $ (32,057) $ (52,895)
51

12  

(61)

3,716 $ (32,045) $ (52,844)

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
  
  
  
 
PERFORMANCE SHIPPING INC.
Consolidated Statements of Stockholders’ Equity
For the years ended December 31, 2020, 2019 and 2018
(Expressed in thousands of U.S. Dollars – except for share and per share data)

F-6

Common Stock

Preferred Stock

Preferred 
Stock

Other

# of 
Shares

Par 
Value

# of 
Shares

Par 
Value

Paid-in 
Capital

Comprehensive 
Income

Accumulated 
Deficit

Total

BALANCE,  
DECEMBER 31, 2017

- Net loss

- Issuance of Series B preferred 
stock, net of expenses (Note 9)
- Conversion of Series B preferred 
stock to common stock (Note 9)
- Issuance of restricted stock and 
compensation cost on restricted 
stock (Note 9)

- Actuarial gain

BALANCE,  
DECEMBER 31, 2018

 - Net loss

- Issuance of Series B preferred 
stock, net of expenses (Note 9)

- Conversion of Series B preferred 
stock to common stock (Note 9)
- Issuance of restricted stock and 
compensation cost on restricted 
stock (Note 9)

- Actuarial gain

- Issuance of common stock in 
exchange for entities' acquisition 
(Note 9)

BALANCE,  
DECEMBER 31, 2019

- Net income

- Conversion of Series B preferred 
stock to common stock (Note 9)
-Repurchase and cancellation of 
Series B preferred shares (Note 9)
- Repurchase and cancellation of 
Series C preferred stock, including 
expenses (Note 9)

- Issuance of restricted stock and 
compensation cost on restricted 
stock (Note 9)

- Common shares re-purchase and 
retirement, including expenses 
(Note 9)

- Actuarial loss

- Dividends declared and paid 
($0.10 per share) (Note 11)

BALANCE,  
DECEMBER 31, 2020

405,097

$

-

-

4

-

-

389

$

-

17,490

1,025,027

10

(17,529)

16,170

-

-

-

-

-

1,446,294

$ 14

350

$

-

-

710,051

574,779

-

-

-

7

6

-

2,170,947

22

-

6,470

(5,220)

-

-

-

4,902,071

$ 49

1,600

$

-

195,215

-

-

67,225

-

2

-

-

1

(81,785)

(1)

-

-

-

-

5,082,726

$ 51

-

(1,100)

(400)

(100)

-

-

-

-

-

$

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

$

411,018

$

6 $

(280,256) $

130,772

-

17,413

(10)

235

-

-

-

-

-

51

(52,895)

(52,895)

-

-

-

-

17,413

-

235

51

$ 428,656

$

57 $

(333,151) $

95,576

-

6,452

(7)

3,249

-

20,978

-

-

-

-

12

-

(32,057)

(32,057)

-

-

-

-

-

6,452

-

3,255

12

21,000

$ 459,328

$

69 $

(365,208) $

94,238

-

(2)

(400)

(3,015)

1,915

(655)

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

(61)

-

3,777

3,777

-

-

-

(400)

1,500

(1,515)

-

-

-

(502)

1,916

(656)

(61)

(502)

$ 457,171

$

8 $

(360,433) $

96,797

The accompanying notes are an integral part of these consolidated financial statements.

111

 
 
 
PERFORMANCE SHIPPING INC.
Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows (continuing and discontinued operations)
For the years ended December 31, 2020, 2019 and 2018
(Expressed in thousands of U.S. Dollars)

F-7

CASH FLOWS PROVIDED BY / (USED IN) OPERATING ACTIVITIES:
Net income /(loss)
Adjustments to reconcile net income/(loss) to net cash provided by / (used in) 
operating activities:
Depreciation and amortization of deferred charges (Notes 3 and 6)
Amortization of deferred financing costs (Note 10)
Amortization of discount premium
Impairment losses (Notes 3 and 6)
Gain / (loss) on vessel's sale (Notes 3 and 6)
Compensation cost on restricted stock awards (Note 9)
Actuarial gain / (loss)
 (Increase) / Decrease in:
Accounts receivable
Deferred voyage expenses
Inventories
Prepaid expenses and other assets
Right of use asset under operating leases
 Increase / (Decrease) in:
Accounts payable, trade and other
Due to related parties
Accrued liabilities
Deferred liabilities
Other liabilities, non current
Lease liabilities under operating leases
Drydock costs
Net Cash provided by / (used in) Operating Activities
Cash Flows provided by / (used in) Investing Activities:
Advances for vessel acquisitions and other vessel costs (Note 5)
Vessel acquisitions and other vessels' costs (Note 6)
Proceeds from sale of vessels, net of expenses (Note 6)
Property and equipment additions
Insurance settlements
Net Cash provided by / (used in) Investing Activities
Cash Flows provided by / (used in) Financing Activities:
Proceeds from long-term bank debt (Note 7)
Repayments of related party loans
Repayments of unrelated party loans
Repayments of long-term bank debt  (Note 7)
Issuance of preferred stock, net of expenses (Note 9)
Common shares re-purchase and retirement, including expenses (Note 9)
Repurchase of Series C preferred shares, including expenses (Note 9)
Repurchase of Series B preferred shares (Note 9)
Payments of equity issuance and financing costs  (Note 7)
Cash dividends (Note 11)
Net Cash provided by / (used in) Financing Activities
Net increase / (decrease) in cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash
Cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash at beginning of the year
Cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash at end of the year
RECONCILIATION OF CASH, CASH EQUIVALENTS  
AND RESTRICTED CASH
Cash and cash equivalents at the end of the year
Restricted cash at the end of the year
Cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash at the end of the year
SUPPLEMENTAL CASH FLOW INFORMATION
Issuance of common stock in exchange for entities acquisition (Note 4)
Reclassification of compensation cost of issued restricted stock awards from other liabilities to 
stockholders' equity (Note 9)
Interest payments, net of amounts capitalized

2020

2019

2018

$

3,777

$

(32,057)

$

(52,895)

5,898
325
-
339
(319)
1,916
(61)

1,072
(6)
866
20
6

(293)
60
(523)
-
105
(6)
-
13,176

-
(63,386)
23,464
(224)
-
(40,146)

34,800
-
-
(9,181)
-
(656)
(1,515)
(400
(561)
(502)
21,985
(4,985)
26,363
21,378

21,378
-
21,378

-

-

1,655

$

$

$
$
$
$

$

$

$

$ 

$

3,684
154
-
31,629
127
1,791
12

(4,575)
(69)
(2,213)
(3,488)
(190)

780
4
372
(305)
(40)
190
-
(4,194)

(17)
(50,161)
28,868
(38)
2,831
(18,517)

33,000
-
-
(519)
6,452
-
-
-
(352)
-
38,581
15,870
10,493
26,363

26,363
-
26,363

21,000

$

$

$
$
$
$

$

$

$

1,464

408

$ 

$

4,945
176
8,990
20,654
16,700
1,587
51

318
-
1,033
(32)
-

(455
(61)
(685)
(134)
(22)
-
(500)
(330)

-
-
92,905
(126)
372
93,151

-
(87,617)
(18,500)
-
17,413
-
-
-
(68)
-
(88,772)
4,049
6,444
10,493

10,493
-
10,493

-

-

2,355

$

$

$
$
$
$

$

$

$

$ 

$

The accompanying notes are an integral part of these consolidated financial statements.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
PERFORMANCE SHIPPING INC. 
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements 
December 31, 2020 
(Expressed in thousands of US Dollars – except for share and per share data, unless otherwise stated)

F-8

1. GENERAL INFORMATION

COMPANY’S IDENTITY

The accompanying consolidated financial statements include the accounts of Performance Shipping Inc. (or “Performance”) 
and its wholly-owned subsidiaries (collectively, the “Company”). Performance was incorporated as Diana Containerships 
Inc. on January 7, 2010, under the laws of the Republic of the Marshall Islands for the purpose of engaging in any lawful 
act  or  activity  under  the  Marshall  Islands  Business  Corporations Act.  On  February  19,  2019,  the  Company’s Annual 
Meeting of Shareholders approved an amendment to the Company’s Amended and Restated Articles of Incorporation to 
change the name of the Company from “Diana Containerships Inc.” to “Performance Shipping Inc.,” which was effected 
on February 25, 2019.  The Company’s common shares traded on the Nasdaq Global Select Market until March 5, 2020, 
and effective March 6, 2020, they trade on the Nasdaq Capital Market (Note 9). The Company’s ticker symbol has been 
“DCIX” until March 30, 2020, at which date it changed to “PSHG”.

The Company is a global provider of shipping transportation services through the ownership of tanker vessels, while it 
owned container vessels since its incorporation through August 2020 (Notes 3 and 6). The Company operates its fleet 
through Unitized Ocean Transport Limited (the “Manager” or “UOT”), a wholly-owned subsidiary. The fees payable to 
UOT are eliminated in consolidation as intercompany transactions. Additionally, during 2019 and 2020, the Company has 
appointed for a limited period of time other managers to provide management services to its vessels. More specifically, 
Diana Wilhelmsen Management Limited (or “DWM”), which was an affiliated entity until February 2020, was appointed 
as manager of the container vessels (discontinued operations), and Maersk Tankers A/S (“Maersk Tankers”), an unaffiliated 
entity, was appointed to manage two of the Company’s tanker vessels (continuing operations). During 2020, the management 
agreements with Maersk were terminated and UOT has been appointed to provide these services to the tanker vessels. 
Accordingly, DWM management agreements were terminated upon the container vessels’ sales (Note 6). Management 
fees  to  “Maersk  Tankers”  are  separately  presented  in  Management  fees  in  the  accompanying  consolidated  statement 
of  operations  and  management  fees  and  commissions  to  DWM  are  included  in  Net  income/  (loss)  from  discontinued 
operations in the accompanying consolidated statements of operations (Notes 3 and 4).

FINANCIAL STATEMENTS PRESENTATION

Following  the  sale  of  all  Company’s  container  vessels  in  2020  (Note  6),  the  Company’s  results  of  operations  of  the 
container vessels, as well as their assets and liabilities, are reported as discontinued operations for all periods presented in 
the accompanying consolidated financial statements (Notes 2 and 3). The comparative figures in these consolidated balance 
sheets and statements of operations have been adjusted on the basis of presenting separately the discontinued operations’ 
figures. For the statement of cash flows, the Company elected the alternative of combining cash flows from discontinued 
operations with cash flows from continuing operations within each cash flow statement category, and as such, no separate 
disclosure of cash flows from discontinued operations is presented in the statement of cash flows.

Furthermore, effective November 2, 2020, the Company effected a one-for-ten reverse stock split on its common stock 
(Note 9). All share and per share amounts disclosed in the accompanying consolidated financial statements give effect to 
this reverse stock split retroactively, for all periods presented.

