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GENCO SHIPPING & TRADING LTD - Annual Report: 2008 (Form 10-K)

kl02071.htm

 

UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549
 
FORM 10-K
 
ý Annual Report Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d)
of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934
 
For the fiscal year ended December 31, 2008
 
or
 
o Transition Report Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the
Securities Exchange Act of 1934
 
For the transition period from                  to                
 
Commission file number 000-51442
 
GENCO SHIPPING & TRADING LIMITED
(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)
 
Republic of the Marshall Islands
 
98-043-9758
(State or other jurisdiction of
 
(I.R.S. Employer
incorporation or organization)
 
Identification No.)
     
299 Park Avenue, 20th Floor, New York, New York
 
10171
(Address of principal executive offices)
 
(Zip Code)

 
Registrant’s telephone number, including area code: (646) 443-8550
 
Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act:

Title of Each Class

Common Stock, par value $.01 per share

 
Name of Each Exchange on Which Registered
 
 
New York Stock Exchange
 

Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(g) of the Act:
None

Indicate by check mark if the registrant is a well-known seasoned issuer, as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act.
Yes o No ý

Indicated by check mark if the registrant is not required to file reports pursuant to Section 13 or Section 15(d) of the Act.
Yes o No ý

Indicate by checkmark whether the registrant (1) has filed all reports required to be filed by Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to file such reports) and (2) has been subject to such filing requirements for the past 90 days.
 
 

 
Yes ý No o

Indicate by check mark if disclosure of delinquent filers pursuant to Item 405 of Regulation S-K is not contained herein, and will not be contained, to the best of the registrant’s knowledge, in definitive proxy or information statements incorporated by reference in Part III of this Form 10-K or any amendment to this Form 10-K.
ý

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a large accelerated filer, an accelerated filer, a non-accelerated filer, or a smaller reporting company.  See the definition of “large accelerated filer,” “accelerated filer” and “smaller reporting company” in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act.
 
Large accelerated filer ý        Accelerated filer o      Non-accelerated filer oSmaller reporting company o

Indicate by check mark whether registrant is a shell company (as defined in Rule 12b-2 of the Act).
Yes o No ý


The aggregate market value of the registrant's voting common equity held by non-affiliates of the registrant on the last business day of the registrant’s most recently completed second fiscal quarter, computed by reference to the last sale price of such stock of $65.20 per share as of June 30, 2008 on the New York Stock Exchange, was approximately $1,692.6 million.  The registrant has no non-voting common equity issued and outstanding.  The determination of affiliate status for purposes of this paragraph is not necessarily a conclusive determination for any other purpose.
 
The number of shares outstanding of the registrant's common stock as of March 2, 2009 was 31,709,548 shares.

 
DOCUMENTS INCORPORATED BY REFERENCE

Portions of our Proxy Statement for the 2009 Annual Meeting of Stockholders, to be filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission not later than 120 days after December 31, 2008, are incorporated by reference in Part III herein.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 


2 
 

 


PART I

ITEM 1.  BUSINESS

OVERVIEW

We are a New York City-based company, incorporated in the Marshall Islands in 2004.  We transport iron ore, coal, grain, steel products and other drybulk cargoes along worldwide shipping routes.  Our fleet currently consists of 32 drybulk carriers, 14 of which we acquired from a subsidiary of The China National Cereals Oil and Foodstuffs Corp., or COFCO, a Chinese conglomerate, in December 2004 and during the first six months of 2005.  The Genco Muse was acquired in October 2005 from Western Bulk Carriers, and in November 2006, we took delivery of three drybulk vessels from affiliates of Franco Compania Naviera S.A.  In July 2007, we entered into an agreement to acquire nine Capesize vessels from companies within the Metrostar Management Corporation group for a net purchase price of $1,111 million.  The Company took delivery of four of these vessels in the second half of 2007 and two of these vessels during 2008.  We expect to take delivery of the remaining three of these vessels in 2009.  In August 2007, the Company also agreed to acquire six drybulk vessels (three Supramax and three Handysize) from affiliates of Evalend Shipping Co. S.A. for a net purchase price of $336 million.  The Company took delivery of five of these vessels in December 2007 and the sixth vessel in January 2008.  During 2007, the Company sold the Genco Glory, a Handymax vessel, and the Genco Commander, a Handymax vessel, and realized a gain of $27 million.  During February 2008, the Genco Trader, a Panamax vessel, was sold to SW Shipping Co., Ltd. for $44 million, less a 2% third party brokerage commission.  In June 2008, we entered into an agreement to acquire six drybulk newbuildings (three Capesize and three Handysize) from Lambert Navgation Ltd., Northville Navigation Ltd., Providence Navigation Ltd., and Primebulk Navigation Ltd., for an aggregate purchase price of $530 million.  We subsequently cancelled this acquisition in November 2008, in order to strengthen our liquidity and in light of current market conditions.  The cancellation resulted in a realized loss during the fourth quarter of $53.8 million as a result of the forfeiture of the deposit and related interest.  Additionally, during May 2008, we agreed to acquire three 2007-built vessels, consisting of two Panamax vessels and one Supramax vessel from Bocimar Internation N.V. and Delphis N.V., for an aggregate purchase price of approximately $257 million, which were delivered during 2008.  Twenty-nine of the 32 vessels in our fleet are on time charter contracts, and have an average remaining life of approximately 16.6 months as of December 31, 2008.  Three of our vessels operate in vessel pools, such as the Baumarine Panamax Pool and the Bulkhandling Handymax Pool.   Under a pool arrangement, the vessels operate under a time charter agreement whereby the cost of bunkers and port expenses are borne by the pool and operating costs including crews, maintenance and insurance are typically paid by the owner of the vessel.  Since the members of the pool share in the revenue generated by the entire group of vessels in the pool, and the pool operates in the spot market, the revenue earned by these three vessels are subject to the fluctuations of the spot market.  Most of our vessels are chartered to well-known charterers, including Lauritzen Bulkers A/S (“Lauritzen Bulkers”), Cargill International S.A. (“Cargill”), NYK Bulkship Europe (“NYK Europe”), Pacific Basin Chartering Ltd. (“Pacbasin”), STX Panocean (UK) Co. Ltd. (“STX”), COSCO Bulk Carriers Co., Ltd. (“Cosco”), and Hyundai Merchant Marine Co. Ltd. (“HMMC”).

We intend to continue to grow our fleet through timely and selective acquisitions of vessels in a manner that is accretive to our cash flow.  In connection with the acquisitions made in 2007 and our growth strategy, we negotiated a credit facility which we entered into as of July 20, 2007 (our “2007 Credit Facility”) for a total amount of $1,377 million that we have used to acquire vessels.  As of February 27, 2009, we had approximately $203.7 million of available borrowing capacity under our 2007 Credit Facility.  We recently agreed to an amendment to our 2007 Credit Facility that contained a waiver of the collateral maintenance requirement.  As a condition of this waiver, among other things, we agreed to suspend our cash dividends and share repurchases until such time as we can satisfy the collateral maintenance requirement.

Our management team and our other employees are responsible for the commercial and strategic management of our fleet.  Commercial management includes the negotiation of charters for vessels, managing the mix of various types of charters, such as time charters and voyage charters, and monitoring the performance of our vessels under their
 
 
 
3

 
charters.  Strategic management includes locating, purchasing, financing and selling vessels. We currently contract with three independent technical managers, to provide technical management of our fleet at a lower cost than we believe would be possible in-house.  Technical management involves the day-to-day management of vessels, including performing routine maintenance, attending to vessel operations and arranging for crews and supplies.  Members of our New York City-based management team oversee the activities of our independent technical managers.

The Company holds an investment in the capital stock of Jinhui Shipping and Transportation Limited (“Jinhui”).   Jinhui is a drybulk shipping owner and operator focused on the Supramax segment of drybulk shipping.  The Company deemed its investment in Jinhui to be other-than-temporarily impaired as of December 31, 2008 due to the severity of the decline in its market value versus our cost basis.  As a result, during the fourth quarter of 2008, the Company recorded a $103.9 million impairment charge in its Consolidated Statement of Operations.  We will continue to review the investment in Jinhui for impairment on a quarterly basis.

Our fleet currently consists of six Capesize, eight Panamax, four Supramax, six Handymax and eight Handysize drybulk carriers, with an aggregate carrying capacity of approximately 2,396,500 deadweight tons (dwt).  As of December 31, 2008, the average age of the vessels currently in our fleet was 6.5 years, as compared to the average age for the world fleet of approximately 15 years for the drybulk shipping segments in which we compete.  All of the vessels in our fleet were built in Japanese, Korean, Philippine or Chinese shipyards with reputations for constructing high-quality vessels.  Our fleet contains nine groups of sister ships, which are vessels of virtually identical sizes and specifications.

AVAILABLE INFORMATION

We file annual, quarterly and current reports, proxy statements, and other documents with the Securities and Exchange Commission, or the SEC, under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, or the Exchange Act.  The public may read and copy any materials that we file with the SEC at the SEC’s Public Reference Room at 100 F Street, NE, Washington, DC 20549.  The public may obtain information on the operation of the Public Reference Room by calling the SEC at 1-800-SEC-0330.  Also, the SEC maintains an Internet website that contains reports, proxy and information statements, and other information regarding issuers, including us, that file electronically with the SEC.  The public can obtain any documents that we file with the SEC at www.sec.gov.
 
In addition, our company website can be found on the Internet at www.gencoshipping.com. The website contains information about us and our operations.  Copies of each of our filings with the SEC on Form 10-K, Form 10-Q and Form 8-K, and all amendments to those reports, can be viewed and downloaded free of after the reports and amendments are electronically filed with or furnished to the SEC.  To view the reports, access www.gencoshipping.com, click on Investor, then SEC Filings.
 
Any of the above documents can also be obtained in print by any shareholder upon request to our Investor Relations Department at the following address:
 
Corporate Investor Relations
Genco Shipping & Trading Limited
299 Park Avenue, 20th Floor
New York, NY 10171
 
BUSINESS STRATEGY
 
Our strategy is to manage and expand our fleet in a manner that maximizes our cash flows from operations.  To accomplish this objective, we intend to:
 
        ·
Strategically expand the size of our fleet - We intend to acquire additional modern, high-quality
 
 
 
4

 
 
drybulk carriers through timely and selective acquisitions of vessels in a manner that is accretive to our cash flows.  We expect to fund acquisitions of additional vessels using cash reserves set aside for this purpose and additional borrowings.
 
        ·
Continue to operate a high-quality fleet - We intend to maintain a modern, high-quality fleet that meets or exceeds stringent industry standards and complies with charterer requirements through our technical managers’ rigorous and comprehensive maintenance program.  In addition, our technical managers maintain the quality of our vessels by carrying out regular inspections, both while in port and at sea.

        ·
Pursue an appropriate balance of time and spot charters - Twenty-nine of our 32 vessels are under time charters with an average remaining life of approximately 16.6 months as of December 31, 2008.  These charters provide us with relatively stable revenues and a high fleet utilization.  We may in the future pursue other market opportunities for our vessels to capitalize on market conditions, including arranging longer or shorter charter periods and entering into short-term time charters, voyage charters and use of vessel pools.

        ·
Maintain low-cost, highly efficient operations – During the year ended December 31, 2008, we outsourced technical management of our fleet, primarily to Wallem Shipmanagement Limited (“Wallem”), Anglo-Eastern Group (“Anglo”), and Barber International Ltd. (“Barber”), third-party independent technical managers, at a cost we believe is lower than what we could achieve by performing the function in-house.  During 2009, we expect to limit our technical managers to Wallem and Anglo to utilize more cost efficient crews.  Our management team actively monitors and controls vessel operating expenses incurred by the independent technical managers by overseeing their activities.  Finally, we seek to maintain low-cost, highly efficient operations by capitalizing on the cost savings and economies of scale that result from operating sister ships.

        ·
Capitalize on our management team's reputation - We will continue to capitalize on our management team's reputation for high standards of performance, reliability and safety, and maintain strong relationships with major international charterers, many of whom consider the reputation of a vessel owner and operator when entering into time charters.  We believe that our management team's track record improves our relationships with high quality shipyards and financial institutions, many of which consider reputation to be an indicator of creditworthiness.

OUR FLEET

Our fleet consists of six Capesize, eight Panamax, four Supramax, six Handymax and eight Handysize drybulk carriers, with an aggregate carrying capacity of approximately 2,396,500 dwt.  As of December 31, 2008, the average age of the vessels currently in our fleet was approximately 6.5 years, as compared to the average age for the world fleet of approximately 15 years for the drybulk shipping segments in which we compete.  All of the vessels in our fleet were built in Japanese, Korean, Philippine or Chinese shipyards with reputations for constructing high-quality vessels.  The table below summarizes the characteristics of our vessels:
 
 
 
 
 
5






Vessel
 
 
 
Class
 
 
 
Dwt
 
 
 
Year Built
       
Genco Augustus
Capesize
180,151
2007
Genco Constantine
Capesize
180,183
2008
Genco Hadrian
Capesize
169,694
2008
Genco London
Capesize
177,833
2007
Genco Tiberius
Capesize
175,874
2007
Genco Titus
Capesize
177,729
2007
Genco Acheron
Panamax
72,495
1999
Genco Beauty
Panamax
73,941
1999
Genco Knight
Panamax
73,941
1999
Genco Leader
Panamax
73,941
1999
Genco Raptor
Panamax
76,499
2007
Genco Surprise
Panamax
72,495
1998
Genco Thunder
Panamax
76,588
2007
Genco Vigour
Panamax
73,941
1999
Genco Cavalier
Supramax
53,616
2007
Genco Hunter
Supramax
58,729
2007
Genco Predator
Supramax
55,407
2005
Genco Warrior
Supramax
55,435
2005
Genco Carrier
Handymax
47,180
1998
Genco Marine
Handymax
45,222
1996
Genco Muse
Handymax
48,913
2001
Genco Prosperity
Handymax
47,180
1997
Genco Success
Handymax
47,186
1997
Genco Wisdom
Handymax
47,180
1997
Genco Challenger
Handysize
28,428
2003
Genco Champion
Handysize
28,445
2006
Genco Charger
Handysize
28,398
2005
Genco Explorer
Handysize
29,952
1999
Genco Pioneer
Handysize
29,952
1999
Genco Progress
Handysize
29,952
1999
Genco Reliance
Handysize
29,952
1999
Genco Sugar
Handysize
29,952
1998

On February 8, 2009, while the Genco Cavalier was at safe anchorage in Singapore, it was involved in a minor collision caused by another vessel in its vicinity. No injuries or pollution from either vessel have been reported, but we expect the vessel will incur approximately 14 days of offhire for repairs arising from the event. The Company is in the process of filing a claim for the full amount of the damages as well as any offhire time related to the collision against the other vessel’s owner.

FLEET MANAGEMENT

Our management team and other employees are responsible for the commercial and strategic management of our fleet.  Commercial management involves negotiating charters for vessels, managing the mix of various types of charters, such as time charters and voyage charters, and monitoring the performance of our vessels under their charters.  Strategic management involves locating, purchasing, financing and selling vessels.
 
 
 
6


We utilize the services of reputable independent technical managers for the technical management of our fleet.  We currently contract with Wallem, Anglo, and Barber, independent technical managers, for our technical management.  During 2009, we expect to limit our technical managers to Wallem and Anglo due to their access to more cost effective crews.   Technical management involves the day-to-day management of vessels, including performing routine maintenance, attending to vessel operations and arranging for crews and supplies.  Members of our New York City-based management team oversee the activities of our independent technical managers.  The head of our technical management team has over 30 years of experience in the shipping industry.

Wallem, founded in 1971, Anglo, founded in 1974, and Barber, a subsidiary of Wilhelmsen Group which was founded in 1861, are among the largest ship management companies in the world.  These technical managers are known worldwide for their agency networks, covering all major ports in China, Hong Kong, Japan, Vietnam, Taiwan, Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia, the Philippines and Singapore.  These technical managers provide services to over 1,000 vessels of all types, including Capesize, Panamax, Supramax, Handymax and Handysize drybulk carriers that meet strict quality standards.

Under our technical management agreements, our technical manager is obligated to:

·  
provide personnel to supervise the maintenance and general efficiency of our vessels;

           
arrange and supervise the maintenance of our vessels to our standards to assure that our vessels comply with applicable national and international regulations and the requirements of our vessels' classification societies;

·  
select and train the crews for our vessels, including assuring that the crews have the correct certificates for the types of vessels on which they serve;

·  
check the compliance of the crews' licenses with the regulations of the vessels' flag states and the International Maritime Organization, or IMO;

·  
arrange the supply of spares and stores for our vessels; and

·  
report expense transactions to us, and make its procurement and accounting systems available to us.

OUR CHARTERS

As of February 26, 2009, we employed 29 of our 32 drybulk carriers under time charters.  A time charter involves the hiring of a vessel from its owner for a period of time pursuant to a contract under which the vessel owner places its ship (including its crew and equipment) at the disposal of the charterer.  Under a time charter, the charterer periodically pays a fixed daily charterhire rate to the owner of the vessel and bears all voyage expenses, including the cost of bunkers (“fuel”), port expenses, agents’ fees and canal dues.  Three of our vessels, the Genco Constantine, Genco Titus and Genco Hadrian, are chartered under time charters which include a profit-sharing element.  Under these charter agreements, the Company receive a fixed rate of $52,750, $45,000 and $65,000 per day, respectively, and an additional profit-sharing payment.  The profit-sharing between the Company and the respective charterer for each 15-day period is calculated by taking the average over that period of the published Baltic Cape Index of the four time charter routes as reflected in daily reports.  If such average is more than the base rate payable under the charter, the excess amount is allocable 50% to the Company and 50% to the charterer.  A commission of 3.75% based on the profit sharing amount due to the Company is incurred out of the Company’s share.  Due to the existing drybulk rates, the Company is currently not recognizing any profit sharing on these charter agreements.

Subject to any restrictions in the contract, the charterer determines the type and quantity of cargo to be carried and
 
 
 
7

 
 
the ports of loading and discharging.  Our vessels operate worldwide within the trading limits imposed by our insurance terms.  The technical operation and navigation of the vessel at all times remains the responsibility of the vessel owner, which is generally responsible for the vessel's operating expenses, including the cost of crewing, insuring, repairing and maintaining the vessel, costs of spares and consumable stores, tonnage taxes and other miscellaneous expenses.

Each of our current time charters expires within a range of dates (for example, a minimum of 11 and maximum of 13 months following delivery), with the exact end of the time charter left unspecified to account for the uncertainty of when a vessel will complete its final voyage under the time charter.  The charterer may extend the charter period by any time that the vessel is off-hire.  If a vessel remains off-hire for more than 30 consecutive days, the time charter may be cancelled at the charterer's option.

In connection with the charter of each of our vessels, we incur commissions ranging from 1.25% to 6.25% of the total daily charterhire rate of each charter to third parties, depending on the number of brokers involved with arranging the relevant charter.

Two of our drybulk carriers, the Genco Leader and Genco Thunder, are currently in the Baumarine Panamax Pool, and the Genco Predator is in the Bulkhandling Handymax Pool.  We believe that vessel pools provide cost-effective commercial management activities for a group of similar class vessels.  The pool arrangement provides the benefits of a large-scale operation and chartering efficiencies that might not be available to smaller fleets.  Under the pool arrangement, the vessels operate under a time charter agreement whereby the cost of bunkers and port expenses are borne by the charterer and operating costs including crews, maintenance and insurance are typically paid by the owner of the vessel.  Since the members of the pool share in the revenue generated by the entire group of vessels in the pool, and the pool operates in the spot market, the revenue earned by these three vessels is subject to the fluctuations of the spot market.

We monitor developments in the drybulk shipping industry on a regular basis and strategically adjust the charterhire periods for our vessels according to market conditions as they become available for charter.

The Genco Cavalier, a 2007-built Supramax vessel, was on charter to Samsun Logix Corporation (“Samsun”), which the Company understands has filed for the equivalent of bankruptcy protection in South Korea, otherwise referred to as a rehabilitation application. Charter hire for the Genco Cavalier has been received up until January 30, 2009. The Company is expecting the decision of the South Korean courts regarding the acceptance or rejection of the rehabilitation application to be made on or about March 6, 2009. The Company has commenced arbitration proceedings in the United Kingdom for damages related to non-performance of Samsun under the time charter agreement. As a result of the non-payment of hire, the Company may seek to withdraw the vessel from this contract. The Company accelerated the amortization of the intangible liability of $0.9 million for the value assigned to the below-market time charter rate at the time Genco acquired the vessel into income for the year ended December 31, 2008. Also, on February 8, 2009, while the vessel was at safe anchorage in Singapore, it was involved in a minor collision caused by another vessel in its vicinity. No injuries or pollution from either vessel have been reported, but we expect the vessel will incur approximately 14 days of offhire for repairs arising from the event. The Company is in the process of filing a claim for the full amount of the damages as well as any offhire time related to the collision against the other vessel’s owner.

The following table sets forth information about the current employment of the vessels currently in our fleet as of February 26, 2009:

Vessel
Year
Built
Charterer
Charter Expiration (1)
Cash Daily
Rate (2)
Revenue Daily Rate (3)
Expected Delivery (4)
             
Capesize Vessels
           
Genco Augustus
2007
Cargill International S.A.
December 2009
    45,263
62,750
-
Genco Tiberius
2007
Cargill International S.A.
January 2010
    45,263
62,750
-
 
 
 
 
 
 
8

 
 
 
Genco London
2007
SK Shipping Co., Ltd
August 2010
    57,500
64,250
-
Genco Titus
2007
Cargill International S.A.
September 2011
    45,000(5)
46,250
-
Genco Constantine
2008
Cargill International S.A.
August 2012
    52,750(5)
 
-
Genco Hadrian
2008
Cargill International S.A.
October 2012
    65,000(5)
 
-
Genco Commodus
2009(6)
To be determined (“TBD”)
TBD
  TBD
 
Q2 2009
Genco Maximus
2009(6)
TBD
TBD
  TBD
 
Q2 2009
Genco Claudius
2009(6)
TBD
TBD
  TBD
 
Q3 2009
             
Panamax Vessels
           
Genco Beauty
1999
Cargill International S.A.
May 2009
    31,500
 
-
Genco Knight
1999
SK Shipping Ltd.
May 2009
    37,700
 
-
Genco Leader
  1999
Baumarine AS
November 2009
    Spot(7)
 
-
Genco Vigour
  1999
STX Panocean (UK) Co. Ltd.
March 2009
    29,000(8)
 
-
Genco Acheron
  1999
Global Chartering Ltd
(a subsidiary of ArcelorMittal Group)
July 2011
    55,250
 
-
Genco Surprise
  1998
Hanjin Shipping Co., Ltd.
December 2010
    42,100
 
-
Genco Raptor
  2007
COSCO Bulk Carriers Co., Ltd.
April 2012
    52,800
 
-
Genco Thunder
  2007
Baumarine AS
October 2009
    Spot(9)
 
-
             
Supramax Vessels
           
Genco Predator
  2005
Bulkhandling Handymax A/S
September 2009
      Spot(10)
   
Genco Warrior
  2005
Hyundai Merchant Marine Co. Ltd.
November 2010
    38,750
 
-
Genco Hunter
  2007
Pacific Basin Chartering Ltd.
June 2009
    62,000
 
-
Genco Cavalier
  2007
Samsun Logix Corporation
July 2010
  48,500(11)
 
-
             
Handymax Vessels
           
Genco Success
  1997
Korea Line Corporation
February 2011
33,000(12)
 
-
Genco Carrier
  1998
Louis Dreyfus Corporation
March 2011
    37,000
 
-
Genco Prosperity
  1997
Pacific Basin Chartering Ltd
June 2011
    37,000
 
-
Genco Wisdom
  1997
Hyundai Merchant Marine Co. Ltd.
February 2011
    34,500
 
-
Genco Marine
  1996
NYK Bulkship Atlantic N.V.
March 2009
    47,000
 
-
Genco Muse
  2001
 Global Maritime Investments Ltd.
May 2009
    6,500(13)
   
             
Handysize Vessels
           
Genco Explorer
   1999  
Lauritzen Bulkers A/S
August 2009
    19,500
 
-
Genco Pioneer
    1999   
Lauritzen Bulkers A/S
August 2009
    19,500
 
-
Genco Progress
    1999   
Lauritzen Bulkers A/S
August 2009
    19,500
 
-
Genco Reliance
    1999   
Lauritzen Bulkers A/S
August 2009
    19,500
 
-
Genco Sugar
    1998   
Lauritzen Bulkers A/S
August 2009
    19,500
 
-
Genco Charger
    2005   
Pacific Basin Chartering Ltd.
November 2010
    24,000
 
-
Genco Challenger
    2003   
Pacific Basin Chartering Ltd.
November 2010
    24,000
 
-
Genco Champion
    2006   
Pacific Basin Chartering Ltd.
December 2010
    24,000
 
-
 
 
 
 
 
9

 
 
(1)
The charter expiration dates presented represent the earliest dates that our charters may be terminated in the ordinary course.  Except for the Genco Titus, Genco Constantine and Genco Hadrian, under the terms of each contract, the charterer is entitled to extend time charters from two to four months in order to complete the vessel's final voyage plus any time the vessel has been off-hire.  Thecharterer of the Genco Constantine has the option to extend the charter for a period of eight months.
 