113

 
PERFORMANCE SHIPPING INC.
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements
December 31, 2020
(Expressed in thousands of US Dollars – except for share and per share data, unless otherwise stated)

F-9

OTHER MATTERS:

On March 11, 2020, the World Health Organization declared the 2019 Novel Coronavirus (the “Covid-19”) outbreak a pandemic. 
In response to the outbreak, many countries, ports and organizations, including those where the Company conducts a large 
part of its operations, have implemented measures to combat the outbreak, such as quarantines and travel restrictions. The 
outbreak of the COVID-19 virus has had a negative effect on the global economy and has adversely impacted the international 
shipping industry into which the Company operates. As of December 31, 2020, the impact of the outbreak of COVID-19 virus 
continues to unfold. As a result, many of the Company’s estimates and assumptions carry a higher degree of variability and 
volatility. As events continue to evolve and additional information becomes available, the Company’s estimates may change 
in future periods. The Company is constantly monitoring the developing situation, as well as its charterers’ response to the 
severe market disruption via cost cutting and rationalization of their networks and fleets, and is making necessary preparations 
to address and mitigate, to the extent possible, the impact of COVID-19 to the Company.

For 2020, 2019 and 2018, charterers that accounted for more than 10% of the Company’s voyage and hire revenues, were 
as follows:

Charterer

A - Container vessels - Discontinued operations

B - Container vessels - Discontinued operations

C - Container vessels - Discontinued operations

D - Container vessels - Discontinued operations

E - Tanker vessels - Continuing operations

2020

-

-

-

-

-

F - Tanker vessels - Continuing operations

20%

2019

31%

10%

16%

11%

13%

-

2018

29%

32%

19%

-

2.  RECENT ACCOUNTING PRONOUNCEMENTS AND SIGNIFICANT 

ACCOUNTING POLICIES

RECENT ACCOUNTING PRONOUNCEMENTS NOT YET ADOPTED

Reference Rate Reform (Topic 848): In March 2020, the FASB issued ASU 2020-04, Reference Rate Reform (Topic 
848): Facilitation of the Effects of Reference Rate Reform on Financial Reporting, which provides optional expedients and 
exceptions for applying GAAP to contracts, hedging relationships, and other transactions affected by reference rate reform. 
ASU 2020-04 applies to contracts that reference LIBOR or another reference rate expected to be terminated because of 
reference rate reform. The amendments in this Update are effective for all entities as of March 12, 2020 through December 
31, 2022. An entity may elect to apply the amendments for contract modifications by Topic or Industry Subtopic as of any 
date from the beginning of an interim period that includes or is subsequent to March 12, 2020, or prospectively from a date 
within an interim period that includes or is subsequent to March 12, 2020, up to the date that the financial statements are 
available to be issued. Once elected for a Topic or an Industry Subtopic, the amendments in this Update must be applied 
prospectively  for  all  eligible  contract  modifications  for  that  Topic  or  Industry  Subtopic. An  entity  may  elect  to  apply 
the amendments in this Update to eligible hedging relationships existing as of the beginning of the interim period that 
includes March 12, 2020 and to new eligible hedging relationships entered into after the beginning of the interim period 
that includes March 12, 2020.  An entity may elect certain optional expedients for hedging relationships that exist as of 
December 31, 2022 and maintain those optional expedients through the end of the hedging relationship. ASU 2020-04 
can be adopted as of March 12, 2020. The Company does not currently have any contracts that have been changed to a 
new reference rate, but will continue to evaluate its contracts and the effects of this standard on its consolidated financial 
position, results of operations, and cash flows prior to adoption.

 
 
PERFORMANCE SHIPPING INC.
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements
December 31, 2020
(Expressed in thousands of US Dollars – except for share and per share data, unless otherwise stated)

F-10

SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES

(a) Principles of Consolidation: The accompanying consolidated financial statements have been prepared in accordance 
with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles and include the accounts of Performance Shipping Inc. and its wholly-
owned  subsidiaries. All  significant  intercompany  balances  and  transactions  have  been  eliminated  upon  consolidation. 
Under Accounting Standards Codification (“ASC”) 810 “Consolidation”, the Company consolidates entities in which it 
has a controlling financial interest, by first considering if an entity meets the definition of a variable interest entity (“VIE”) 
for which the Company is deemed to be the primary beneficiary under the VIE model, or if the Company controls an entity 
through a majority of voting interest based on the voting interest model. The Company evaluates financial instruments, 
service contracts, and other arrangements to determine if any variable interests relating to an entity exist. The Company’s 
evaluation did not result in an identification of variable interest entities as of December 31, 2020 and 2019.

(b) Use of Estimates: The preparation of consolidated financial statements in conformity with U.S. generally accepted 
accounting principles requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets 
and liabilities and disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities at the date of the consolidated financial statements and the 
reported amounts of revenues and expenses during the reporting period.  Actual results could differ from those estimates.

(c) Other Comprehensive Income / (Loss): The Company follows the provisions of Accounting Standard Codification 
(ASC) 220, “Comprehensive Income”, which requires separate presentation of certain transactions, which are recorded 
directly as components of stockholders’ equity. The Company presents Other Comprehensive Income / (Loss) in a separate 
statement.

(d) Foreign Currency Translation: The functional currency of the Company is the U.S. Dollar because the Company 
operates  its  vessels  in  international  shipping  markets,  and  therefore,  primarily  transacts  business  in  U.S.  Dollars.  The 
Company’s accounting records are maintained in U.S. Dollars. Transactions involving other currencies during the years 
presented are converted into U.S. Dollars using the exchange rates in effect at the time of the transactions. At the balance 
sheet dates, monetary assets and liabilities which are denominated in other currencies are translated into U.S. Dollars at the 
period-end exchange rates. Resulting gains or losses are reflected separately in the accompanying consolidated statements 
of operations.

(e) Cash and Cash Equivalents: The Company considers highly liquid investments such as time deposits, certificates of 
deposit and their equivalents with an original maturity of three months or less to be cash equivalents.

(f) Restricted Cash: Restricted cash, when applicable, includes minimum cash deposits required to be maintained under 
the Company’s borrowing arrangements.

(g) Accounts Receivable, net: The account includes receivables from charterers for hire, freight and demurrage, net of 
provision for credit losses – (please refer to paragraph (h) below).

115

PERFORMANCE SHIPPING INC.
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements
December 31, 2020
(Expressed in thousands of US Dollars – except for share and per share data, unless otherwise stated)

F-11

(h) Credit Losses Accounting: At January 1, 2020 the Company adopted ASU No. 2016-13—Financial Instruments—
Credit Losses (Topic 326) -Measurement of Credit Losses on Financial Instruments, which requires entities to measure 
all expected credit losses of financial assets held at a reporting date based on historical experience, current conditions, and 
reasonable and supportable forecasts in order to record credit losses in a timely manner. Receivables arising from operating 
leases  are  not  within  the  scope  of  Subtopic  326-20  and  as  such,  the  receivables  from  time-charters  are  excluded. The 
Company measured the allowance for estimated credit losses on its short term receivables, being freight and demurrage 
receivables, cash equivalent balances and claims receivables. The adoption of the new guidance resulted in a recognition 
of $79 in the 2020 consolidated statements of operations, which represents the Company’s allowance for estimated credit 
losses on its outstanding freight and demurrage receivables and is separately reflected in Provision for doubtful receivables 
in the accompanying consolidated statements of operations. No allowance was recorded on insurance claims as of December 
31, 2020, as their balances were immaterial. In addition, no allowance was recorded for cash equivalents as the majority of 
cash balances as of the balance sheet date was on time deposits with highly reputable credit institutions, for which periodic 
evaluations of the relative credit standing of those financial institutions are performed. Finally, no allowance for credit 
losses on trade receivables and other financial assets was recognized in opening accumulated deficit at January 1, 2020, on 
transition to the new accounting guidance, as it was immaterial.

(i) Inventories: Inventories consist of bunkers, lubricants and victualling. Bunkers inventory exist when the vessel operates 
under freight charter or when on the balance sheet date a vessel has been redelivered by her previous time charterers and 
has not yet been delivered to new charterers, or remains idle. All inventories are stated at the lower of cost or net realizable 
value and cost is determined by the first in, first out method. Net realizable value is defined as estimated selling prices in 
the ordinary course of business, less reasonably predictable costs of completion, disposal and transportation.

(j) Vessel Cost: Vessels are stated at cost which consists of the contract price and costs incurred upon acquisition or delivery 
of a vessel from a shipyard. Subsequent expenditures for conversions and major improvements are also capitalized when 
they appreciably extend the life, increase the earnings capacity or improve the efficiency or safety of the vessels; otherwise, 
these amounts are charged to expense as incurred.

(k) Vessel Depreciation: The Company depreciates its vessels on a straight-line basis over their estimated useful lives, 
after considering the estimated salvage value. Each vessel’s salvage value is the product of her light-weight tonnage and 
estimated scrap rate, which is estimated at $0.35 per light-weight ton for the tanker and the container vessels in the fleet. 
Management estimates the useful life of the Company’s tanker and container vessels to be 25 and 30 years, respectively, 
from the date of initial delivery from the shipyard. Second-hand vessels are depreciated from the date of their acquisition 
through their remaining estimated useful life. When regulations place limitations on the ability of a vessel to trade on a 
worldwide basis, the vessel’s useful life is adjusted at the date such regulations are adopted.

PERFORMANCE SHIPPING INC.
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements
December 31, 2020
(Expressed in thousands of US Dollars – except for share and per share data, unless otherwise stated)

F-12

(l) Impairment of Long-Lived Assets: The Company follows ASC 360-10-40 “Impairment or Disposal of Long-Lived 
Assets”,  which  addresses  financial  accounting  and  reporting  for  the  impairment  or  disposal  of  long-lived  assets.  The 
Company  reviews  vessels  for  impairment  whenever  events  or  changes  in  circumstances  (such  as  market  conditions, 
obsolesce or damage to the asset, potential sales and other business plans) indicate that the carrying amount of a vessel 
plus  her  unamortized  dry-dock  costs  may  not  be  recoverable. When  the  estimate  of  future  undiscounted  net  operating 
cash flows, excluding interest charges, expected to be generated by the use of the vessel over her remaining useful life 
and her eventual disposition is less than her carrying amount plus unamortized drydock-costs, the Company evaluates 
the  vessel  for  impairment  loss. The  measurement  of  the  impairment  loss  is  based  on  the  fair  value  of  the  vessel. The 
fair  value  of  the  vessel  is  determined  based  on  assumptions  by  making  use  of  available  market  data  and  taking  into 
consideration third-party valuations. The Company evaluates the carrying amounts and periods over which vessels are 
depreciated to determine if events have occurred which would require modification to their carrying values or useful lives. 
In evaluating useful lives and carrying values of long-lived assets, management reviews certain indicators of potential 
impairment, such as undiscounted projected operating cash flows, vessel sales and purchases, business plans and overall 
market conditions. The current conditions in the shipping market with decreased charter rates and decreased vessel market 
values are conditions that the Company considers indicators of a potential impairment. In developing estimates of future 
undiscounted  cash  flows,  the  Company  makes  assumptions  and  estimates  about  the  vessels’  future  performance,  with 
the significant assumptions being related to charter rates and fleet utilization, while other assumptions include vessels’ 
operating expenses, vessels’ residual value, dry-dock costs and the estimated remaining useful life of each vessel. The 
assumptions used to develop estimates of future undiscounted cash flows are based on historical trends as well as future 
expectations. The Company also takes into account factors such as the vessels’ age and employment prospects under the 
then  current  market  conditions  and  determines  the  future  undiscounted  cash  flows  considering  its  various  alternatives, 
including sale possibilities existing for each vessel as of the testing dates.