(2)   
Time charter rates presented are the gross daily charterhire rates before third-party commissions ranging from 1.25% to 6.25%, except as indicated for the Genco Leader in note 7 below.  In a time charter, the charterer is responsible for voyage expenses such as bunkers, port expenses, agents’ fees and canal dues.
 
(3)
For the vessels acquired with a below-market time charter rate, the approximate amount of revenue on a daily basis to be recognized as revenues is displayed in the column named “Net Revenue Daily Rate” and is net of any third-party commissions.  Since these vessels were acquired with existing time charters with below-market rates, we allocated the purchase price between the respective vessel and an intangible liability for the value assigned to the below-market charterhire. This intangible liability is amortized as an increase to voyage revenues over the minimum remaining term of the charter. For cash flow purposes, we will continue to receive the rate presented in the “Cash Daily Rate” column until the charter expires .
 
(4)
Dates for vessels being delivered in the future are estimates based on guidance received from the sellers and/or the respective shipyards.
 
(5)
These charters include a 50% index-based profit sharing component above the respective base rates listed in the table.  The profit sharing between the charterer and us for each 15-day period is calculated by taking the average over that period of the published Baltic Cape Index of the four time charter routes, as reflected in daily reports.  If such average is more than the base rate payable under the charter, the excess amount is allocable 50% to each of the charterer and us.  A third-party brokerage commission of 3.75% based on the profit sharing amount due to us is payable out of our share.
 
(6)
Year built for vessels being delivered in the future are estimates based on guidance received from the sellers and/or the respective shipyards.
 
(7)
We entered the vessel into the Baumarine Pool with an option to convert the balance period of the charter party to a fixed rate, but only after June 1, 2009. The vessel entered the pool following the completion of its previous time charter on December 16, 2008.  In addition to a 1.25% third-party brokerage commission, the charter party calls for a management fee which consists of a 1.25% deduction.
 
(8)
We have entered into a time charter for 23 to 25 months at a rate of $33,000 per day for the first 11 months, $25,000 per day for the following 11 months and $29,000 per day thereafter, less a 5% third-party commission.  For purposes of revenue recognition, the time charter contract is reflected on a straight-line basis at approximately $29,000 per day for 23 to 25 months, in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles in the United States, or U.S. GAAP.
 
(9)
We entered the vessel into the Baumarine Pool with an option to convert the balance period of the charter party to a fixed rate, but only after March 1, 2009. The vessel entered the pool following the completion of its previous time charter on November 16, 2008.  In addition to a 1.25% third-party brokerage commission, the charter party calls for a management fee which consists of a 1.25% deduction.
 
(10)
We entered this vessel into the Bulkhandling Handymax Pool with an option to convert the balance period of the charter party to a fixed rate.
 
(11)
The time charter for this vessel commenced on July 19, 2008. In completing the negotiation of certain changes we required for novation of the existing charter, we agreed to reduce the daily gross rate and received a rebate from the brokers involved in the vessel sale. The Company understands that Samsun Logix Corporation (“Samsun”) has filed for the equivalent of bankruptcy protection in South Korea, otherwise referred to as a rehabilitation application. The Company is expecting the decision of the South Korean courts regarding the acceptance or rejection of Samsun’s rehabilitation application to be made on or about March 6, 2009.  Genco has commenced arbitration proceedings in the United Kingdom for any damages going forward. As a result of the non-payment of hire, the Company may seek to withdraw the vessel from this contract.
 
(12)
We extended the time charter for an additional 35 to 37.5 months at a rate of $40,000 per day for the first 12 months, $33,000 per day for the following 12 months, $26,000 per day for the next 12 months and $33,000 per day thereafter less a 5% third-party commission.  In all cases, the rate for the duration of the time charter will average $33,000 per day.  For purposes of revenue recognition, the time charter contract is reflected on a straight-line basis at approximately $33,000 per day for 35 to 37.5 months, in accordance with U.S. GAAP.
 
(13)
We have entered into a time charter agreement for 3.5 to six months at a rate of $6,500 per day less a 5% third-party commission.  The vessel commenced this contract following the completion of the previous time charter on February 8, 2009.
 
CLASSIFICATION AND INSPECTION
 
All of our vessels have been certified as being “in class” by the American Bureau of Shipping (“ABS”), Bureau Veritas (“BV”), Nippon Kaiji Kyokai (“NK”), Det Norske Veritas (“DNV”) or Lloyd’s Register of Shipping
 
 
 
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(“Lloyd’s”).  Each of these classification societies is a member of the International Association of Classification Societies.  Every commercial vessel’s hull and machinery is evaluated by a classification society authorized by its country of registry.  The classification society certifies that the vessel has been built and maintained in accordance with the rules of the classification society and complies with applicable rules and regulations of the vessel’s country of registry and the international conventions of which that country is a member.  Each vessel is inspected by a surveyor of the classification society in three surveys of varying frequency and thoroughness: every year for the annual survey, every two to three years for the intermediate survey and every four to five years for special surveys.  Special surveys always require drydocking.  Vessels that are 15 years old or older are required, as part of the intermediate survey process, to be drydocked every 24 to 30 months for inspection of the underwater portions of the vessel and for necessary repairs stemming from the inspection.

In addition to the classification inspections, many of our customers regularly inspect our vessels as a precondition to chartering them for voyages.  We believe that our well-maintained, high-quality vessels provide us with a competitive advantage in the current environment of increasing regulation and customer emphasis on quality.

We have implemented the International Safety Management Code, which was promulgated by the International Maritime Organization, or IMO (the United Nations agency for maritime safety and the prevention of marine pollution by ships), to establish pollution prevention requirements applicable to vessels.  We obtained documents of compliance for our offices and safety management certificates for all of our vessels for which the certificates are required by the IMO.

CREWING AND EMPLOYEES

Each of our vessels is crewed with 20 to 23 officers and seamen.  Our technical managers are responsible for locating and retaining qualified officers for our vessels.  The crewing agencies handle each seaman's training, travel and payroll, and ensure that all the seamen on our vessels 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.

As of February 11, 2009, we employed 21 shore-based personnel and approximately 680 seagoing personnel on our vessels.

CUSTOMERS

Our assessment of a charterer's financial condition and reliability is an important factor in negotiating employment for our vessels.  We generally charter our vessels to major trading houses (including commodities traders), major producers and government-owned entities rather than to more speculative or undercapitalized entities.  Our customers include national, regional and international companies, such as Lauritzen Bulkers, Cargill, NYK Europe, Pacbasin, STX, Cosco, and HMMC. For 2008, two of our charterers, Pacbasin and Cargill accounted for more than 10% of our revenues. Genco is currently actively exploring its options to collect amounts due to the Company from Samsun Logix Corporation, which the Company understands has filed for the equivalent of bankruptcy protection in South Korea, otherwise referred to as a rehabilitation application. See “Management’s Discussion and Analysis” on page 44 for further details.

COMPETITION

Our business fluctuates in line with the main patterns of trade of the major drybulk cargoes and varies according to changes in the supply and demand for these items.  We operate in markets that are highly competitive and based primarily on supply and demand.  We compete for charters on the basis of price, vessel location and size, age and condition of the vessel, as well as on our reputation as an owner and operator.  We compete with other owners of drybulk carriers in the Capesize, Panamax, Supramax, Handymax and Handysize class sectors, some of whom may also charter our vessels as customers.  Ownership of drybulk carriers is highly fragmented and is divided among approximately
 
 
 
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1,300 independent drybulk carrier owners.

PERMITS AND AUTHORIZATIONS

We are required by various governmental and quasi-governmental agencies to obtain certain permits, licenses, certificates and other authorizations with respect to our vessels.  The kinds of permits, licenses, certificates and other authorizations required for each vessel depend upon several factors, including the commodity transported, the waters in which the vessel operates, the nationality of the vessel’s crew and the age of the vessel.  We believe that we have all material permits, licenses, certificates and other authorizations necessary for the conduct of our operations.  However, additional laws and regulations, environmental or otherwise, may be adopted which could limit our ability to do business or increase the cost of our doing business.

INSURANCE

General

The operation of any drybulk vessel includes risks such as mechanical failure, collision, property loss, cargo loss or damage and business interruption due to political circumstances in foreign countries, piracy, 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.  The U.S. Oil Pollution Act of 1990, or OPA, which imposes virtually unlimited liability upon owners, operators and demise charterers of vessels trading in the U.S.-exclusive economic zone for certain oil pollution accidents in the United States, has made liability insurance more expensive for ship owners and operators trading in the U.S. market.

While we maintain hull and machinery insurance, war risks insurance, protection and indemnity cover, and freight, demurrage and defense cover and loss of hire insurance for our fleet 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 that our present insurance coverage is adequate, not all risks can be insured, and there can be no guarantee that any specific claim will be paid, or that we will always be able to obtain adequate insurance coverage at reasonable rates.

Hull and Machinery, War Risks, Kidnap and Ransom Insurance

We maintain marine hull and machinery, war risks and kidnap and ransom insurance which cover the risk of actual or constructive total loss, for all of our vessels.  Our vessels are each covered up to at least fair market value with deductibles of $67,313 per vessel per incident for our Handysize vessels, $83,125 per vessel per incident for our Panamax, Supramax and Handymax vessels and $133,125 per vessel per incident for our Capesize vessels.  The Company is covered for up to $3.0 million per vessel per incident to have the crew released in the case of kidnapping due to piracy in the Gulf of Aden / Somalia.

Protection and Indemnity Insurance

Protection and indemnity insurance is provided by mutual protection and indemnity associations, or P&I Associations, which insure our third-party liabilities in connection with our shipping activities.  This includes third-party liability and other related expenses resulting from the injury or death of crew, passengers and other third parties, the loss or damage to cargo, claims arising from collisions with other vessels, damage to other third-party property, pollution arising from oil or other substances and salvage, towing and other related costs, including wreck removal.  Protection and indemnity insurance is a form of mutual indemnity insurance, extended by protection and indemnity mutual associations, or "clubs." Subject to the "capping" discussed below, our coverage, except for pollution, is unlimited.

Our current protection and indemnity insurance coverage for pollution is $1 billion per vessel per incident.  The 13 P&I Associations that comprise the International Group insure approximately 90% of the world's commercial
 
 
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tonnage and have entered into a pooling agreement to reinsure each association's liabilities.  As a member of a P&I Association, which is a member of the International Group, 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.

Loss of Hire Insurance

We maintain loss of hire insurance, which covers business interruptions and related losses that result from the loss of use of a vessel.  Our loss of hire insurance has a 14-day deductible and provides claim coverage for up to 90 days.  Loss of hire insurance for piracy in the Gulf of Aden / Somalia has a 20-day deductible and provides claim coverage for up to 50 days.

ENVIRONMENTAL AND OTHER REGULATION

Government regulation significantly affects the ownership and operation of our vessels.  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 governmental and private entities subject our vessels to both scheduled and unscheduled inspections.  These entities include the local port authorities, (applicable national authorities such as the U.S. Coast Guard and harbor masters), classification societies, flag state administrations (countries of registry) and charterers.  Some of these entities require us to obtain permits, licenses, certificates and other authorizations for the operation of our vessels.  Our failure to maintain necessary permits, certificates or approvals could require us to incur substantial costs or temporarily suspend the operation of one or more of our vessels.

In recent periods, heightened levels of environmental and operational safety concerns among insurance underwriters, regulators and charterers have led to greater inspection and safety requirements on all vessels and may accelerate the scrapping of older vessels throughout the drybulk shipping industry.  Increasing environmental concerns have created a demand for vessels that conform to the stricter environmental standards.  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 are frequently changed 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 results in significant oil pollution or otherwise causes significant adverse environmental impact could result in additional legislation or regulation that could negatively affect our profitability.

International Maritime Organization (IMO)

The IMO, the United Nations agency for maritime safety and the prevention of pollution by ships, has adopted the International Convention for the Prevention of Marine Pollution, 1973, as modified by the related Protocol of 1978 relating thereto, which has been updated through various amendments, or the MARPOL Convention.  The MARPOL Convention 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.  The IMO adopted regulations that set forth pollution prevention requirements applicable to drybulk carriers.  These regulations have been adopted by over 150 nations, including many of the jurisdictions in which our vessels operate.
 