In  detail,  the  projected  net  operating  cash  flows  are  determined  by  considering  the  historical  and  estimated  vessels’ 
performance  and  utilization,  as  well  as  historical  utilization  of  other  vessels  of  similar  type  and  size  considering  the 
Company’s recent shift to the tanker market and the lack of extended historical data, the charter revenues from existing 
time  charters  for  the  fixed  fleet  days  and  an  estimated  daily  rate  for  the  unfixed  days  (based  on  the  most  recent  10 
year average historical rates available for each type of vessel) over the remaining estimated life of each vessel, net of 
commissions, expected outflows for scheduled vessels’ maintenance and vessel operating expenses assuming an average 
annual inflation rate.  Effective fleet utilization is assumed to 90% in the Company’s exercise for the tanker vessels, and has 
been 98% for the container vessels until their sale, taking into account the period(s) each vessel is expected to undergo her 
scheduled maintenance (dry docking and special surveys), assumptions in line with the Company’s historical performance 
since the acquisition of its tanker vessels, peers’ historical performance, and its expectations for future fleet utilization 
under its fleet employment strategy. The review of the tanker vessels’ carrying values in connection with the estimated 
recoverable amounts for 2020 and 2019 did not result in a recognition of impairment charge, while the respective review 
for the Company’s container vessels for 2020, 2019 and 2018 indicated impairment charges of $0, $14,195 and $5,028, 
respectively, which are included in Net income /(loss) from discontinued operations in the accompanying consolidated 
statements of operations (Notes 3 and 6).

117

PERFORMANCE SHIPPING INC.
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements
December 31, 2020
(Expressed in thousands of US Dollars – except for share and per share data, unless otherwise stated)

F-13

(m) Assets Held for Sale: The Company classifies assets or assets in disposal groups as being held for sale in accordance 
with ASC 360-10-45-9 “Long-Lived Assets Classified as Held for Sale” when the following criteria are met: (i) management 
possessing the necessary authority has committed to a plan to sell the asset (disposal group); (ii)  the asset (disposal group) 
is immediately available for sale on an “as is” basis; (iii) an active program to find the buyer and other actions required to 
execute the plan to sell the asset (disposal group) have been initiated; (iv) the sale of the asset (disposal group) is probable, 
and transfer of the asset (disposal group) is expected to qualify for recognition as a completed sale within one year; and 
(v) the asset (disposal group) is being actively marketed for sale at a price that is reasonable in relation to its current fair 
value  and  actions  required  to  complete  the  plan  indicate  that  it  is  unlikely  that  significant  changes  to  the  plan  will  be 
made or that the plan will be withdrawn. In case a long-lived asset is to be disposed of other than by sale (for example, 
by abandonment, in an exchange measured based on the recorded amount of the nonmonetary asset relinquished, or in a 
distribution to owners in a spinoff) the Company continues to classify it as held and used until its disposal date. Long-lived 
assets or disposal groups classified as held for sale are measured at the lower of their carrying amount or fair value less 
cost to sell. These assets are not depreciated once they meet the criteria to be held for sale. The review of the related criteria 
as of December 31, 2020 and 2019 did not result in held for sale classification for any of the Company’s vessels. During 
2020, 2019 and 2018, the Company has recognized an impairment charge of $339, $17,434 and $15,626, respectively, 
from classification of certain of its container vessels as held for sale within the respective years, which are included in Net 
income /(loss) from discontinued operations in the accompanying consolidated statements of operations (Notes 3 and 6).

(n) Accounting  for  Voyage  and  Time-Charter  Revenues  and  Related  Expenses:  Since  the  Company’s  vessels  are 
employed under time and voyage charter contracts, the Company disaggregates its revenue from contracts with customers 
by the type of charter (time charters and spot charters).

The Company has determined that all of its time charter agreements contain a lease and are therefore accounted for as 
operating leases in accordance with ASC 842. Time charter revenues are accounted for over the term of the charter as 
the service is provided. Vessels are chartered when a contract exists and the vessel is delivered (commencement date) to 
the charterer, for a fixed period of time, at rates that are generally determined in the main body of charter parties and the 
relevant voyage expenses burden the charterer (i.e. port dues, canal tolls, pilotages and fuel consumption). Upon delivery 
of the vessel, the charterer has the right to control the use of the vessel (under agreed prudent operating practices) as they 
have the enforceable right to: (i) decide the delivery and redelivery time of the vessel; (ii) arrange the ports from which the 
vessel shall pass; (iii) give directions to the master of the vessel regarding vessel’s operations (i.e. speed, route, bunkers 
purchases, etc.); (iv) sub-charter the vessel and (v) consume any income deriving from the vessel’s charter. Any off-hires 
are recognized as incurred. The charterer may charter the vessel with or without owner’s crew and other operating services. 
In the case of time charter agreements, the agreed hire rates include compensation for part of the agreed crew and other 
operating services provided by the owner (non-lease components). The Company, as a lessor, elected to apply the practical 
expedient which allowed it to account for the lease and the non-lease components of time charter agreements as one, as the 
criteria of the paragraphs ASC 842-10-15-42A through 42B are met. Time-charter revenue is usually received in advance, 
and as such, unearned revenue represents cash received prior to the balance sheet date for which related service has not 
been provided.

PERFORMANCE SHIPPING INC.
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements
December 31, 2020
(Expressed in thousands of US Dollars – except for share and per share data, unless otherwise stated)

F-14

Spot, or voyage charter is a charter where a contract is made in the spot market for the use of a vessel for a specific voyage 
for a specified freight rate per ton, regardless of time to complete. The Company has determined that under voyage charters, 
the charterer has no right to control any part of the use of the vessel. Thus, the Company’s voyage charters do not contain 
lease and are accounted for in accordance with ASC 606. More precisely, the Company satisfies its single performance 
obligation to transfer cargo under the contract over the voyage period. Thus, revenues from voyage charters on the spot 
market are recognized ratably from the date of loading (Notice of Readiness to the charterer, that the vessel is available for 
loading) to discharge date of cargo (loading-to-discharge). Voyage charter payments are due upon discharge of the cargo. 
Demurrage revenue, which is included in voyage revenues, represents charterers’ reimbursement for any potential delays 
exceeding the allowed lay time as per charter party agreement, represents form of variable consideration and is recognized 
as the performance obligation is satisfied. The Company has taken the practical expedient not to disclose the value of 
unsatisfied performance obligations for contracts with an original expected length of one year or less.

As discussed above, under a time charter specified voyage costs, such as bunkers and port charges are paid by the charterer, 
while  commissions  are  paid  by  the  Company.  Under  spot  charter  arrangements,  voyage  expenses  that  are  unique  to  a 
particular charter are paid for by the Company. Commissions are expensed as incurred. Voyage expenses that qualify as 
contract fulfilment costs (mainly consisting of bunkers expenses and port dues) and are incurred by the Company from 
the latter of the end of the previous vessel employment, provided that the vessel is fixed, or from the date of inception of 
a voyage charter contract until the arrival at the loading port, are capitalized to Deferred Voyage Expenses and amortized 
ratably  over  the  total  transit  time  of  the  voyage  (loading-to-discharge). Vessel  voyage  expenses  that  do  not  qualify  as 
contract fulfilment costs, operating expenses, and charter hire expenses are expensed when incurred.

Since August 2019, following the acquisition of tanker vessels, the Company recognizes revenue for two types of charters, 
time-charters and spot charters as described above. As of December 31, 2020, the balance of Accounts receivable, net, for 
the continuing operations amounted to $3,399 for the spot charters (of which $456 relates to contract assets), and to $104 
for the time-charters. For 2020, Revenues for continuing operations amounted to $34,742 from spot charters, and to $7,303 
from time-charters. As of December 31, 2019, the balance of Accounts receivable, net, amounted to $3,985 (of which $299 
relates to contract assets), and Revenues of 2019 amounted to $6,301 for the continuing operations relate exclusively to 
spot charters.

In 2018, all Company’s vessels (which were exclusively container vessels) were operating under time-charter contracts. 
For the containers fleet, revenues of 2020, 2019 and 2018 related exclusively to time-charters and are included in Net 
income / (loss) from discontinued operations in the accompanying consolidated financial statements, while the respective 
Accounts receivable, net as of December 31, 2020 and 2019 are included in Current assets from discontinued operations 
in the accompanying consolidated balance sheets (Note 3).

(o) Earnings/(Loss) per Common Share: Basic earnings/(loss) per common share are computed by dividing net income 
/ (loss) attributable to common stockholders by the weighted average number of common shares outstanding during the 
period.  Diluted  earnings/(loss)  per  common  share  reflects  the  potential  dilution  that  could  occur  if  securities  or  other 
contracts  to  issue  common  stock  were  exercised.  For  purposes  of  the  if-converted  calculation,  the  conversion  price  of 
preferred convertible stock is based on the end of the period market price (Note 11).

119

PERFORMANCE SHIPPING INC.
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements
December 31, 2020
(Expressed in thousands of US Dollars – except for share and per share data, unless otherwise stated)

F-15

(p) Accounting for Dry-Docking Costs: The Company follows the deferral method of accounting for dry-docking costs 
whereby actual costs incurred are deferred and amortized on a straight-line basis over the period through the date the next 
dry-docking will be scheduled to become due. Unamortized dry-docking costs of vessels that are sold are written off and 
included in the calculation of the resulting gain or loss in the year of the vessel’s sale. Unamortized dry-docking costs of 
vessels classified as held for sale are written off as impairment charges when these vessels’ carrying values are impaired as 
a result of their classification. The unamortized dry-docking cost as of December 31, 2020 was nil, while for December 31, 
2019 a balance of $134 is included in Non-current assets from discontinued operations in the accompanying consolidated 
balance sheets, as it relates solely to the containers’ fleet (Note 3). Amortization of dry-docking costs for 2020, 2019 and 
2018 amounted to $68, $389 and $518, respectively, and is included in Net income / (loss) from discontinued operations in 
the accompanying consolidated statement of operations. Also, in 2020, 2019 and 2018, deferred dry-dock costs which were 
written off as Loss / (Gain) on vessels’ sale amounted to $66, $117 and $832, respectively, and as Impairment losses due 
to the respective vessels’ sale or due to their classification as held for sale during the year, amounted to $0, $598 and $0, 
respectively, and are also included in Net income / (loss) from discontinued operations in the accompanying consolidated 
statement of operations (Note 3).

(q) Financing Costs and Liabilities: Fees paid to lenders for obtaining new loans, or for refinancing existing ones which 
are determined as debt modifications, are deferred and recorded as a contra to debt. Other fees paid for obtaining loan 
facilities not used at the balance sheet date are capitalized as deferred financing costs.  Fees are amortized to interest and 
finance costs over the life of the related debt using the effective interest method and, for the fees relating to loan facilities 
not used at the balance sheet date, according to the loan availability terms. Discount premiums are accounted for similar to 
other financing fees. Unamortized fees relating to loans repaid or refinanced as debt extinguishment are expensed as interest 
and finance costs in the period the repayment or extinguishment is made. Loan commitment fees are charged to expense in 
the period incurred. A loan liability is derecognized when the Company pays the creditor and is relieved of its obligation 
for the liability. The difference between the settlement price and the net carrying amount of the debt being extinguished 
(which includes any deferred debt issuance costs) is recognized as a gain or loss in the statement of operations.

(r)  Repairs  and  Maintenance:  All  repair  and  maintenance  expenses  including  underwater  inspection  expenses  are 
expensed  in  the  period  incurred.  Such  costs  relating  to  the  Company’s  tanker  vessels  are  included  in Vessel  operating 
expenses, and those relating to the container vessels are included in Net income / (loss) from discontinued operations in 
the accompanying consolidated statements of operations.

(s) Share-Based Payment: The Company issues restricted share awards which are measured at their grant date fair value 
and are not subsequently re-measured.  That cost is recognized under the straight-line method over the period during which 
an employee is required to provide service in exchange for the award—the requisite service period (usually the vesting 
period). When the service inception date precedes the grant date, the Company accrues the compensation cost for periods 
before the grant date based on the fair value of the award at the reporting date. In the period in which the grant date occurs, 
cumulative compensation cost is adjusted to reflect the cumulative effect of measuring compensation cost based on the fair 
value at the grant date.  Forfeitures of awards are accounted for when and if they occur. If an equity award is modified after 
the grant date, incremental compensation cost will be recognized in an amount equal to the excess of the fair value of the 
modified award over the fair value of the original award immediately before the modification.

PERFORMANCE SHIPPING INC.
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements
December 31, 2020
(Expressed in thousands of US Dollars – except for share and per share data, unless otherwise stated)

F-16

(t)  Fair  Value  Measurements:  The  Company  follows  the  provisions  of  ASC  820  “Fair  Value  Measurements  and 
Disclosures”, which defines fair value and provides guidance for using fair value to measure assets and liabilities. The 
guidance creates a fair value hierarchy of measurement and describes fair value as the price that would be received to sell an 
asset or paid to transfer a liability in an orderly transaction between market participants in the market in which the reporting 
entity transacts. In accordance with the requirements of accounting guidance relating to Fair Value Measurements, the 
Company classifies and discloses its assets and liabilities carried at the fair value in one of the following categories:

• Level 1: Quoted market prices in active markets for identical assets or liabilities; 
• Level 2: Observable market based inputs or unobservable inputs that are corroborated by market data; 
• Level 3: Unobservable inputs that are not corroborated by market data.

(u) Concentration of Credit Risk: Financial instruments, which potentially subject the Company to significant concentrations 
of credit risk, consist principally of cash and trade accounts receivable. The Company places its temporary cash investments, 
consisting mostly of deposits, with various qualified financial institutions and performs periodic evaluations of the relative 
credit standing of those financial institutions that are considered in the Company’s investment strategy. The Company limits 
its credit risk with accounts receivable by performing ongoing credit evaluations of its customers’ financial condition and 
generally does not require collateral for its accounts receivable and does not have any agreements to mitigate credit risk. For 
credit losses accounting on the Company’s financial assets please see paragraph (h) above.

(v) Going Concern: The Company’s policy is in accordance with ASU No. 2014-15, “Presentation of Financial Statements 
- Going Concern”, issued in August 2014 by the FASB. ASU 2014-15 provides U.S. GAAP guidance on management’s 
responsibility in evaluating whether there is substantial doubt about a company’s ability to continue as a going concern and 
on related required footnote disclosures. For each reporting period, management is required to evaluate whether there are 
conditions or events that raise substantial doubt about a company’s ability to continue as a going concern within one year 
from the date the financial statements are issued.

(w)  Evaluation  of  Purchase  Transactions:  When  the  Company  enters  into  an  acquisition  transaction,  it  determines 
whether the acquisition transaction was the purchase of an asset or a business based on the facts and circumstances of 
the transaction. In accordance with ASU No. 2017-01, Business Combinations (Topic 805): Clarifying the Definition of a 
Business, if substantially all of the fair value of the gross assets acquired in an acquisition transaction are concentrated in a 
single identifiable asset or group of similar identifiable assets, then the set is not a business. To be considered a business, a 
set must include an input and a substantive process that together significantly contributes to the ability to create an output. 
All assets acquired and liabilities assumed in a business combination are measured at their acquisition-date fair values. For 
asset acquisitions, the cost of the acquisition is allocated to individual assets and liabilities on a relative fair value basis. 
Acquisition costs associated with business combinations are expensed as incurred. Acquisition costs associated with asset 
acquisitions are capitalized.

121

PERFORMANCE SHIPPING INC.
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements
December 31, 2020
(Expressed in thousands of US Dollars – except for share and per share data, unless otherwise stated)

F-17

(x)  Re-purchase  and  Retirement  of  Company’s  Common  Shares: All  Company’s  common  shares  re-purchased  are 
immediately cancelled and retired, and the Company’s share capital is accordingly reduced. The excess of the cost of the 
common shares over their par value is allocated in additional paid-in capital.

(y) Re-purchase and Retirement of Company’s Preferred Shares: All Company’s preferred shares re-purchased are 
immediately cancelled and retired, and the Company’s share capital is accordingly reduced. Any difference between the 
fair value of the consideration transferred to the holders of the preferred stock and the carrying amount of the preferred 
stock represents a return to (from) the preferred stockholder that should be treated in a manner similar to the treatment 
of dividends paid on preferred stock. If the fair value of the consideration transferred plus any direct costs incurred in 
relation to the redemption, is less than the carrying amount of the preferred shares redeemed (net of any issuance costs), 
the difference is credited to retained earnings. In addition, any possible excess between the fair value of the consideration 
paid for the re-purchase of preferred shares and the carrying amount of the shares surrendered is reflected as gain and is 
included in Net income / (loss) attributable to common stockholders (Notes 9 and 11).

(z) Discontinued Operations: It is a Company’s policy, that the current and prior year periods assets, liabilities, results 
of operations and cash flows of a Company’s component disposed of by sale are reported as discontinued operations when 
it is determined that their operations and cash flows will be eliminated from the ongoing operations of the Company as a 
result of their disposal, and that the Company will not have continuing involvement in the operation of these assets after 
their disposal (Note 3).

3. DISCONTINUED OPERATIONS

Since August 2019, that the delivery of the Company’s first tanker vessel “Blue Moon” took place, until August 2020, 
when the last container vessel “Domingo” was sold, the Company’s fleet was a mixture of container and tanker vessels. 
Accordingly, the Company had determined that it would operate under two reportable segments, one relating to its operations 
of container vessels (containers segment) and one to the operations of tanker vessels (tankers segment). Concurrently with 
the acquisition of its first tanker vessels, as the market environment for the Company’s containers fleet continued to be 
negative and with difficult employment opportunities, management initiated a number of actions for the gradual disposal of 
the whole container vessels’ fleet, although no decision at that time was reached for a strategic shift to a different segment.  
In the first months of 2020, the Company acquired two additional tanker vessels. In August 2020, at the time when the 
fleet’s last container vessel was sold (Note 6), the Company evaluated the results of the tanker vessels owned since 2019 
and assessed that the prospects of the specific segment as positive. At that time, the Company determined that its decision 
to exit the container segment represented a strategic shift to the exclusive ownership of tanker vessels and further assessed 
that the disposal of all of its container vessels constituted a disposal of an entity’s segment, that will have a major effect 
on the Company’s operations and financial results. Furthermore, the Company determined that it will not have continuing 
involvement in the operation of the disposed assets. In this respect, the results of operations of the container vessels, as 
well as their assets and liabilities, are reported as discontinued operations for all periods presented in the accompanying 
consolidated financial statements. The comparative figures in these consolidated financial statements have been adjusted 
on the basis of presenting separately the discontinued operations’ figures.

PERFORMANCE SHIPPING INC.
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements
December 31, 2020
(Expressed in thousands of US Dollars – except for share and per share data, unless otherwise stated)

F-18

Below are presented summarized the operating results of the discontinued operations for 2020, 2019 and 2018, as well as 
the balance sheet information on the Company’s discontinued operations as of December 31, 2020 and 2019:

Items constituting net income / (loss) from  
discontinued operations

Time-charter revenues (Notes 1 and 2)

Voyage expenses

Vessels' operating expenses
Depreciation and amortization of deferred charges  
(Notes 2 and 6)
Management fees (Note 4)

Impairment losses (Note 6)

Gain / (loss) on vessel's sale (Note 6)

Foreign currency gains/ (losses)

Interest and finance costs (Notes 4, 7 and 10)

Interest income

Net income/ (loss) from discontinued operations

Carrying amounts of major classes of assets of discontinued operations

Cash and cash equivalents
Accounts receivable, trade
Inventories
Prepaid expenses and other assets
Total major classes of current assets of discontinued operations
Total fixed assets, net
Deferred charges, net
Total major classes of non-current assets of discontinued operations
Carrying amounts of major classes of liabilities of discontinued operations
Accounts payable, trade and other
Accrued liabilities
Total major classes of current liabilities of discontinued operations

2020

2019

2018

$

4,238 $

20,545 $

25,566

(188)

(987)

(1,267)

(2,336)

(10,199)

(15,453)

(99)

(2,901)

(4,908)

(116)

(339)

319

3

-

-

(5)

(31,629)

(127)

(11)

-

-

-

(20,654)

(16,700)

(18)

(11,520)

2

1,482

(25,314)

(44,952)

December  
31, 2020

December  
31, 2019

$

13 $
110
-
105
228
-
-
-

207
109
316

$ 49
700
605
285
1,639
23,450
134
23,584

650
119
769

Capital expenditures from discontinued operations relating to dry-docking costs for 2020, 2019 and 2018 were $0, $0 and 
$500, respectively.

4. TRANSACTIONS WITH RELATED PARTIES

(a) Altair Travel Agency S.A (“Altair”): The Company uses the services of an affiliated travel agent, Altair, which is 
controlled by the Company’s Chairman of the Board and former CEO. Travel expenses for 2020, 2019 and 2018, were $179, 
$428 and $554, respectively, and are included in Vessels, net, in Vessel operating expenses, in General and administrative 
expenses and in Net income / (loss) from discontinued operations in the accompanying consolidated financial statements 
(Note 3). As at December 31, 2020 and 2019, an amount of $0 and $8, respectively, was payable to Altair and is included 
in Due to related parties in the accompanying consolidated balance sheets. In January 2021, the Company terminated its 
co-operation with Altair, at no cost.