 
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In September 1997, the IMO adopted Annex VI to the MARPOL Convention, Regulations for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships, to address air pollution from ships.  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 organic 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.  We believe that all our vessels are currently compliant in all material respects with these regulations.  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.  In October 2008, the IMO adopted amendments to Annex VI regarding nitrogen oxide and sulfur oxide emissions standards which are expected to enter into force on July 1, 2010.  The amended Annex VI would reduce air pollution from vessels by, among other things, (i) implementing a progressive reduction of sulfur oxide, emissions from ships, with the global sulfur cap reduced initially to 3.50% (from the current cap of 4.50%), effective from January 1, 2012, then progressively to 0.50%, effective from January 1, 2020, subject to a feasibility review to be completed no later than 2018; and (ii) establishing new tiers of stringent nitrogen oxide emissions standards for new marine engines, depending on their date of installation.  Once these amendments become effective, we may incur costs to comply with these revised standards.

Safety Management System Requirements

IMO also adopted the International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea, or SOLAS and the International Convention on Load Lines, or the LL Convention, which impose a variety of standards that regulate the design and operational features of ships.  The IMO periodically revises the SOLAS Convention and LL Convention standards.  We believe that all our vessels are in material compliance with SOLAS and LL Convention standards.

Under Chapter IX of SOLAS, the International Safety Management Code for the Safe Operation of Ships and for Pollution Prevention, or ISM Code, our operations are also subject to environmental standards and requirements contained in the ISM Code promulgated by the IMO.  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.  We rely upon the safety management system that we and our technical manager have developed for compliance with the ISM Code.  The failure of a ship 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.  As of the date of this filing, each of our vessels is ISM code-certified.

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

Pollution Control and Liability Requirements

IMO has negotiated international conventions that impose liability for oil pollution in international waters and the territorial waters of the signatory to such conventions.  For example, IMO adopted an International Convention for the Control and Management of Ships’ Ballast Water and Sediments, or the BWM Convention, in February 2004.  The BWM Convention’s implementing regulations call for a phased introduction of mandatory ballast water exchange requirements (beginning in 2009), to be replaced in time with mandatory concentration limits.  The BWM Convention will not become effective until 12 months after it has been adopted by 30 states, the combined merchant fleets of which represent not less than 35% of the gross tonnage of the world’s merchant shipping.  To date, there has not been sufficient
 
 
 
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 adoption of this standard for it to take force.

Although the United States is not a party to these conventions, many countries have ratified and follow the liability plan adopted by the IMO and set out in the International Convention on Civil Liability for Oil Pollution Damage of 1969, as amended in 2000, or the CLC.  Under this convention 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 is strictly liable for pollution damage caused in the territorial waters of a contracting state by discharge of persistent oil, subject to certain defenses.  The limits on liability outlined in the 1992 Protocol use the International Monetary Fund currency unit of Special Drawing Rights, or SDR.  Under an amendment to the 1992 Protocol that became effective on November 1, 2003, for vessels between 5,000 and 140,000 gross tons (a unit of measurement for the total enclosed spaces within a vessel), liability is limited to approximately 4.51 million SDR plus 631 SDR for each additional gross ton over 5,000.  For vessels of over 140,000 gross tons, liability is limited to 89.77 million SDR.  The exchange rate between SDRs and dollars was 0.675914 SDR per dollar on February 24, 2009.  As the convention calculates liability in terms of a basket of currencies, these figures are based on currency exchange rates on February 24, 2009.  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 conduct.  Vessels trading with states that are parties to these conventions must provide evidence of insurance covering the liability of the owner.  In jurisdictions where the CLC has not been adopted, various legislative schemes or common law govern, and liability is imposed either on the basis of fault or in a manner similar to that of the CLC.  We believe that our protection and indemnity insurance covers the liability under the plan adopted by the IMO.

In March 2006, the IMO amended Annex I to MARPOL, including a new regulation relating to oil fuel tank protection, which became effective August 1, 2007.  The new regulation will apply to various ships delivered on or after August 1, 2010.  It includes requirements for the protected location of the fuel tanks, performance standards for accidental oil fuel outflow, a tank capacity limit and certain other maintenance, inspection and engineering standards.

The IMO adopted the International Convention on Civil Liability for Bunker Oil Pollution Damage, or the Bunker Convention, to impose strict liability on ship owners for pollution damage in jurisdictional waters of ratifying states caused by discharges of bunker fuel.  The Bunker Convention, which became effective on November 21, 2008, requires registered owners of ships over 1,000 gross tons to maintain insurance for pollution damage in an amount equal to the limits of liability under the applicable national or international limitation regime (but not exceeding the amount calculated in accordance with the Convention on Limitation of Liability for Maritime Claims of 1976, as amended).  With respect to non-ratifying states, liability for spills or releases of oil carried as fuel in ship’s bunkers typically is determined by the national or other domestic laws in the jurisdiction where the events or damages occur.

IMO regulations also require owners and operators of vessels to adopt Ship Oil Pollution Emergency Plans.  Periodic training and drills for response personnel and for vessels and their crews are required.  Additionally, in U.S. waters, vessels are required to comply with the U.S. Coast Guard requirement of having an approved Non-Tanker Vessel Response Plan (“NTVRP”) and we believe that we are in compliance with this requirement.
 
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 prohibits the use of organotin compound coatings to prevent the attachment of mollusks and other sea life to the hulls of vessels after September 1, 2003.  The exteriors of vessels constructed prior to January 1, 2003 that have not been in dry-dock must, as of September 17, 2008, either not contain the prohibited compounds or have coatings applied to the vessel exterior that act as a barrier to the leaching of the prohibited compounds.  Vessels of over 400 gross tons engaged in international voyages must obtain an International Anti-fouling System Certificate and undergo a survey before the vessel is put into service or when the antifouling systems are altered or replaced.  We have obtained Anti-Fouling System Certificates for all of our vessels that are subject to the Anti-Fouling Convention.
 
 
 
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Compliance Enforcement

The flag state, as defined by the United Nations Convention on Law of the Sea, has overall responsibility for the implementation and enforcement of international maritime regulations for all ships granted the right to fly its flag.  The “Shipping Industry Guidelines on Flag State Performance” evaluates flag states based on factors such as sufficiency of infrastructure, ratification of international maritime treaties, implementation and enforcement of international maritime regulations, supervision of surveys, casualty investigations and participation at IMO meetings.  Our vessels are flagged in the Marshall Islands.  Marshall Islands-flagged vessels have historically received a good assessment in the shipping industry.  We recognize the importance of a credible flag state and do not intend to use flags of convenience or flag states with poor performance indicators.

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 U.S. Coast Guard and European Union authorities have indicated that vessels not in compliance with the ISM Code by the 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 is ISM Code certified.  However, there can be no assurance that such certificate will be maintained.

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.

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

The U.S. Oil Pollution Act of 1990, or OPA, established an extensive regulatory and liability regime for the protection and cleanup of the environment from oil spills.  OPA affects all owners and operators whose vessels trade in the United States, its territories and possessions or whose vessels operate in United States waters, which includes the United States’ territorial sea and its two hundred nautical mile exclusive economic zone.  The United States has also enacted the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act, or CERCLA, which applies to the discharge of hazardous substances other than oil, whether on land or at sea.  Both OPA and CERCLA impact our operations.

Under OPA, vessel owners, operators and bareboat charterers are "responsible parties" and are jointly, severally and strictly liable (unless the spill results solely from the act or omission of a third party, an act of God or an act of war) for all containment and clean-up costs and other damages arising from discharges or threatened discharges of oil from their vessels.  OPA defines these other damages broadly to include:

·  
natural resources damage and the costs of assessment thereof;

·  
real and personal property damage;

·  
net loss of taxes, royalties, rents, fees and other lost revenues;

·  
lost profits or impairment of earning capacity due to property or natural resources damage; and

·  
net cost of public services necessitated by a spill response, such as protection from fire, safety or health hazards, and loss of subsistence use of natural resources.

Under amendments to OPA that became effective on July 11, 2006, the liability of responsible parties is limited to the greater of $950 per gross ton or $0.8 million per non-tank vessel (subject to periodic adjustment for inflation).  On September 24, 2008, the U.S. Coast Guard proposed adjustments to the limits of liability for non-tank vessels that would increase the limits for non-tank vessels to the greater of $1,000 per gross ton or $848,000 and establish a procedure for
 
 
16

 
 
adjusting the limits for inflation every three years.  The comment period for the proposed rule closed on November 24, 2008.  CERCLA, which applies to owners and operators of vessels, contains a similar liability regime and provides for cleanup, removal and natural resource damages.  Liability under CERCLA is limited to the greater of $300 per gross ton or $5 million for vessels carrying a hazardous substance as cargo and the greater of $300 per gross ton or $0.5 million for any other vessel.  These limits of liability do not apply if an incident was directly caused by violation of applicable U.S. federal safety, construction or operating regulations or by a responsible party's gross negligence or willful misconduct, or if the responsible party fails or refuses to report the incident or to cooperate and assist in connection with oil removal activities.

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 a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, results of operation’s and cash flows.

OPA also requires owners and operators of vessels to establish and maintain with the U.S. Coast Guard evidence of financial responsibility sufficient to meet their potential liabilities under OPA and CERCLA.  On October 17, 2008, the U.S. Coast Guard regulatory requirements under OPA and CERCLA were amended to require evidence of financial responsibility in amounts that reflect the higher limits of liability imposed by the 2006 amendments to OPA, as described above.  The increased amounts became effective on January 15, 2009.  Under the regulations, vessel owners and operators may evidence their financial responsibility by showing proof of insurance, surety bond, self-insurance or guaranty.  Under OPA, an owner or operator of a fleet of vessels is required only to demonstrate evidence of financial responsibility in an amount sufficient to cover the vessels in the fleet having the greatest maximum liability under OPA.

The U.S. Coast Guard's regulations concerning certificates of financial responsibility provide, in accordance with OPA, that claimants may bring suit directly against an insurer or guarantor that furnishes certificates of financial responsibility.  In the event that such insurer or guarantor is sued directly, it is prohibited from asserting any contractual defense that it may have had against the responsible party and is limited to asserting those defenses available to the responsible party and the defense that the incident was caused by the willful misconduct of the responsible party.  Certain organizations, which had typically provided certificates of financial responsibility under pre-OPA laws, including the major protection and indemnity organizations, have declined to furnish evidence of insurance for vessel owners and operators if they are subject to direct actions or are required to waive insurance policy defenses.

The U.S. Coast Guard's financial responsibility regulations may also be satisfied by evidence of surety bond, guaranty or by self-insurance.  Under the self-insurance provisions, the ship owner or operator must have a net worth and working capital, measured in assets located in the United States against liabilities located anywhere in the world, that exceeds the applicable amount of financial responsibility.  We have complied with the U.S. Coast Guard regulations by providing a certificate of responsibility from third party entities that are acceptable to the U.S. Coast Guard evidencing sufficient self-insurance.

OPA specifically permits individual states to impose their own liability regimes with regard to oil pollution incidents occurring within their boundaries, and some states have enacted legislation providing for unlimited liability for oil spills.  In some cases, states, which have enacted such legislation, have not yet issued implementing regulations defining vessels owners' responsibilities under these laws.  We intend to comply with all applicable state regulations in the ports where our vessels call.  We believe that we are in substantial compliance with all applicable existing state requirements.  In addition, we intend to comply with all future applicable state regulations in the ports where our vessels call.

Other Environmental Initiatives

The U.S. Clean Water Act, or CWA, prohibits the discharge of oil or hazardous substances 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 addition, most U.S. states that border a
 
 
 
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navigable waterway have enacted environmental pollution laws that impose strict liability on a person for removal costs and damages resulting from a discharge of oil or a release of a hazardous substance.  These laws may be more stringent than U.S. federal law.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, or EPA, historically exempted the discharge of ballast water and other substances incidental to the normal operation of vessels in U.S. waters from CWA permitting requirements.  However, on March 31, 2005, a U.S. District Court ruled that the EPA exceeded its authority in creating an exemption for ballast water.  On September 18, 2006, the court issued an order invalidating the exemption in the EPA’s regulations for all discharges incidental to the normal operation of a vessel as of September 30, 2008, and directed the EPA to develop a system for regulating all discharges from vessels by that date.  The District Court’s decision was affirmed by the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals on July 23, 2008.  The Ninth Circuit’s ruling meant that owners and operators of vessels traveling in U.S. waters would soon be required to comply with the CWA permitting program to be developed by the EPA or face penalties.

In response to the invalidation and removal of the EPA’s vessel exemption by the Ninth Circuit, the EPA has enacted rules governing the regulation of ballast water discharges and other discharges incidental to the normal operation of vessels within U.S. waters.  Under the new rules, which took effect February 6, 2009, commercial vessels 79 feet in length or longer (other than commercial fishing vessels), or Regulated Vessels, are required to obtain a CWA permit regulating and authorizing such normal discharges.  This permit, which the EPA has designated as the Vessel General Permit for Discharges Incidental to the Normal Operation of Vessels, or VGP, incorporates the current U.S. Coast Guard requirements for ballast water management as well as supplemental ballast water requirements, and includes limits applicable to 26 specific discharge streams, such as deck runoff, bilge water and gray water.

For each discharge type, among other things, the VGP establishes effluent limits pertaining to the constituents found in the effluent, including best management practices, or BMPs, designed to decrease the amount of constituents entering the waste stream.  Unlike land-based discharges, which are deemed acceptable by meeting certain EPA-imposed numerical effluent limits, each of the 26 VGP discharge limits is deemed to be met when a Regulated Vessel carries out the BMPs pertinent to that specific discharge stream.  The VGP imposes additional requirements on certain Regulated Vessel types, including tankers, that emit discharges unique to those vessels.  Administrative provisions, such as inspection, monitoring, recordkeeping and reporting requirements are also included for all Regulated Vessels.

On August 31, 2008, the District Court ordered that the date for implementation of the VGP be postponed from September 30, 2008 until December 19, 2008.  This date was further postponed until February 6, 2009 by the District Court.  Although the VGP became effective on February 6, 2009, the VGP application procedure, known as the Notice of Intent, or NOI, has yet to be finalized.  Accordingly, Regulated Vessels will effectively be covered under the VGP from February 6, 2009 until June 19, 2009, at which time the “eNOI” electronic filing interface will become operational.  Thereafter, owners and operators of Regulated Vessels must file their NOIs prior to September 19, 2009, or the Deadline.  Any Regulated Vessel that does not file an NOI by the Deadline will, as of that date, no longer be covered by the VGP and will not be allowed to discharge into U.S. navigable waters until it has obtained a VGP.  Any Regulated Vessel that was delivered on or before the Deadline will receive final VGP permit coverage on the date that the EPA receives such Regulated Vessel’s complete NOI.  Regulated vessels delivered after the Deadline will not receive VGP permit coverage until 30 days after their NOI submission.  Our fleet is composed entirely of Regulated Vessels, and we intend to submit NOIs for each vessel in our fleet as soon after June 19, 2009 as practicable.

In addition, pursuant to Section 401 of the CWA, which requires each state to certify federal discharge permits such as the VGP, certain states have enacted additional discharge standards as conditions to their certification of the VGP.  These local standards bring the VGP into compliance with more stringent state requirements, such as those further restricting ballast water discharges and preventing the introduction of non-indigenous species considered to be invasive.  The VGP and its state-specific regulations and any similar restrictions enacted in the future will increase the costs of operating in the relevant waters.
 
 
 
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On October 9, 2008, the United States ratified the amended Annex VI to the IMO’s MARPOL Convention, addressing air pollution from ships, which went into effect on January 8, 2009. The EPA and the State of California, however, have each proposed more stringent regulations of air emissions from ocean-going vessels.  On July 24, 2008, the California Air Resources Board of the State of California, or CARB, approved clean-fuel regulations applicable to all vessels sailing within 24 miles of the California coastline whose itineraries call for them to enter any California ports, terminal facilities, or internal or estuarine waters.  The new CARB regulations require such vessels to use low sulfur marine fuels rather than bunker fuel.  By July 1, 2009, such vessels are required to switch either to marine gas oil with a sulfur content of no more than 1.5% or marine diesel oil with a sulfur content of no more than 0.5%.  By 2012, only marine gas oil and marine diesel oil fuels with 0.1% sulfur will be allowed.  CARB unilaterally approved the new regulations in spite of legal defeats at both the district and appellate court levels, but more legal challenges are expected to follow.  If CARB prevails and the new regulations go into effect as scheduled July 1, 2009, in the event our vessels were to travel within such waters, these new regulations would require significant expenditures on low-sulfur fuel and may increase our operating costs if operating outside a time charter or vessel pool arrangement.  Finally, although the more stringent CARB regime was technically superseded when the United States ratified and implemented the amended Annex VI, the possible declaration of various U.S. coastal waters as Emissions Control Areas may in turn bring U.S. emissions standards into line with the new CARB regulations, which would cause us to incur further costs.

The U.S. National Invasive Species Act, or NISA, was enacted in 1996 in response to growing reports of harmful organisms being released into U.S. ports through ballast water taken on by ships in foreign ports.  NISA established a ballast water management program for ships entering U.S. waters.  Under NISA, mid-ocean ballast water exchange is voluntary, except for ships heading to the Great Lakes or Hudson Bay, or vessels engaged in the foreign export of Alaskan North Slope crude oil.  However, NISA's reporting and record-keeping requirements are mandatory for vessels bound for any port in the United States.  Although ballast water exchange is the primary means of compliance with the act's guidelines, compliance can also be achieved through the retention of ballast water on board the ship, or the use of environmentally sound alternative ballast water management methods approved by the U.S. Coast Guard.  If the mid-ocean ballast exchange is made mandatory throughout the United States, or if water treatment requirements or options are instituted, the cost of compliance could increase for ocean carriers.  Although we do not believe that the costs of compliance with a mandatory mid-ocean ballast exchange would be material, it is difficult to predict the overall impact of such a requirement on the drybulk shipping industry.  The U.S. House of Representatives has recently passed a bill that amends NISA by prohibiting the discharge of ballast water unless it has been treated with specified methods or acceptable alternatives.  Similar bills have been introduced in the U.S. Senate, but we cannot predict which bill, if any, will be enacted into law.  In the absence of federal standards, states have enacted legislation or regulations to address invasive species through ballast water and hull cleaning management and permitting requirements.  For instance, the State of California has recently enacted legislation extending its ballast water management program to regulate the management of “hull fouling” organisms attached to vessels and adopted regulations limiting the number of organisms in ballast water discharges.  In addition, in November 2008 the Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals affirmed a District Court’s dismissal of challenges to the State of Michigan’s ballast water management legislation mandating the use of various techniques for ballast water treatment.  Other states may proceed with the enactment of similar requirements that could increase the costs of operating in state waters.

Our operations occasionally generate and require the transportation, treatment and disposal of both hazardous and non-hazardous solid wastes that are subject to the requirements of the U.S. Resource Conservation and Recovery Act, or RCRA, or comparable state, local or foreign requirements.  In addition, from time to time we arrange for the disposal of hazardous waste or hazardous substances at offsite disposal facilities.  If such materials are improperly disposed of by third parties, we may still be held liable for clean up costs under applicable laws and regulations.

European Union Regulations

In 2005, the European Union adopted a directive on ship-source pollution, imposing criminal sanctions for intentional, reckless or negligent pollution discharges by ships.  The directive could result in criminal liability for pollution from vessels in waters of European countries that adopt implementing legislation.  Criminal liability for
 
 
 
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pollution may result in substantial penalties or fines and increased civil liability claims.

Greenhouse Gas Regulation

In February 2005, the Kyoto Protocol to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, or the Kyoto Protocol, entered into force.  Pursuant to the Kyoto Protocol, adopting countries are required to implement national programs to reduce emissions of certain gases, generally referred to as greenhouse gases, which are suspected of contributing to global warming.  Currently, the emissions of greenhouse gases from international shipping are not subject to the Kyoto Protocol.  However, the European Union has indicated that it intends to propose an expansion of the existing European Union emissions trading scheme to include emissions of greenhouse gases from vessels.  In the United States, the Attorney Generals from 16 states and a coalition of environmental groups in April 2008 filed a petition for a writ of mandamus, or petition, with the DC Circuit Court of Appeals to request an order requiring the EPA to regulate greenhouse gas emissions from ocean-going vessels under the Clean Air Act.  The court denied the petition in June 2008.  However, pursuant to an April 2, 2007 order of the U.S. Supreme court, the EPA is currently considering whether carbon dioxide should be considered a pollutant that endangers public health and welfare, and thus subject to regulation under the Clean Air Act.  Future passage of climate control legislation or other regulatory initiatives by the IMO, European Union, United States or other individual countries where we operate that restrict emissions of greenhouse gases could entail financial impacts on our operations that we cannot predict with certainty at this time.

Vessel Security Regulations

Since the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, there have been a variety of initiatives intended to enhance vessel security.  On November 25, 2002, the U.S. Maritime Transportation Security Act of 2002, or the MTSA, came into effect.  To implement certain portions of the MTSA, in July 2003, the U.S. Coast Guard issued regulations requiring the implementation of certain security requirements aboard vessels operating in waters subject to the jurisdiction of the United States.  Similarly, in December 2002, amendments to SOLAS created a new chapter of the convention dealing specifically with maritime security.  The new chapter became effective in July 2004 and imposes various detailed security obligations on vessels and port authorities, most of which are contained in the newly created International Ship and Port Facilities Security Code, or the ISPS Code.  The ISPS Code is designed to protect ports and international shipping against terrorism.  After July 1, 2004, to trade internationally, a vessel must attain an International Ship Security Certificate from a recognized security organization approved by the vessel’s flag state.  Among the various requirements are:

·  
on-board installation of automatic identification systems to provide a means for the automatic transmission of safety-related information from among similarly equipped ships and shore stations, including information on a ship’s identity, position, course, speed and navigational status;
·  
on-board installation of ship security alert systems, which do not sound on the vessel but only alert the authorities on shore;
·  
the development of vessel security plans;
·  
ship identification number to be permanently marked on a vessel’s hull;
·  
a continuous synopsis record kept onboard showing a vessel’s history including the name of the ship and of 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.

The U.S. Coast Guard regulations, intended to align with international maritime security standards, exempt from MTSA vessel security measures non-U.S. vessels that have on board, as of July 1, 2004, a valid International Ship Security Certificate attesting to the vessel’s compliance with SOLAS security requirements and the ISPS Code.  We have implemented the various security measures addressed by the MTSA, SOLAS and the ISPS Code.
 
 
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Inspection by Classification Societies

Every oceangoing vessel must be ‘‘classed’’ by a classification society.  The classification society certifies that the vessel is ‘‘in class,’’ signifying that the vessel has been built and maintained in accordance with the rules of the classification society and complies with applicable rules and regulations of the vessel’s country of registry and the international conventions of which that country is a member.  In addition, where surveys are required by international conventions and corresponding laws and ordinances of a flag state, the classification society will undertake them on application or by official order, acting on behalf of the authorities concerned.

The classification society also undertakes on request other surveys and checks that are required by regulations and requirements of the flag state.  These surveys are subject to agreements made in each individual case and/or to the regulations of the country concerned.

For maintenance of the class certification, regular and extraordinary surveys of hull, machinery, including the electrical plant, and any special equipment classed are required to be performed as follows:

·  
Annual Surveys:  For seagoing ships, annual surveys are conducted for the hull and the machinery, including the electrical plant, and where applicable for special equipment classed, at intervals of 12 months from the date of commencement of the class period indicated in the certificate.
·  
Intermediate Surveys:  Extended annual surveys are referred to as intermediate surveys and typically are conducted two and one-half years after commissioning and each class renewal.  Intermediate surveys may be carried out on the occasion of the second or third annual survey.
·  
Class Renewal Surveys:  Class renewal surveys, also known as special surveys, are carried out for the ship’s hull, machinery, including the electrical plant, and for any special equipment classed, at the intervals indicated by the character of classification for the hull.  At the special survey, the vessel is thoroughly examined, including audio-gauging to determine the thickness of the steel structures.  Should the thickness be found to be less than class requirements, the classification society would prescribe steel renewals.  The classification society may grant a one-year grace period for completion of the special survey.  Substantial amounts of money may have to be spent for steel renewals to pass a special survey if the vessel experiences excessive wear and tear.  In lieu of the special survey every four or five years, depending on whether a grace period was granted, a shipowner has the option of arranging with the classification society for the vessel’s hull or machinery to be on a continuous survey cycle, in which every part of the vessel would be surveyed within a five-year cycle.  Upon a shipowner’s request, the surveys required for class renewal may be split according to an agreed schedule to extend over the entire period of class.  This process is referred to as continuous class renewal.