123

 
 
PERFORMANCE SHIPPING INC.
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements
December 31, 2020
(Expressed in thousands of US Dollars – except for share and per share data, unless otherwise stated)

F-19

(b)  Steamship  Shipbroking  Enterprises  Inc.  (“Steamship  Shipbroking”):  Steamship  Shipbroking,  a  company 
controlled by the Company’s Chairman of the Board and former CEO, provided, until March 1, 2020, brokerage services 
to the Company, pursuant to a Brokerage Services Agreement for a fixed fee.  On March 1, 2020, the Company terminated 
the Steamship Shipbroking agreement, which was originally due to expire on March 31, 2020, at no cost.

For 2020, 2019 and 2018, total brokerage fees to Steamship Shipbroking amounted to $280, $2,100 and $2,145 respectively, 
and  are  included  in  General  and  administrative  expenses  in  the  accompanying  consolidated  statements  of  operations. 
As at December 31, 2019 an amount of $420 has been accrued for in connection with bonuses approved to Steamship 
Shipbroking and is included in Accrued liabilities in the accompanying 2019 consolidated balance sheets. As at December 
31, 2020 and 2019, there was no amount due from or due to Steamship Shipbroking.

(c) Pure Brokerage and Shipping Corp.(“Pure Brokerage”): Pure Brokerage, a company controlled by the Company’s 
Non-Executive Director and major shareholder Mrs Aliki Paliou, provides brokerage services to the Company since June 15, 
2020, pursuant to a Brokerage Services Agreement for a fixed monthly fee per each tanker vessel owned by the Company. 
Pure Shipbroking may also, from time to time, receive sale and purchase commissions and chartering commissions on the 
gross freight and hire revenue of the tanker vessels, depending on the respective charter parties’ terms.

For  2020,  commissions  and  brokerage  fees  of  continuing  operations  to  Pure  Brokerage  amounted  to  $227  and  $80, 
respectively,  and  are  included  in  Voyage  expenses  and  in  General  and  administrative  expenses  in  the  accompanying 
consolidated statements of operations. Also for 2020, commissions of discontinued operations amounted to $56 and are 
included in Net income/(loss) from discontinued operations (Note 3). As at December 31, 2020, an amount of $68 was 
payable to Pure Brokerage and is included in Due to related parties in the accompanying consolidated balance sheets.

(d) Diana Shipping Inc. (“DSI”):  In May 2013, the Company entered into an unsecured loan agreement of up to $50,000 
with DSI, which was subsequently amended in 2015, 2016 and 2017. In May 2017, as discussed in Note 9, the Company 
issued 100 shares of its then newly-designated Series C Preferred Stock to DSI, in exchange for a reduction of $3,000 in the 
principal amount of the Company’s then outstanding loan. Later, in June 2017, the Company refinanced the then existing 
loan for an amount of $87,617, including a $5,000 interest-bearing discount premium, which was payable at maturity in 
2018. The loan, which was secured over all of the Company’s container vessels owned as of the date of refinancing, was 
gradually repaid in full up to July 2018, together with the discount premium, and thus the loan agreement was terminated. 
The weighted average interest rate of the DSI loan during 2018 was 6.12%. For 2018, interest expense incurred under 
the loan agreement with DSI amounted to $2,054 and the discount premium amortization amounted to $2,708. Interest 
expense  and  discount  premium  amortization  are  included  in  Net  income  /  (loss)  from  discontinued  operations  in  the 
accompanying consolidated financial statements (Note 3). On March 26, 2020, the Company re-purchased all 100 Series 
C preferred shares that were issued to DSI and consequently cancelled them (Note 9).

(e) $21,000 Investment by the Company’s Chairman of the Board and former CEO: In June and November 2019, 
under two separate transactions, the Company acquired the entities Taburao Shipping Company Inc., Tarawa Shipping 
Company Inc., and Rongelap Shipping Company Inc., which were affiliated with the Company’s CEO and Chairman of 
the Board, Mr. Symeon Palios, for an aggregate purchase price of $21,000. Prior to their acquisition by the Company, each 
of the three newly-acquired entities had signed contracts to purchase an Aframax tanker vessel each, the “Blue Moon”, 
the “Briolette” and the “P. Fos” from unaffiliated third-party sellers for a purchase price of $30,000, $30,000 and $26,000 
respectively,  and  had  paid  advance  deposits  of  $8,000,  $2,000  and  $11,000,  respectively.  The  Company,  in  exchange 
for the aforementioned entities’ acquisition, agreed to pay a price equal to the aggregate deposits previously paid to the 
vessels’ sellers. The $10,000 aggregate purchase price for the previously signed contracts of the “Blue Moon” and the 
“Briolette” was paid in Company’s common shares at a per share price of $10.5, which was the undiscounted closing price 
of the Company’s common stock on the NASDAQ stock exchange on June 7, 2019. The $11,000 purchase price for  the 
previously signed contract of the “P. Fos” was also paid in Company’s common shares at a per share price of $9.027, which 
was the undiscounted closing price of the Company’s common stock on the NASDAQ stock exchange on November 18, 
2019. Both transactions, which were unanimously approved by the disinterested members of the board of directors of the 
Company, resulted in the issuance of an aggregate number of 2,170,947 common shares during 2019.

PERFORMANCE SHIPPING INC.
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements
December 31, 2020
(Expressed in thousands of US Dollars – except for share and per share data, unless otherwise stated)

F-20

The  “Blue  Moon”  and  the  “Briolette”  were  delivered  to  the  Company  charter-free  in  August  and  November  2019, 
respectively, and the Company paid the remaining balance of the purchase price through bank financing and cash on hand. 
The vessel “P. Fos ” was delivered to the Company charter-free in January 2020 and the balance of the purchase price 
payable under the contract of $15,000 was funded through bank financing and cash on hand (Notes 6 and 7).

(f)  Diana Wilhelmsen Management Limited (“DWM”): In December 2019, the Company appointed Diana Wilhelmsen 
Management Limited to provide management services to the container vessels “Rotterdam” and “Domingo” for which 
the Company was paying a fixed monthly management fee, and commissions on the gross hire of the vessels. DWM was 
deemed a related party to the Company until the resignation of certain of the Company’s BOD members and officers, on the 
basis that, until February 2020, certain members of the Company’s management and board of directors also acted as board 
of directors’ members at DWM. For 2020 and 2019, management fees to DWM amounted to $116 and $5, respectively, 
while commissions to DWM for 2020 amounted to $21. Management fees and commissions to DWM are included in Net 
income/ (loss) from discontinued operations in the accompanying consolidated statements of operations (Note 3). As at 
December 31, 2020 and 2019, there was no amount due to or due from DWM.

5. ADVANCES FOR VESSEL ACQUISITIONS AND OTHER VESSELS’ COSTS

As discussed in Note 4, in November 2019, the Company acquired for a purchase price of $11,000 the entity Rongelap 
Shipping Company Inc., whose sole asset was a contract to acquire the tanker vessel “P. Fos” for a total price of $26,000. 
The delivery of the vessel took place in January 2020, and the Company paid the remaining $15,000 of the vessels’ MOA 
price through cash on hand and debt financing, as the Company drew down an amount of $14,000 from Nordea, pursuant 
to the respective amended and restated loan agreement terms (Note 7).

As at December 31, 2020, there were no advances for vessels’ acquisitions and other vessels’ costs. As at December 31, 
2019, the amount presented in the accompanying consolidated balance sheets represents solely the advance deposits and 
other costs capitalized in connection with the prospective acquisition of the tanker vessel “P. Fos”, in accordance with the 
Company’s accounting policy, and is analyzed as follows:

Advances for vessel acquisitions

Capitalized costs

Total

December 31, 2020

December 31, 2019

$

$

- $

-

 - $

11,000

17

11,017

125

PERFORMANCE SHIPPING INC.
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements
December 31, 2020
(Expressed in thousands of US Dollars – except for share and per share data, unless otherwise stated)

F-21

6. VESSELS, NET

Vessel acquisitions – Continuing Operations

In 2019, the Company acquired the tanker vessels “Blue Moon” and “Briolette”, for a purchase price of $30,000 each. 
The Company had acquired in June 2019 from its’ Chairman of the Board and former CEO the entities Taburao Shipping 
Company Inc. and Tarawa Shipping Company Inc., whose sole assets were the contracts to acquire the specific vessels 
(Note 4). The vessels were delivered to the Company in August and November 2019, respectively, and aggregate pre-
delivery costs capitalized amounted to $161.

As discussed in Notes 4 and 5, in November 2019, the Company acquired from its’ Chairman of the Board and former CEO 
the entity Rongelap Shipping Company Inc., whose sole asset was a contract to acquire the tanker vessel “P. Fos” for a 
purchase price of $11,000. In January 2020, the Company took delivery of the tanker vessel “P. Fos”, which had a purchase 
price of $26,000. Later during the year, the Company also acquired the tanker vessels “P. Kikuma” and “P. Yanbu”, for a 
purchase price of $26,000 and $22,000, respectively. The vessels were delivered to the Company in March and December 
2020,  respectively. Aggregate  pre-delivery  costs  capitalized  in  connection  with  these  three  vessels  amounted  to  $403 
(including the $17 that were capitalized in 2019 for the vessel “P Fos” – Note 5).

Vessels’ impairment – Discontinued Operations

In 2020, 2019 and 2018, the Company, taking into account the provisions of ASC 360 and factors such as the vessels’ 
age and employment prospects under the then current market conditions, determined the future undiscounted cash flows 
for  each  of  its  vessels,  considering  its  various  alternatives,  including  sale  possibilities.  During  2020,  2019,  and  2018, 
the  carrying  value  of  one,  three  and  two  vessels,  respectively,  was  impaired  as  a  result  of  their  classification  as  “held 
for sale” or as a result of the Company’s impairment exercise. More specifically, in 2020, an impairment loss of $339 
was recognized in connection with the container vessels’ “Rotterdam” held for sale classification on the March 31, 2020 
balance sheets, as the vessel’s carrying value exceeded its fair value, less costs to sell. During 2019, an impairment loss 
of $17,434 was recognized in connection with the classification of the container vessel “Pucon” as “held for sale” on the 
September 30, 2019 balance sheets, and an aggregate impairment loss of $14,195 was recognized for the container vessels 
”Pamina” and “Rotterdam” that were classified on the June 30, 2019, and December 31, 2019 balance sheets, respectively, 
as  held  and  used,  as  the  Company’s  impairment  exercise  concluded  that  their  carrying  value  was  not  recoverable.  In 
2018, the Company, after taking into account factors such as the vessels’ age and employment prospects under the then 
current market conditions, determined the future undiscounted cash flows for each of its vessels, considering its various 
alternatives, including sale possibilities. This assessment concluded that the carrying value of two vessels in 2018 was 
not  recoverable  and  accordingly,  the  Company  has  recognized  an  aggregate  impairment  loss  of  $20,654.  The  vessels 
were measured at fair value on a non-recurring basis as a result of the Company’s impairment test exercise or their “held 
for sale” classification and their fair value was determined through Level 2 inputs of the fair value hierarchy making also 
use of available market data for the market value of vessels with similar characteristics. The aggregate fair value of the 
impaired vessels as of the testing dates was $18,130 in 2020, $47,393 in 2019 and $29,074 in 2018.

In aggregate, in 2020, 2019, and 2018, the impairment loss recognized by the Company amounted to $339, $31,629, out 
of which $598 were unamortized dry-dock costs (Note 2 (k),(o)), and $20,654 respectively, and is included in Net income/
(loss) from discontinued operations in the accompanying consolidated statement of operations (Note 3).

PERFORMANCE SHIPPING INC.
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements
December 31, 2020
(Expressed in thousands of US Dollars – except for share and per share data, unless otherwise stated)

F-22

Vessels’ disposals – Discontinued Operations

In August and September 2019, the Company, through two of its subsidiaries, entered into two memoranda of agreement 
to  sell  the  container  vessels  “Pamina”  and  “Pucon”  to  unrelated  parties  for  an  aggregate  gross  price  of  $29,340.  The 
“Pamina”  and  the  “Pucon”  were  delivered  to  their  new  owners  in  October  and  November  2019,  respectively,  and  the 
Company  received  the  sale  proceeds  in  accordance  with  the  terms  of  the  contracts.    In  January  and August  2020,  the 
Company, through two of its subsidiaries, agreed to sell the container vessels “Rotterdam” and “Domingo” to unrelated 
parties for an aggregate gross price of $24,100, respectively. The vessels were delivered to her new owners in April and 
August 2020, respectively, and the Company received the sale proceeds in accordance with the terms of the contracts.

For 2020, the gain on sale of vessels, net of direct to sale expenses, amounted to $319, while the respective loss for 2019 
and 2018, including direct to sale expenses, amounted to $127 and $16,700, respectively. The gain / (loss) on vessels’ sale 
is included in Net income/(loss) from discontinued operations in the accompanying consolidated statement of operations 
(Note 3).

The amounts of Vessels, net in the accompanying consolidated balance sheets are analyzed as follows:

CONTINUING OPERATIONS

Balance, December 31, 2018

- Acquisitions and other vessels' costs

- Depreciation

Balance, December 31, 2019

-  Transfer from advances for vessel acquisitions and other vessel costs

- Acquisitions and other vessels' costs

- Depreciation

Balance, December 31, 2020

DISCONTINUED OPERATIONS

Balance, December 31, 2018

- Vessels' disposals

- Depreciation

Impairment charges

Vessels’ Cost

Accumulated 
Depreciation

Net Book 
Value

$

$

- $

60,161

-

 -  $

-

(740)

60,161 $

(740) $

11,017

63,386

-

-

-

(5,716)

-

60,161

(740)

59,421

11,017

63,386

(5,716)

$

134,564 $

(6,456) $

128,108

Vessels’ Cost

Accumulated 
Depreciation

Net Book 
Value

105,424

(40,553)

-

(31,031)

(19,554)

11,677

(2,513)

-

85,870

(28,876)

(2,513)

(31,031

Balance, December 31, 2019

$

33,840 $

(10,390) $

23,450

- Vessels' disposals

- Impairment charges

- Depreciation

Balance, December 31, 2020

(33,501)

(339)

$

-

- $

10,421

(23,080)

-

(31)

- $

(339)

(31)

127

PERFORMANCE SHIPPING INC.
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements
December 31, 2020
(Expressed in thousands of US Dollars – except for share and per share data, unless otherwise stated)

F-23

As at December 31, 2020, the Company’s vessels, having an aggregate net book value of $128,108, have been provided as 
collateral to secure the loan facilities with Nordea and Piraeus Bank (Note 7).

7. LONG-TERM DEBT

The amount of long-term debt shown in the accompanying consolidated balance sheets is analyzed as follows:

Nordea secured term loan

$

28,142

$

3,740

$

24,402

$

32,481

 $

4,340

$

28,141

December  
31, 2020

Current

Non-current

December  
31, 2019 

Current

Non-current 

Piraeus Bank secured term loan

29,958

4,171

(143)

25,787

-

(291)

(198)

-

(58)

-

(140)

(434)

$

57,666

$

7,768

$

49,898

$

32,283

 $

4,282

$

28,001

less unamortized deferred 
financing costs

Total debt, net of deferred 
financing costs

Secured Term  Loans:  On  July  24,  2019,  the  Company,  through Taburao  Shipping  Company  Inc.  and Tarawa  Shipping 
Company Inc. (collectively the “Initial Borrowers”), entered into a loan agreement with Nordea Bank Abp, Filial i Norge 
(“Nordea”)  for  a  senior  secured  term  loan  facility  of  up  to  $33,000  (the  “Initial  Agreement”),  to  partially  finance  the 
acquisition cost of the tanker vessels “Blue Moon” and “Briolette”. On December 23, 2019 the Company, through the “Initial 
Borrowers”  and  Rongelap  Shipping  Company  Inc.  (collectively  the  “First Amendment  Borrowers”),  entered  into  a  First 
Amendment and Restatement Loan Agreement with Nordea for a senior secured term loan facility of up to $47,000, to provide 
additional finance of $14,000 for the acquisition of the tanker vessel “P. Fos”. On March 20, 2020, the Company, through 
the “First Amendment Borrowers” and Toka Shipping Company Inc. (collectively the “Second Amendment Borrowers”), 
signed a Second Amendment and Restatement Loan Agreement with Nordea, which increased the maximum loan amount up 
to $59,000, to additionally finance the acquisition cost of the vessel “P. Kikuma”, by $12,000. Finally, on December 9, 2020, 
the Company, entered into a Deed of Release with Nordea, according to which the borrowers of the vessels “P. Fos” and  
“P. Kikuma” were released from all obligations under the agreement, as they fully repaid their indebtedness in connection 
with  the  loan’s  re-finance  by  Piraeus  Bank  S.A.  (described  below). Also,  on  the  same  day,  the  Company  entered  into  a 
Supplemental Loan Agreement with Nordea, to amend the existing repayment schedules of the “Blue Moon” and “Briolette” 
tranches  and  to  amend  the  major  shareholder’s  clause  included  in  the  agreement. The  First  and  Second Amendment  and 
Restatement Loan Agreements, and the Supplemental Loan Agreement with Nordea included substantially identical terms to 
the Initial Agreement.

On December 3, 2020, the Company, through Rongelap Shipping Company Inc., Toka Shipping Company Inc. and Arno 
Shipping Company Inc. (collectively the “Piraeus Bank Borrowers”), entered into a loan agreement with Piraeus Bank S.A. 
(“Piraeus Bank”) for a senior secured term loan facility of up to $31,526, to refinance the existing indebtedness of the vessels 
“P. Fos” and “P. Kikuma” with Nordea, described above, and partially finance the acquisition cost of the vessel “P. Yanbu”. 
The three borrowers utilized in December 2020 an aggregate amount of $29,958 under the loan agreement, and no amount 
remained available for drawdown thereafter.

The Nordea and Piraeus Bank loans are repayable in quarterly installments plus one balloon installment per loan agreement 
to be paid together with the last installment and bear interest at LIBOR plus margin ranging from 2.75% to 2.85%. Their 
maturities fall in July and December 2024, respectively, and at each utilization date, arrangement fees of 1.00% were paid. 
Financing fees for loan amendments that are determined by the Company to be debt modifications are classified as a contra to 
debt and amortized over the term of the loans using the effective interest method, and unamortized fees relating to the repaid 
loans which were deemed a debt extinguishment, which amounted to $176 in 2020, were expensed in interest and finance 
costs in the period the extinguishment was made.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
PERFORMANCE SHIPPING INC.
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements
December 31, 2020
(Expressed in thousands of US Dollars – except for share and per share data, unless otherwise stated)

F-24

The loans are guaranteed by Performance Shipping Inc., are secured by first priority mortgages over the financed vessels, 
first priority assignments of earnings, insurances and of any charters exceeding durations of two years, pledge over the 
borrowers’ shares and over their earnings accounts, and vessels’ managers’ undertakings. The loan agreements require a 
minimum hull value of the financed vessels, impose restrictions as to dividend distribution following the occurrence of 
an event of default and changes in shareholding, include customary financial covenants and require at all times during 
the facility period a minimum cash liquidity. As at December 31, 2020, and December 31, 2019, the compensating cash 
balance required under the loan agreements amounted to $9,000 and $7,000 respectively, and is included in Cash and cash 
equivalents in the accompanying consolidated balance sheets. As at December 31, 2020 and 2019, the Company was in 
compliance with all of its loan covenants, and has obtained the lenders’ consent for the change of the Company’s major 
shareholder that took place in 2020.

For 2020, 2019 and 2018, interest expense on long-term debt in connection with the above-described loan agreements 
amounted to $1,710, $416 and $0, and commitment fees amounted to $6, $55 and $0 and are included in Interest and 
finance costs in the accompanying consolidated statement of operations. Accrued interest as of December 31, 2020 and 
2019 amounted to $63 and $8, respectively, and is included in Accrued liabilities in the accompanying consolidated balance 
sheets. The weighted average interest rate of the Company’s loans for 2020 and 2019, was 3.32% and 4.68%, respectively.

For 2018, interest expense and discount premium amortization in connection with the terminated loan agreement with 
Addiewell  Ltd  amounted  to  $247  and  $6,282,  respectively,  and  are  included  in  Net  income  /  (loss)  from  discontinued 
operations in the accompanying consolidated statement of operations (Note 3).

As at December 31, 2020, the maturities of the debt facilities described above, are as follows:

Year 1

Year 2

Year 3

Year 4

Total

Principal Repayment 

$ 7,911

7,911

7,911

34,367

$ 58,100

8. COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES

(a)  Various claims, suits, and complaints, including those involving government regulations and product liability, arise
in the ordinary course of the shipping business. In addition, losses may arise from disputes with charterers, agents, insurance 
and other claims with suppliers relating to the operations of the Company’s vessels. Currently, management is not aware of 
any claims or contingent liabilities, which should be disclosed, or for which a provision should be established and has not 
in the accompanying consolidated financial statements.

The Company accrues for the cost of environmental liabilities when management becomes aware that a liability is probable 
and  is  able  to  reasonably  estimate  the  probable  exposure.  Currently,  management  is  not  aware  of  any  such  claims  or 
contingent  liabilities,  which  should  be  disclosed,  or  for  which  a  provision  should  be  established  in  the  accompanying 
consolidated financial statements.

129

PERFORMANCE SHIPPING INC.
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements
December 31, 2020
(Expressed in thousands of US Dollars – except for share and per share data, unless otherwise stated)

F-25

The Company’s vessels are covered for pollution in the amount of $1 billion per vessel per incident, by the protection 
and indemnity association (“P&I Association”) in which the Company’s vessels are entered. The Company’s vessels are 
subject to calls payable to their P&I Association and may be subject to supplemental calls which are based on estimates of 
premium income and anticipated and paid claims. Such estimates are adjusted each year by the Board of Directors of the 
P&I Association until the closing of the relevant policy year, which generally occurs within three years from the end of the 
policy year.  Supplemental calls, if any, are expensed when they are announced and according to the period they relate to. 
The Company is not aware of any supplemental calls outstanding in respect of any policy year.