All areas subject to survey as defined by the classification society are required to be surveyed at least once per class period, unless shorter intervals between surveys are prescribed elsewhere.  The period between two subsequent surveys of each area must not exceed five years.

Most vessels are also drydocked every 30 to 36 months for inspection of the underwater parts and for repairs related to inspections.  If any defects are found, the classification surveyor will issue a ‘‘recommendation’’ which must be rectified by the shipowner within prescribed time limits.

Most insurance underwriters make it a condition for insurance coverage that a vessel be certified as ‘‘in class’’ by a classification society which is a member of the International Association of Classification Societies.  All of our vessels have been certified as being “in class” by ABS, BV, NK, DNV or Lloyd’s.  All new and secondhand vessels that we purchase must be certified prior to their delivery under our standard agreements.


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SEASONALITY

We operate our vessels in markets that have historically exhibited seasonal variations in demand and, as a result, charter rates.  We seek to mitigate the risk of these seasonal variations by entering into long-term time charters for our vessels, where possible.  However, this seasonality may result in quarter-to-quarter volatility in our operating results, depending on when we enter into our time charters or if our vessels trade on the spot market.  The drybulk sector is typically stronger in the fall and winter months in anticipation of increased consumption of coal and raw materials in the northern hemisphere during the winter months.  As a result, our revenues could be weaker during the fiscal quarters ended June 30 and September 30, and conversely, our revenues could be stronger during the quarters ended December 31 and March 31.

ITEM 1A.  RISK FACTORS

ADDITIONAL FACTORS THAT MAY AFFECT FUTURE RESULTS

This annual report on Form 10-K contains forward-looking statements made pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995.  Such forward-looking statements use words such as “anticipate,” “budget,” “estimate,” “expect,” “project,” “intend,” “plan,” “believe,” and other words and terms of similar meaning in connection with a discussion of potential future events, circumstances or future operating or financial performance.  These forward-looking statements are based on our management’s current expectations and observations.  Included among the factors that, in our view, could cause actual results to differ materially from the forward looking statements contained in this annual report on Form 10-K are the following: (i) changes in demand or rates in the drybulk shipping industry; (ii) changes in the supply of or demand for drybulk products, generally or in particular regions; (iii) changes in the supply of drybulk carriers including newbuilding of vessels or lower than anticipated scrapping of older vessels; (iv) changes in rules and regulations applicable to the cargo industry, including, without limitation, legislation adopted by international organizations or by individual countries and actions taken by regulatory authorities; (v) increases in costs and expenses including but not limited to: crew wages, insurance, provisions, repairs, maintenance and general and administrative expenses; (vi) the adequacy of our insurance arrangements; (vii) changes in general domestic and international political conditions; (viii) changes in the condition of the Company’s vessels or applicable maintenance or regulatory standards (which may affect, among other things, our anticipated drydocking or maintenance and repair costs) and unanticipated drydock expenditures; (ix) the amount of offhire time needed to complete repairs on vessels and the timing and amount of any reimbursement by our insurance carriers for insurance claims including offhire days; (x) our acquisition or disposition of vessels; (xi) the fulfillment of the closing conditions under, or the execution of customary additional documentation for, the Company’s agreements to acquire a total of three drybulk vessels; (xii) the results of the investigation into the incident involving the collision of the Genco Hunter, the possible cause of and liability for such incident, and the scope of insurance coverage available to Genco for such incident; (xiii) the Company’s ability to collect amounts due from Samsun Logix Corporation and/or recharter the Genco Cavalier at all or at favorable rates; (xiv) the extent of repairs required for the Genco Cavalier and the Company’s ability to collect on any damage claim for its recent collision; (xv) those other risks and uncertainties discussed below under the heading “RISK FACTORS RELATED TO OUR BUSINESS & OPERATIONS”, and (xvi) other factors listed from time to time in our filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

The following risk factors and other information included in this report should be carefully considered. If any of the following risks occur, our business, financial condition, operating results and cash flows could be materially and adversely affected and the trading price of our common stock could decline.




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RISK FACTORS RELATED TO OUR BUSINESS & OPERATIONS

Industry Specific Risk Factors

The current global economic turndown may continue to negatively impact our business.
 
Recent months have seen a significant shift in the global economy, with operating businesses facing tightening credit, weakening demand for goods and services, deteriorating international liquidity conditions, and declining markets.  Lower demand for drybulk cargoes as well as diminished trade credit available for the delivery of such cargoes have led to decreased demand for drybulk vessels, creating downward pressure on charter rates.  If the current global economic environment persists or worsens, we may be negatively affected in the following ways:

·  
We may not be able to employ our vessels at charter rates as favorable to us as historical rates or operate our vessels profitably.

·  
The market value of our vessels could further decrease, which may cause us to recognize losses if any of our vessels are sold or if their values are impaired.  In connection with this risk, we recently amended our credit facility to obtain a waiver of the collateral maintenance requirement until we can satisfy the requirement and meet certain other conditions.   If we did not have such a waiver, such a decline in the market value of our vessels could prevent us from borrowing under our credit facility or trigger a default under its covenants.

·  
Charterers could seek to renegotiate the terms of their charterers with us or have difficulty meeting their payment obligations to us.  We understand that Samsun Logix Corporation, the charterer of the Genco Cavalier, has recently filed for the equivalent of bankruptcy protection in South Korea.

·  
The value of our investment in Jinhui could decline further in future years, and we may recognize additional impairment losses if we were to sell our shares or if the value of our investment is further impaired.

The occurrence of any of the foregoing could have a material adverse effect on our business, results of operations, cash flows, financial condition and ability to pay dividends. 

Charterhire rates for drybulk carriers are volatile and are currently at relatively low levels as compared to historical levels and may further decrease in the future, which may adversely affect our earnings.
 
The drybulk shipping industry is cyclical with attendant volatility in charterhire rates and profitability.  The degree of charterhire rate volatility among different types of drybulk carriers has varied widely.  Charterhire rates are volatile, as evidenced by the historically high rates during May 2008, which have since declined to extreme lows in December 2008.
 
Because we generally charter our vessels pursuant to time charters, we are exposed to changes in spot market rates for drybulk carriers at the time of entering into charterhire contracts and such changes may affect our earnings and the value of our drybulk carriers at any given time.  We cannot assure you that we will be able to successfully charter our vessels in the future or renew existing charters at rates sufficient to allow us to meet our obligations or to pay dividends to our shareholders.  The supply of and demand for shipping capacity strongly influences freight rates.  Because the factors affecting the supply and demand for vessels are outside of our control and are unpredictable, the nature, timing, direction and degree of changes in industry conditions are also unpredictable.
 
Factors that influence demand for vessel capacity include:
 
·  
demand for and production of drybulk products;
 
 
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·  
global and regional economic and political conditions including developments in international trade, fluctuations in industrial and agricultural production and armed conflicts;
 
·  
the distance drybulk cargo is to be moved by sea;
 
·  
environmental and other regulatory developments; and
 
·  
changes in seaborne and other transportation patterns.
 
The factors that influence the supply of vessel capacity include:
 
·  
the number of newbuilding deliveries;
 
·  
port and canal congestion;
 
·  
the scrapping rate of older vessels;
 
·  
vessel casualties; and
 
·  
the number of vessels that are out of service, i.e., laid-up, drydocked, awaiting repairs or otherwise not available for hire.
 
In addition to the prevailing and anticipated freight rates, factors that affect the rate of newbuilding, scrapping and laying-up include newbuilding prices, secondhand vessel values in relation to scrap prices, costs of bunkers and other operating costs, costs associated with classification society surveys, normal maintenance and insurance coverage, the efficiency and age profile of the existing fleet in the market and government and industry regulation of maritime transportation practices, particularly environmental protection laws and regulations.  These factors influencing the supply of and demand for shipping capacity are outside of our control, and we may not be able to correctly assess the nature, timing and degree of changes in industry conditions.
 
We anticipate that the future demand for our drybulk carriers will be dependent upon economic growth in the world's economies, including China and India, seasonal and regional changes in demand, changes in the capacity of the global drybulk carrier fleet and the sources and supply of drybulk cargo to be transported by sea.  The capacity of the global drybulk carrier fleet seems likely to increase and we can provide no assurance as to the timing or extent of future economic growth.  Adverse economic, political, social or other developments could have a material adverse effect on our business, results of operations, cash flows, financial condition and ability to pay dividends.

An over-supply of drybulk carrier capacity may lead to reductions in charterhire rates and profitability.
 
The market supply of drybulk carriers has been increasing as a result of the delivery of numerous newbuilding orders over the last few years.  Currently, we believe there is an oversupply of vessels, as evidenced by some carriers letting their ships sit idle rather than operate them at current rates.  However, future newbuilding deliveries are being affected by the cancellation of vessel orders, which may result in a reduction in the growth of the future supply of vessels.

Newbuildings were delivered in significant numbers starting at the beginning of 2006 and continued to be delivered in significant numbers through 2007 and 2008.  An oversupply of drybulk carrier capacity may result in a reduction of charterhire rates, as evidenced by historically low rates in December 2008.  If such a reduction continues, upon the expiration or termination of our vessels’ current charters, we may only be able to re-charter our vessels at reduced or unprofitable rates, or we may not be able to charter these vessels at all.
 
 
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The market values of our vessels may decrease, which could adversely affect our operating results, cause us to breach one or more of the covenants in our 2007 Credit Facility or limit the total amount that we may borrow under our 2007 Credit Facility.
 
If the book value of one of our vessels 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 financial results.  Also, we have entered into a credit agreement with a syndicate of commercial lenders that provides us with the 2007 Credit Facility.  If the market value of our fleet declines, we may not be in compliance with certain provisions of our 2007 Credit Facility, and we may not be able to refinance our debt or obtain additional financing.  We recently obtained a waiver of the collateral maintenance requirement under our 2007 Credit Facility, subject to certain conditions as mentioned above.  This requirement is waived effective for the year ended December 31, 2008 and until the Company can represent that it is in compliance with all of its financial covenants and is otherwise able to pay a dividend and purchase or redeem shares of common stock under the terms of the Credit Facility in effect before the 2009 Amendment.  With the exception of the collateral maintenance financial covenant, the Company believes that it is in compliance with its covenants under the 2007 Credit Facility.  Without a waiver of the kind provided in the recent amendment to our 2007 Credit Facility, a decrease in the fair market value of our vessels may cause us to breach one or more of the covenants in our Credit Facility, which could accelerate the repayment of outstanding borrowings under the facility, or may limit the total amount that we may borrow under the facility.  We cannot assure you that we will satisfy all our debt covenants in the future or that our lenders will waive any future failure to satisfy these covenants.  The occurrence of these events could have a material adverse effect on our business, results of operations, cash flows, financial condition and ability to pay dividends.

A further economic slowdown in the Asia Pacific region could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial position and results of operations.

A significant number of the port calls made by our vessels involve the loading or discharging of raw materials and semi-finished products in ports in the Asia Pacific region.  As a result, a negative change in economic conditions in any Asia Pacific country, and particularly in China or Japan, may have an adverse effect on our business, results of operations, cash flows, financial condition and ability to pay dividends.  In particular, in recent years, China has been one of the world's fastest growing economies in terms of gross domestic product, although the growth rate of China’s economy slowed significantly in 2008.  We cannot assure you that the Chinese economy will not experience a significant contraction in the future.  Moreover, a significant or protracted slowdown in the economies of the United States, the European Union or various Asian countries may adversely affect economic growth in China and elsewhere.  Our business, results of operations, cash flows, financial condition and ability to pay dividends will likely be materially and adversely affected by an economic downturn in any of these countries.

We are subject to regulation and liability under environmental and operational safety laws that could require significant expenditures and affect our cash flows and net income and could subject us to increased liability under applicable law or regulation.
 
Our business and the operation of our vessels are materially affected by government regulation in the form of international conventions and national, state and local laws and regulations in force in the jurisdictions in which the vessels operate, as well as in the countries of their registration.  Because such conventions, laws, and regulations are often revised, we cannot predict the ultimate cost of complying with them or their impact on the resale prices or useful lives of our vessels.  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 that may materially adversely affect our business, results of operations, cash flows, financial condition and ability to pay dividends.  We are required by various governmental and quasi-governmental agencies to obtain certain permits, licenses, certificates and financial assurances with respect to our operations.
 