(b)  As  at  December  31,  2020,  the  tanker  vessel  “Blue  Moon”  was  operating  under  a  time  charter  agreement,  which  is
accounted for as per ASC 842 requirements, while the Company’s remaining tanker vessels were on spot voyages, which are 
accounted for as per ASC 606 requirements. The minimum contractual annual charter revenues, net of related commissions 
to third parties, to be generated from the existing as at December 31, 2020, non-cancelable charter contracts, are estimated 
at $8,565 until December 31, 2021.

(c)  The Company rents its office spaces in Greece under various lease agreements with unaffiliated parties. The durations of
these agreements vary from a few months to 3 years and certain of these contracts also bear the option for the Company 
to extend the lease terms for further periods. Under ASC 842, the Company, as a lessee, has classified these contracts as 
operating leases and accordingly, a lease liability of $184 and $190, respectively, and an equal right-of-use asset based 
on the present value of future minimum lease payments for the fixed periods of each contract have been recognized on 
the December 31, 2020 and 2019 balance sheets. The monthly rent cost under the existing as of December 31, 2020 lease 
agreements are $8 (based on the exchange rate of Euro/US Dollar $1.22 as of December 31, 2020). Rent expense for 2020, 
2019 and 2018 amounted to $104, $81 and $61, respectively, and is included in General and administrative expenses of 
the continuing operations in the accompanying consolidated statements of operations. The Company has assessed the right 
of use asset recognized for office leases for impairment and concluded that no impairment charge should be recorded as 
December 31, 2020 as no impairment indicators existed.

The following table sets forth the Company’s undiscounted office rental obligations as at December 31, 2020:

Year 1

Year 2

Year 3

Total

Less imputed interest

Present value of lease liabilities

Lease liabilities, current

Lease liabilities, non- current

Present value of lease liabilities

Amount

100

79

21

200

-16

184

94

90

184

$

$

$

$

 
 
PERFORMANCE SHIPPING INC.
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements
December 31, 2020
(Expressed in thousands of US Dollars – except for share and per share data, unless otherwise stated)

F-26

9. CHANGES IN CAPITAL ACCOUNTS
(a) Series B Preferred Stock and Warrants to purchase Series B Preferred Stock: On March 21, 2017, the Company 
completed a registered direct offering of (i) 3,000 newly-designated Series B-1 convertible preferred shares, par value $0.01 
per share, and common shares underlying such Series B-1 convertible preferred shares, and (ii) warrants to purchase 6,500 
of Series B-1 convertible preferred shares, 6,500 of Series B-1 convertible preferred shares underlying such warrants, and 
common shares underlying such Series B-1 convertible preferred shares. Concurrently with the registered direct offering, 
the  Company  completed  an  offering  of  warrants  to  purchase  140,500  of  Series  B-2  convertible  preferred  shares  in  a 
private placement, in reliance on Regulation S under the Securities Act. The securities in the registered direct offering 
and private placement were issued and sold to Kalani Investments Limited (or “Kalani”), an entity not affiliated with the 
Company, pursuant to a Securities Purchase Agreement. In connection with the private placement, the Company entered 
into a Registration Rights Agreement with Kalani, pursuant to which the investor was granted certain registration rights 
with respect to the securities issued and sold in the private placement. The Series B-2 convertible preferred shares were 
convertible at any time at the option of the holder into common shares based on specific terms of the agreements. On March 
24, 2019, the Series B-2 Preferred Warrants that were exercisable for Series B-2 Preferred Shares expired, in accordance 
with their terms.

In 2018 and 2019, the Company received net equity proceeds, after deducting offering expenses payable by the Company, 
of $17,413 and $6,452, respectively. In 2018, an aggregate of 17,490 preferred warrants were exercised for the sale of 
an equal number of preferred shares and in aggregate, 17,529 Series B-2 convertible preferred shares were converted to 
1,025,027 common shares, thus leaving 250 Series B convertible preferred shares outstanding as at December 31, 2018. 
In 2019, an aggregate of 6,470 preferred warrants were exercised for the sale of an equal number of preferred shares and 
in aggregate, 5,220 Series B convertible preferred shares were converted to 710,051 common shares, thus leaving 1,500 
Series  B  convertible  preferred  shares  outstanding  as  at  December  31,  2019.  From  January  1,  2020  and  up  to April  6, 
2020, 1,100 Series B convertible preferred shares were converted to 195,215 common shares, thus leaving 400 Series B 
convertible preferred shares outstanding as at April 6, 2020. On April 6, 2020, the Company’s BOD members approved the 
re-purchase of the Company’s outstanding Series B-2 Preferred Shares, previously issued to “Kalani”, for a purchase price 
of $400. Following the BOD approval, the Company entered into an agreement with “Kalani” on April 7, 2020 for the re-
purchase of all 400 Series B-2 convertible preferred shares outstanding, paid the purchase price of $400 and consequently 
cancelled the Series B-2 Preferred Shares.

(b) Series C Preferred Stock: On May 30, 2017, the Company issued 100 shares of its then newly-designated Series C 
Preferred Stock, par value $0.01 per share, to DSI, in exchange for a reduction of $3,000 in the principal amount of the 
Company’s then outstanding loan, as described in Note 4. The Series C Preferred Stock had no dividend or liquidation 
rights.  The  Series  C  Preferred  Stock  voted  with  the  common  shares  of  the  Company,  and  each  share  of  the  Series  C 
Preferred Stock entitled the holder thereof to up to 250,000 votes, subject to a cap such that the aggregate voting power 
of any holder of Series C Preferred Stock together with its affiliates would not exceed 49.0%, on all matters submitted 
to  a  vote  of  the  stockholders  of  the  Company. As  at  December  31,  2019,  the  100  Series  C  Preferred  Stock  remained 
outstanding. On March 23, 2020, the Company’s disinterested BOD members approved the repurchase of the Company’s 
100 Series C Preferred Shares, held by Diana Shipping Inc., for a purchase price of $1,500. The Company’s disinterested 
BOD members had previously received a fairness opinion from an independent third party that the transaction was fair 
from a financial point of view to the Company. On March 25, 2020, the Company agreed with DSI for the repurchase of the 
Series C Preferred Shares and on March 26, 2020, the Company paid the agreed purchase price and consequently cancelled 
the Series C Preferred Shares.

131

PERFORMANCE SHIPPING INC.
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements
December 31, 2020
(Expressed in thousands of US Dollars – except for share and per share data, unless otherwise stated)

F-27

(c) Receipt of NASDAQ Notices: On January 15, 2019, the Company announced that it has received written notification 
from The NASDAQ Stock Market LLC (“NASDAQ”) dated January 10, 2019, indicating that because the closing bid 
price of the Company’s common stock for 30 consecutive business days was below the minimum $1.00 per share bid 
price requirement for continued listing on the NASDAQ Global Select Market, the Company was not in compliance with 
NASDAQ Listing Rule 5450(a)(1). The Company regained compliance on April 4, 2019, and thus cured this deficiency 
within the prescribed grace period.

On  September  11,  2019,  the  Company  announced  that  it  has  received  written  notification  from  The  NASDAQ  dated 
September 6, 2019, indicating the closing bid price of the Company’s common stock for 30 consecutive business days was 
below the minimum $1.00 per share bid price requirement for continued listing on the NASDAQ Global Select Market, 
the Company’s applicable grace period to regain compliance was until March 4, 2020. On March 6, 2020 the Company’s 
securities were transferred to NASDAQ Capital Market and in connection with this, the Company was granted an additional 
grace period of 180 days, until August 31, 2020, to cure the bid price deficiency. On April 20, 2020, NASDAQ further 
notified the Company that, due to the unprecedented turmoil in U.S. and world financial markets that Covid-19 outbreak 
has caused, it filed an immediately effective rule change with the Securities and Exchange Commission for the tolling of 
the compliance periods of all price-based deficiencies and, as such, it granted the Company additional time until November 
16, 2020, to regain compliance. The Company cured its bid price deficiency within the required time period by effecting 
on November 2, 2020 a reverse stock split on its common stock (see under (d) below).

(d) One-for-Ten Reverse Stock Split: With the intention of complying with NASDAQ’s minimum bid price requirements 
discussed above, the Company effected as of the opening of trading on November 2, 2020 a one-for-ten reverse stock split 
of its common shares, which was approved by shareholders at the Company’s 2020 Special Meeting of Shareholders held 
on October 29, 2020. The number of the Company’s common shares issued and outstanding at that date was reduced from 
50,155,299 to 5,015,501. No fractional shares were issued in connection with the reverse split. Shareholders who would 
otherwise hold fractional shares of the Company’s common stock received a cash payment in lieu of such fractional share.

(e) Share Repurchase Program: In January 2019, the Company had announced that its Board of Directors authorized 
a share repurchase program to purchase up to an aggregate of $6,000 of the Company’s common shares. The timing and 
amount of any repurchases would be determined by the Company’s management and would depend on market conditions, 
capital allocation alternatives, applicable securities laws, and other factors. The Board of Directors’ authorization of the 
repurchase program was effective immediately and would expire on December 21, 2019. Common shares repurchased as 
part of this program would be cancelled by the Company. During 2019, no shares had been repurchased under the specific 
program, which expired on December 21, 2019.

In January 2020, the Company’s Board of Directors further authorized a share repurchase program to purchase up to an 
aggregate  of  $6,000  of  the  Company’s  common  shares,  with  identical  terms  to  the  former  program.  During  2020,  the 
Company has repurchased 81,785 common shares of value $656, including expenses, and all common shares repurchased 
as part of this program were cancelled by the Company. The Board of Directors’ authorization of this program expired on 
December 21, 2020.

PERFORMANCE SHIPPING INC.
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements
December 31, 2020
(Expressed in thousands of US Dollars – except for share and per share data, unless otherwise stated)

F-28

(f) Compensation Cost on Restricted Common Stock: On February 9, 2018, the Company’s Board of Directors approved 
an amendment to the 2015 Equity Incentive Plan, to increase the aggregate number of shares issuable under the plan to 
55,000 shares. On February 9, 2018, the Company issued 16,170 restricted common shares as an award to the executive 
management and the non-executive directors, pursuant to the Company’s Board of Directors’ decision of February 9, 2017. 
The fair value of the award was $380 and the number of shares issued was based on the share closing price of February 9, 
2018. One third of the shares vested on February 9, 2018, and the remainder two thirds vested ratably over two years from 
the issuance date. As at December 31, 2019, 38,830 restricted common shares remained reserved for issuance under the Plan.