 
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The operation of our vessels is affected by the requirements set forth in the United Nations' International Maritime Organization's International Management Code for the Safe Operation of Ships and Pollution Prevention, or ISM Code.  The ISM Code requires shipowners, ship managers and bareboat charterers to develop and maintain an extensive "Safety Management System" that includes the adoption of a safety and environmental protection policy setting forth instructions and procedures for safe operation and describing procedures for dealing with emergencies.  The failure of a shipowner or bareboat charterer to comply with the ISM Code may subject it to increased liability, may invalidate existing insurance or decrease available insurance coverage for the affected vessels and may result in a denial of access to, or detention in, certain ports.

Although the United States is not a party, many countries have ratified and follow the liability scheme adopted by the IMO and set out in the CLC, and the Convention for the Establishment of an International Fund for Oil Pollution of 1971, as amended.  Under these conventions, a vessel's registered owner is strictly liable for pollution damage caused on the territorial waters of a contracting state by discharge of persistent oil, subject to certain complete defenses.

Many of the countries that have ratified the CLC have increased the liability limits through a 1992 Protocol to the CLC.  The right to limit liability is also forfeited under the CLC where the spill is caused by the owner's actual fault and, under the 1992 Protocol, where the spill is caused by the owner's intentional or reckless conduct.  Vessels trading to contracting states must provide evidence of insurance coverage.  In jurisdictions where the CLC has not been adopted, various legislative schemes or common law govern, and liability is imposed either on the basis of fault or in a manner similar to the CLC.

The United States Oil Pollution Act of 1990, or OPA, established an extensive regulatory and liability regime for the protection and cleanup of the environment from oil spills.  OPA affects all owners and operators whose vessels trade in the United States, its territories and possessions or whose vessels operate in U.S. waters.  OPA allows for potentially unlimited liability without regard to fault of vessel owners, operators and bareboat charterers for all containment and clean-up costs and other damages arising from discharges or threatened discharges of oil from their vessels, including bunkers, in U.S. waters.  OPA also expressly permits individual states to impose their own liability regimes with regard to hazardous materials and oil pollution materials occurring within their boundaries.

While we do not carry oil as cargo, we do carry bunkers in our drybulk carriers.  We currently maintain, for each of our vessels, pollution liability coverage insurance of $1 billion per incident.  Damages from a catastrophic spill exceeding our insurance coverage could have a material adverse effect on our business, results of operations, cash flows, financial condition and ability to pay dividends.

Increased inspection procedures and tighter import and export controls could increase costs and disrupt our business.

International shipping is subject to various security and customs inspection and related procedures in countries of origin and destination.  Inspection procedures can result in the seizure of the contents of 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 ability to pay dividends.
 
We operate our vessels worldwide and as a result, our vessels are exposed to international risks which could reduce revenue or increase expenses.

The international shipping industry is an inherently risky business involving global operations.  Our vessels will be at risk of damage or loss because of events such as mechanical failure, collision, human error, war, terrorism, piracy,
 
 
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cargo loss and bad weather.  All these hazards can result in death or injury to persons, increased costs, loss of revenues, loss or damage to property (including cargo), environmental damage, higher insurance rates, damage to our customer relationships, harm to our reputation as a safe and reliable operator and delay or rerouting.  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 sorts of events could interfere with shipping routes and result in market disruptions which could have a material adverse effect on our business, results of operations, cash flows, financial condition and ability to pay dividends.

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.  We may have to pay drydocking costs that our insurance does not cover in full.  The loss of earnings while these vessels are being repaired and repositioned, as well as the actual cost of these repairs, would decrease our earnings.  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 we may be forced to travel to a drydocking facility that is distant from the relevant vessel's position.  The loss of earnings while vessels are forced to wait for space or to travel to more distant drydocking facilities would decrease our earnings.

The operation of drybulk carriers has certain unique operational risks which could affect our earnings and cash flow.
 
The operation of certain ship types, such as drybulk carriers, has certain unique risks.  With a drybulk carrier, the cargo itself and its interaction with the vessel can be an operational risk.  By their nature, drybulk cargoes are often heavy, dense, easily shifted, and react badly to water exposure.  In addition, drybulk carriers are often subjected to battering treatment during unloading operations with grabs, jackhammers (to pry encrusted cargoes out of the hold) and small bulldozers.  This treatment may cause damage to the vessel.  Vessels damaged due to treatment during unloading procedures may be more susceptible to breach to the sea.  Hull breaches in drybulk carriers may lead to the flooding of the vessels' holds.  If a drybulk carrier suffers flooding in its forward holds, the bulk cargo may become so dense and waterlogged that its pressure may buckle the vessel's bulkheads, leading to the loss of a vessel.  If we are unable to adequately maintain our vessels, we may be unable to prevent these events.  Any of these circumstances or events may have a material adverse effect on our business, results of operations, cash flows, financial condition and ability to pay dividends.  In addition, the loss of any of our vessels could harm our reputation as a safe and reliable vessel owner and operator.

 
Acts of piracy on ocean-going vessels have recently increased in frequency, which 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 and in the Gulf of Aden off the coast of Somalia.  Throughout 2008, the frequency of piracy incidents increased significantly, particularly in the Gulf of Aden off the coast of Somalia.  If these piracy attacks result in regions in which our vessels are deployed being characterized by insurers as “war risk” zones, as the Gulf of Aden temporarily was in May 2008, or Joint War Committee (JWC) “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, including costs which may be incurred to the extent we employ 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 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, results of operations, cash flows, financial condition and ability to pay dividends.
 
Terrorist attacks, such as the attacks on the United States on September 11, 2001, and other acts of violence or war may affect the financial markets and our business, results of operations and financial condition.
 
Terrorist attacks such as the attacks in the United States on September 11, 2001 and the United States’ continuing response to these attacks, the attacks in London on July 7, 2005, as well as the threat of future terrorist attacks, continue to cause uncertainty in the world financial markets, including the energy markets.  The continuing conflict in Iraq may
 
 
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lead to additional acts of terrorism, armed conflict and civil disturbance around the world, which may contribute to further instability including in the drybulk shipping markets.  Terrorist attacks, such as the attack on the M.T. Limburg in Yemen in October 2002, may also negatively affect our trade patterns or other operations and directly impact our vessels or our customers.  Future terrorist attacks could result in increased volatility of the financial markets in the United States and globally and could result in an economic recession in the United States or the world.  Any of these occurrences, or the perception that drybulk carriers are potential terrorist targets, could have a material adverse impact on our business, results of operations, cash flows, financial condition and ability to pay dividends.

Compliance with safety and other vessel requirements imposed by classification societies may be costly and could reduce our net cash flows and net income.

The hull and machinery of every commercial vessel must be certified as being "in class" by a classification society authorized by its country of registry.  The classification society certifies that a vessel is safe and seaworthy in accordance with the applicable rules and regulations of the country of registry of the vessel and the Safety of Life at Sea Convention.  Our vessels are currently enrolled with the ABS, NK, DNV, or Lloyd’s, each of which is a member of the International Association of Classification Societies.

A vessel must undergo annual surveys, intermediate surveys and special surveys.  In lieu of a special survey, a vessel's machinery may be placed on a continuous survey cycle, under which the machinery would be surveyed periodically over a five-year period.  Our vessels are on special survey cycles for hull inspection and continuous survey cycles for machinery inspection.  Every vessel is also required to be drydocked every two to three years for inspection of its underwater parts.

If any vessel does not maintain its class or fails any annual, intermediate or special survey, the vessel will be unable to trade between ports and will be unemployable and we could be in violation of certain covenants in our 2007 Credit Facility, which could have a material adverse effect on our business, results of operations, cash flows, financial condition and ability to pay dividends.

We may be unable to attract and retain qualified, skilled employees or crew necessary to operate our business.

Our success depends in large part on our ability 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.  We expect crew costs to increase in 2009.  If we are not able to increase our rates to compensate for any crew cost increases, it could have a material adverse effect on our business, results of operations, cash flows, financial condition and ability to pay dividends.  Any inability we 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.

Labor interruptions could disrupt our business.

Our vessels are manned by masters, officers and crews that are employed by third parties.  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 business, results of operations, cash flows, financial condition and ability to pay dividends.

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 South America and other 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 which could have an adverse effect on our business, results of operations, cash flows, financial condition and ability to pay dividends.
 
 
 
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Arrests of our vessels by maritime claimants could cause a significant loss of earnings for the related off-hire period.
 
Crew members, suppliers of goods and services to a vessel, shippers of cargo and other parties may be entitled to a maritime lien against a vessel for unsatisfied debts, claims or damages.  In many jurisdictions, a maritime lienholder 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 result in a significant loss of earnings for the related off-hire period.  In addition, in jurisdictions where the “sister ship” theory of liability applies, a claimant may arrest the vessel which is subject to the claimant’s maritime lien and any “associated” vessel, which is any vessel owned or controlled by the same owner.  In countries with “sister ship” liability laws, claims might be asserted against us or any of our vessels for liabilities of other vessels that we own.

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 our vessels.  Requisition for title occurs when a government takes control of a vessel and becomes the owner.  A government could also requisition our vessels for hire.  Requisition for hire occurs when a government takes control of a vessel and effectively becomes the charterer at dictated charter rates.  Generally, requisitions occur during a period of war or emergency.  Government requisition of one or more of our vessels could have a material adverse effect on our business, results of operations, cash flows, financial condition and ability to pay dividends.

Increases in fuel prices could adversely affect our profits.
 
From time to time, we may operate our vessels on spot charters either directly or by placing them in pools with similar vessels.  Spot charter arrangements generally provide that the vessel owner or pool operator bear the cost of fuel (bunkers), which is a significant vessel operating expense.  We currently have three vessels operating in vessel pools, and we may arrange for more vessels to do so, depending on market conditions.  Also, the cost of fuel may also be a factor in negotiating charter rates in the future.  As a result, an increase in the price of fuel beyond our expectations may adversely affect our profitability, cash flows and ability to pay dividends.  The price and supply of fuel is unpredictable and fluctuates as a result of events outside our control, including geo-political developments, supply and demand for oil and gas, actions by members of the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries and other oil and gas producers, war and unrest in oil producing countries and regions, regional production patterns and environmental concerns and regulations.

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.  This seasonality may result in quarter-to-quarter volatility in our operating results, depending on when we enter into our time charters or if our vessels trade on the spot market.  The drybulk sector is typically stronger in the fall and winter months in anticipation of increased consumption of coal and raw materials in the northern hemisphere during the winter months.  As a result, our revenues could be weaker during the fiscal quarters ended June 30 and September 30, and conversely, our revenue could be stronger during the quarters ended December 31 and March 31.  This seasonality could have a material adverse effect on our business, results of operations, cash flows, financial condition and ability to pay dividends.

Company Specific Risk Factors

Our earnings will be adversely affected if we do not successfully employ our vessels.

As of February 26, 2009, all but three of the vessels in our fleet were engaged under time charter contracts that expire (assuming the option periods in the time charters are not exercised) between March 2009 and October 2012.  One
 
 
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of these vessels, the Genco Cavalier, is currently engaged under a time charter contract with Samsun Logix Corporation, which we understand has filed for the equivalent of bankruptcy protection in South Korea.  Three of our vessels currently trade in the spot charter market through participation in pool arrangements.  Although time charters provide relatively steady streams of revenues, our vessels committed to time charters may not be available for spot voyages during periods of increasing charterhire rates, when spot voyages might be more profitable.  The drybulk market is volatile, and in the past charterhire rates for drybulk carriers have sometimes declined below operating costs of vessels.  If our vessels become available for employment in the spot market or under new time charters during periods when market prices have fallen, we may have to employ our vessels at depressed market prices, which would lead to reduced or volatile earnings.  Also, while Genco is currently actively exploring its options to collect amounts due to the Company from Samsun Logix Corporation, there can be no assurance as to when and how much of such amounts may be collected or whether the Company can recharter the Genco Cavalier at all or at favorable rates.  To the extent our vessels trade in the spot charter market, we may experience fluctuations in revenue, cash flow and net income.  The spot charter market is highly competitive, and spot market voyage charter rates may fluctuate dramatically based primarily on the worldwide supply of drybulk vessels available in the market and the worldwide demand for the transportation of drybulk cargoes.  We can provide no assurance that future charterhire rates will enable us to operate our vessels profitably.  In addition, our standard time charter contracts with our customers specify certain performance parameters, which if not met can result in customer claims.  Such claims may have a material adverse effect on our business, results of operations, cash flows, financial condition and ability to pay dividends.

If we cannot find profitable employment for additional vessels that we acquire, our earnings will be adversely affected.