On February 15, 2018, the Company’s Board of Directors approved a one-time award of restricted common stock, which 
was proposed by the Company’s compensation committee, with an aggregate value of $5,000, to the Company’s executive 
officers and non-executive directors, in recognition of the successful refinancing of the Company’s RBS loan in 2017. In this 
respect, a number of 574,779 restricted shares were issued on February 15, 2019 and their number was defined based on the 
share closing price of February 15, 2019. One third of the shares vested on the issuance date and the remainder two thirds 
vest ratably over two years from the issuance date. In 2018, a compensation cost of $1,464 was recognized in connection 
with the specific award and is included in General and administrative expenses in the accompanying consolidated statements 
of operations, and in February 2019, upon the issuance of the shares, the respective amount has been reclassified from Other 
liabilities, non-current to Additional paid-in capital in the accompanying 2019 consolidated balance sheets.

On December 30, 2020, the Company’s Board of Directors approved an amendment to the 2015 Equity Incentive Plan, to 
increase the aggregate number of shares issuable under the plan to 538,830 shares, and further approved 67,225 restricted 
common shares to be issued on the same date as an award to the Company’s directors. The fair value of the award was $320 
and was calculated by using the share closing price of December 29, 2020. One fourth of the shares vested on December 
30, 2020 and the remainder three fourths will vest ratably over three years from the issuance date. As at December 31, 
2020, 471,605 restricted common shares remained reserved for issuance under the Plan.

During 2020, 2019 and 2018, aggregate compensation cost on restricted stock amounted to $1,916, $1,791 and $1,587 
respectively,  and  is  included  in  General  and  administrative  expenses  in  the  accompanying  consolidated  statements  of 
operations. At December 31, 2020 and 2019, the total unrecognized compensation cost relating to restricted share awards 
was $293 and $1,889, respectively.

During 2020, 2019 and 2018, the movement of the restricted stock cost was as follows:

Outstanding at December 31, 2017
Granted
Vested
Forfeited or expired
Outstanding at December 31, 2018
Granted
Vested
Forfeited or expired
Outstanding at December 31, 2019
Granted
Vested
Forfeited or expired
Outstanding at December 31, 2020

Number of Shares

 -
16,170
(5,390)
-

10,780 $

574,779
(196,983)
-
388,576
67,225
(355,702)
-

100,099 $

Weighted Average  
Grant Date Price
- 
23.50
23.50
-
23.50
8.70
9.10
-
8.90
4.76
8.74
-
6.71

As  at  December  31,  2020,  the  weighted-average  period  over  which  the  total  compensation  cost  related  to  non-vested 
awards, as presented above, is expected to be recognized, is 1.07 years.

133

PERFORMANCE SHIPPING INC.
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements
December 31, 2020
(Expressed in thousands of US Dollars – except for share and per share data, unless otherwise stated)

F-29

10. INTEREST AND FINANCE COSTS

The amounts in the accompanying consolidated statements of operations are analyzed as follows:

Interest expense on bank debt  (Note 7)

Amortization of deferred financing costs

Commitment fees and other

Total

2020 

1,710 $

325  

54  

2,089 $

$

$

2019 

2018

416 $

154  

81  

651 $

-

-

-

-

For 2018, interest and finance costs of $11,520 are included in Net income / (loss) of discontinued operations, as these costs 
were attributable to loans in connection with the Company’s container vessels (Note 3).

11. EARNINGS / (LOSS) PER SHARE

All common shares issued (including the restricted shares issued under the equity incentive plan, or else) are the Company’s 
common stock and have equal rights to vote and participate in dividends, subject to forfeiture provisions set forth in the 
applicable award agreements. Unvested shares granted under the Company’s incentive plan, or else, are entitled to receive 
dividends which are not refundable, even if such shares are forfeited, and therefore are considered participating securities 
for basic earnings per share calculation purposes. For 2020, 2019 and 2018, the Company paid dividends of $502, $0 and 
$0. The calculation of basic earnings/ (loss) per share does not consider the non-vested shares as outstanding until the time-
based vesting restrictions have lapsed. The dilutive effect of share-based compensation arrangements is computed using 
the treasury stock method, which assumes that the “proceeds” upon exercise of these awards are used to purchase common 
shares at the average market price for the period. For 2020, no incremental shares were calculated from the application of the 
treasury stock method for the restricted shares. The computation of diluted earnings per share reflects the potential dilution 
from conversion of outstanding preferred convertible stock (Note 9) calculated with the “if converted” method and resulted 
for 2020 in 70,087 shares. As of December 31, 2019 and 2018, securities that could potentially dilute basic loss per share 
in the future that were not included in the computation of diluted loss per share, because to do so would have anti-dilutive 
effect, are any incremental shares of non-vested equity incentive plan shares, calculated with the treasury stock method, 
as well as shares assumed to be converted with respect to the preferred convertible stock calculated with the if-converted 
method.

For 2020, earnings attributable to common equity holders is adjusted by $1,500, being the difference between the fair value 
of the consideration paid for the re-purchase of the Series C preferred shares (Note 9) and the carrying amount of the shares 
surrendered.  The  $1,500  gain  from  repurchase  has  been  allocated  to  continuing  operations,  as  it  derives  from  corporate 
decisions in connection with the restructuring of the Company’s share capital.

 
 
 
PERFORMANCE SHIPPING INC.
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements
December 31, 2020
(Expressed in thousands of US Dollars – except for share and per share data, unless otherwise stated)

F-30

Net income / (loss) from  
continuing operations

plus gain from repurchase  
of preferred shares

less income allocated to participating 
securities
Net income / (loss) available 
to common stockholders from 
continuing operations

Net income / (loss) from 
discontinued operations

Total net income / (loss) available to 
common stockholders

Weighted average number  
of common shares outstanding

2020

2019

2018

Basic EPS Diluted EPS

Basic LPS Diluted LPS Basic LPS Diluted LPS

$

2,295 $

2,295 $

(6,743)

$

(6,743) $

(7,943)

$

(7,943)

1,500  

1,500  

(87)

(87)

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

3,708  

3,708  

(6,743)

(6,743)

(7,943)

(7,943)

1,482  

1,482  

(25,314)

(25,314)

(44,952)

(44,952)

5,190  

5,190  

(32,057)

(32,057)

(52,895)

(52,895)

  4,875,475   4,875,475   2,864,676

2,864,676  

945,056

945,056

Effect of dilutive shares

-

70,087  

-

-

-

-

Total shares outstanding

  4,875,475   4,945,562   2,864,676

2,864,676  

945,056

945,056

Earnings / (Loss) per common 
share, continuing operations

Earnings / (Loss) per common 
share, discontinued operations

Earnings / (Loss)  
per common share, total

$

$

$

0.76 $

0.75 $

(2.35)

$

(2.35) $

(8.40)

$

(8.40)

0.30 $

0.30 $

(8.84)

$

(8.84) $

(47.57)

$

(47.57)

1.06 $

1.05 $

(11.19)

$

(11.19) $

(55.97)

$

(55.97)

135

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
PERFORMANCE SHIPPING INC.
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements
December 31, 2020
(Expressed in thousands of US Dollars – except for share and per share data, unless otherwise stated)

F-31

12. INCOME TAXES

Under the laws of the countries of the companies’ incorporation and / or vessels’ registration, the companies are not subject 
to tax on international shipping income; however, they are subject to registration and tonnage taxes, which are included in 
Vessel operating expenses in the accompanying consolidated statements of operations.

The Company is potentially subject to a four percent U.S. federal income tax on 50% of its gross income derived by its 
voyages that begin or end in the United States.  However, under Section 883 of the Internal Revenue Code of the United 
States (the “Code”), a corporation is exempt from U.S. federal income taxation on its U.S.-source shipping income if: (a) 
it is organized in a foreign country that grants an equivalent exemption from tax to corporations organized in the United 
States (an “equivalent exemption”); and (b) either (i) more than 50% of the value of its common stock is owned, directly 
or indirectly, by “qualified shareholders,”, which is referred to as the “50% Ownership Test,” or (ii) its common stock is 
“primarily and regularly traded on an established securities market” in the United States or in a country that grants an 
“equivalent exemption”, which is referred to as the “Publicly-Traded Test.”

The Marshall Islands, the jurisdiction where Performance Shipping Inc. and each of its vessel-owning subsidiaries are 
incorporated, grant an “equivalent exemption” to U.S. corporations. Therefore, the Company would be exempt from U.S. 
federal income taxation with respect to its U.S.-source shipping income if either the 50% Ownership Test or the Publicly-
Traded Test is met.

Based on the trading and ownership of its stock, the Company believes that it satisfied the Publicly-Traded Test for its 2020 
taxable year and intends to take this position on its 2020 U.S. federal income tax returns.  Therefore, the Company does not 
expect to have any U.S. federal income tax liability for the year ended December 31, 2020.

13. FINANCIAL INSTRUMENTS AND FAIR VALUE DISCLOSURES

The  carrying  values  of  temporary  cash  investments,  accounts  receivable  and  accounts  payable  approximate  their  fair 
value due to the short-term nature of these financial instruments. The fair values of long-term bank loans approximate the 
recorded values, due to their variable interest rates. The Company is exposed to interest rate fluctuations associated with 
its variable rate borrowings and its objective is to manage the impact of such fluctuations on earnings and cash flows of its 
borrowings. Currently, the company does not have any derivative instruments to manage such fluctuations.

14. SUBSEQUENT EVENTS

(a) Issuance of Stock Options: On January 1, 2021, the Company granted to an officer of the Company stock options to 
purchase 120,000 of the Company’s common shares as a remuneration which can be realized only when the stock price 
increases for the purpose of encouraging the commitment to corporate value expansion.  The stock options are exercisable 
at a price range between $10.0 and $30.0 per share, for a term of five years. The terms of the stock options granted are in 
accordance with the Company’s Equity Incentive Plan.

CORPORATE OFFICES 
Performance Shipping Inc. 
373 Syngrou Ave., 17564 Palaio Faliro, Athens, Greece 
Tel: +30-216-600-2400 
www.pshipping.com

CORPORATE CONTACT 
Andreas Michalopoulos 
Director, Chief Executive Officer, Treasurer and Secretary 
Tel: +30-216-600-2555 
amichalopoulos@pshipping.com 

TRANSFER AGENT AND REGISTRAR  
Computershare 
P.O. Box 358015, Pittsburgh, PA 15252-8015 
480 Washington Boulevard, Jersey City, NJ 07310 
www.computershare.com 

LEGAL COUNSEL 
Seward and Kissel LLP 
One Battery Park Plaza, New York, NY 10004 
Tel: +1-212-574-1200 
https://www.sewkis.com 

INDEPENDENT AUDITORS 
Ernst & Young (Hellas) Certified Auditors-Accountants S.A 
8B Chimarras, 151 25 Maroussi, Greece 
https://www.ey.com/en_gr  

INVESTOR AND MEDIA RELATIONS 
Edward Nebb 
Comm-Counsellors, LLC 
724 Valley Road, New Canaan, Connecticut 06840 
Tel: +1-203-972-8350 
enebb@optonline.net

STOCK LISTING 
Performance Shipping Inc.’s stock is traded  
on the Nasdaq Capital Market under the symbol “PSHG”. 

pshipping.com