We generally acquire vessels free of charter, although we have and may again acquire some vessels with continuing time charters.  In addition, where a vessel has been under a voyage charter, it is rare in the shipping industry for the last charterer of the vessel in the seller's hands to continue as the first charterer of the vessel in the buyer's hands.  To the extent we operate our vessels in vessel pools, the profitable employment of our vessels depends to some degree on the ability of the pool operators.  We provide no assurance that we will be able to arrange immediate or profitable employment for vessels that we acquire.  If we cannot do so, it could have a material adverse effect on our business, results of operations, cash flows, financial condition and ability to pay dividends.

We depend upon a small number of charterers for a large part of our revenues.  The loss of one or more of these charterers could adversely affect our financial performance.

We have derived a significant part of our revenues from a small number of charterers.  For the year ended December 31, 2008, 100% of our revenues were derived from 22 charterers.  Additionally, approximately 42.4% of our revenues were derived from two charterers, Pacbasin and Cargill.  If we were to lose any of these charterers, or if any of these charterers significantly reduced its use of our services or was unable to make charter payments to us, it could have a material adverse effect on our business, results of operations, cash flows, financial condition and ability to pay dividends.

Our practice of purchasing and operating previously owned vessels may result in increased operating costs and vessels off-hire, which could adversely affect our earnings.

All of our drybulk carriers, other than the Genco Augustus, Genco Tiberius, Genco Titus, Genco London, Genco Constantine, Genco Raptor, Genco Cavalier, Genco Thunder and Genco Hadrian, were previously owned by third parties.  Our current business strategy includes additional growth through the acquisition of previously owned vessels.  While we typically inspect previously owned 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.  Also, when purchasing previously owned vessels, we do not receive the benefit of any builder warranties if the vessels we buy are older than one year.
 
 
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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.

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, results of operations, cash flows, financial condition and ability to pay dividends.
 
An increase in operating costs could adversely affect our cash flow and financial condition.
 
Our vessel operating expenses include the costs of crew, provisions, deck and engine stores, 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 a recent increase in the frequency of acts of piracy, have been increasing.  In addition, to the extent we enter the spot charter market, we need to include the cost of bunkers as part of our voyage expenses.  The price of fuel may increase in the future.  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.

We depend to a significant degree upon third-party managers to provide the technical management of our fleet.  Any failure of these technical managers to perform their obligations to us could adversely affect our business.

We have contracted the technical management of our fleet, including crewing, maintenance and repair services, to third-party technical management companies.  The failure of these technical managers to perform their obligations could materially and adversely affect our business, results of operations, cash flows, financial condition and ability to pay dividends.  Although we may have rights against our third-party managers if they default on their obligations to us, our shareholders will share that recourse only indirectly to the extent that we recover funds.

In the highly competitive international drybulk shipping industry, we may not be able to compete for charters with new entrants or established companies with greater resources.
 
We employ our vessels in a highly competitive market that is capital intensive and highly fragmented.  Competition arises primarily from other vessel owners, some of whom have substantially greater resources than we do.  Competition for the transportation of drybulk cargoes can be intense and depends on price, location, size, age, condition and the acceptability of the vessel and its managers to the charterers.  Due in part to the highly fragmented market, competitors with greater resources could enter and operate larger fleets through consolidations or acquisitions that may be able to offer better prices and fleets than we are able to offer.

The aging of our fleet may result in increased operating costs in the future, which could adversely affect our earnings.
 
In general, the costs to maintain a drybulk carrier in good operating condition increase with the age of the vessel.  The average age of the vessels in our current fleet is approximately 6.5 years as of December 31, 2008.  Older vessels are typically less fuel-efficient and more costly to maintain than more recently constructed drybulk carriers due to improvements in engine technology.  Cargo insurance rates increase with the age of a vessel, making older vessels less desirable to charterers.

We are currently prohibited from paying dividends or repurchasing our stock, and it is unlikely this prohibition will be lifted until market conditions improve.  
 
 
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We recently agreed to an amendment to our 2007 Credit Facility that contained a waiver of the collateral maintenance requirement.  As a condition of this waiver, among other things, we agreed to suspend our cash dividends and share repurchases until such time as we can satisfy the collateral maintenance requirement.  Until market conditions which have resulted in a decline in the value of drybulk vessels improve, it is unlikely that we will be able to meet that condition to reinstate our cash dividends and share repurchases.

Even if we were able to satisfy the condition in our 2007 Credit Facility to reinstate the payment of cash dividends,  we would make dividend payments to our shareholders only if our board of directors, acting in its sole discretion, determines that such payments would be in our best interest and in compliance with relevant legal and contractual requirements.  The principal business factors that our board of directors considers when determining the timing and amount of dividend payments will be our earnings, financial condition and cash requirements at the time.    Marshall Islands law generally prohibits the declaration and payment of dividends other than from surplus.  Marshall Islands law also prohibits the declaration and payment of dividends while a company is insolvent or would be rendered insolvent by the payment of such a dividend.

We may incur other expenses or liabilities that would reduce or eliminate the cash available for distribution as dividends.  We may also enter into new agreements or the Marshall Islands or another jurisdiction may adopt laws or regulations that place additional restrictions on our ability to pay dividends.  If we do not pay dividends, the return on your investment would be limited to the price at which you could sell your shares.

We may not be able to grow or effectively manage our growth, which could cause us to incur additional indebtedness and other liabilities and adversely affect our business.

A principal focus of our business strategy is to grow by expanding our business.  Our future growth will depend on a number of factors, some of which we can control and some of which we cannot.  These factors include our ability to:

·  
identify vessels for acquisition;

·  
consummate acquisitions or establish joint ventures;

·  
integrate acquired vessels successfully with our existing operations;

·  
expand our customer base; and

·  
obtain required financing for our existing and new operations.

Growing any business by acquisition presents numerous risks, including undisclosed liabilities and obligations, difficulty obtaining additional qualified personnel, managing relationships with customers and suppliers and integrating newly acquired operations into existing infrastructures.  Future acquisitions could result in the incurrence of additional indebtedness and liabilities that could have a material adverse effect on our business, results of operations, cash flows, financial condition and ability to pay dividends.  In addition, competition from other buyers for vessels could reduce our acquisition opportunities or cause us to pay a higher price than we might otherwise pay.  We cannot assure you that we will be successful in executing our growth plans or that we will not incur significant expenses and losses in connection with these plans.

Restrictive covenants in our 2007 Credit Facility may impose financial and other restrictions on us which could negatively impact our growth and adversely affect our operations.

Our ability to borrow amounts under our 2007 Credit Facility are subject to the satisfaction of certain customary conditions precedent and compliance with terms and conditions included in the related credit documents.  It is a
 
 
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condition precedent to each drawdown under the facility that the aggregate fair market value of the mortgaged vessels must at all times be at least 130% of the aggregate outstanding principal amount under the credit facility plus all letters of credit outstanding (determined on a pro forma basis giving effect to the amount proposed to be drawn down), although this condition is currently subject to a waiver as noted above.  To the extent that we are not able to satisfy these requirements, we may not be able to draw down the full amount under our 2007 Credit Facility without obtaining a further waiver or consent from the lenders.  In addition, the covenants in our 2007 Credit Facility include the following requirements:

  
The leverage covenant requires the maximum average net debt to EBITDA to be ratio of at least 5.5:1.0;
 
  
cash and cash equivalents must not be less than $0.5 million per mortgaged vessel;
 
  
the ratio of EBITDA to interest expense, on a rolling last four-quarter basis, must be no less than 2.0:1.0;
and

· 
after July 20, 2007, consolidated net worth must be no less than $263.3 million plus 80% of the value of any new equity issuances of the Company from June 30, 2007.  Based on the equity offerings completed in October 2007 and May 2008, consolidated net worth must be no less than $590.8 million.

We cannot assure you that we will be able to comply with these covenants in the future.

Our 2007 Credit Facility imposes operating and financial restrictions on us.  These restrictions may limit our ability to:

·  
incur additional indebtedness on satisfactory terms or at all;

·  
incur liens on our assets;

·  
sell our vessels or the capital stock of our subsidiaries;

·  
make investments;

·  
engage in mergers or acquisitions;

·  
pay dividends (following an event of default or our breach of a covenant) in the event we are able to resume dividend payments under the waiver of our collateral maintenance covenant which is currently in effect);
 
·  
make capital expenditures;

·  
compete effectively to the extent our competitors are subject to less onerous financial restrictions; and

· 
change the management of our vessels or terminate or materially amend the management agreement relating to any of our vessels.

Therefore, we may need to seek permission from our lenders in order to engage in some corporate actions.  Our lenders' interests may be different from ours, and we cannot guarantee that we will be able to obtain our lenders' permission when needed.  This may prevent us from taking actions that are in our best interest and from executing our business strategy of growth through acquisitions and may restrict or limit our ability to pay dividends and finance our future operations.
 
 
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We currently maintain all of our cash with one financial institution, which subjects us to credit risk.

We currently maintain all of our cash with one financial institution.  None of our balances are covered by insurance in the event of default by this financial institution.  The occurrence of such a default could therefore have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, results of operations and cash flows.

If we are unable to fund our capital expenditures, we may not be able to continue to operate some of our vessels, which would have a material adverse effect on our business and our ability to pay dividends.

In order to fund our capital expenditures, we may be required to incur borrowings or raise capital through the sale of debt or equity securities.  Our ability to borrow money and access the capital markets through future offerings may be limited by our financial condition at the time of any such offering as well as by adverse market conditions resulting from, among other things, general economic conditions and contingencies and uncertainties that are beyond our control.  Our failure to obtain the funds for necessary future capital expenditures would limit our ability to continue to operate some of our vessels and could have a material adverse effect on our business, results of operations, financial condition, cash flows and ability to pay dividends.  Even if we are successful in obtaining such funds through financings, the terms of such financings could further limit our ability to pay dividends.

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

We are a holding company, and our subsidiaries, which are all wholly owned by us, either directly or indirectly, 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 to our shareholders depends 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 be dependent 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.

Our ability to obtain additional debt financing may depend 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 may be required to purchase additional vessels or may significantly increase our costs of obtaining such capital.  Our inability to obtain additional financing at all or at a higher than anticipated cost may have a material adverse affect on our business, results of operations, cash flows, financial condition and ability to pay dividends.

If management is unable to continue to provide reports as to the effectiveness of our internal control over financial reporting or our independent registered public accounting firm is unable to continue to provide us with  unqualified attestation reports as to the effectiveness of our internal control over financial reporting, investors could lose confidence in the reliability of our financial statements, which could result in a decrease in the value of our common stock.

Under Section 404 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002, we are required to include in this and each of our future annual reports on Form 10-K a report containing our management's assessment of the effectiveness of our internal control over financial reporting and a related attestation of our independent registered public accounting firm.  If, in future annual reports on Form 10-K, our management cannot provide a report as to the effectiveness of our internal control over financial reporting or our independent registered public accounting firm is unable to provide us with an unqualified attestation report as to the effectiveness of our internal control over financial reporting as required by Section 404, investors could lose confidence in the reliability of our financial statements, which could result in a decrease in the value of our common stock.
 
 
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If we are unable to operate our financial and operations systems effectively or to recruit suitable employees as we expand our fleet, our performance may be adversely affected.

Our current financial and operating systems may not be adequate as we implement our plan to expand the size of our fleet, and our attempts to improve those systems may be ineffective.  In addition, as we expand our fleet, we will have to rely on our outside technical managers to recruit suitable additional seafarers and shore-based administrative and management personnel.  We cannot assure you that our outside technical managers will be able to continue to hire suitable employees as we expand our fleet.

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

Our success depends to a significant extent upon the abilities and efforts of our management team and our ability to hire and retain key members of our management team.  The loss of any of these individuals could adversely affect our business prospects and financial condition.  Difficulty in hiring and retaining personnel could have a material adverse effect our business, results of operations, cash flows, financial condition and ability to pay dividends.  We do not intend to maintain "key man" life insurance on any of our officers.
 
We may not have adequate insurance to compensate us if we lose our vessels or to compensate third parties.
 
There are a number of risks associated with the operation of ocean-going vessels, including mechanical failure, collision, human error, war, terrorism, piracy, property loss, cargo loss or damage and business interruption due to political circumstances in foreign countries, hostilities and labor strikes.  Any of these events may result in loss of revenues, increased costs and decreased cash flows.  In addition, the operation of any vessel is subject to the inherent possibility of marine disaster, including oil spills and other environmental mishaps, and the liabilities arising from owning and operating vessels in international trade.
 
We are insured against tort claims and some contractual claims (including claims related to environmental damage and pollution) through memberships in protection and indemnity associations or clubs, or P&I Associations.  As a result of such membership, the P&I Associations provide us coverage for such tort and contractual claims.  We also carry hull and machinery insurance and war risk insurance for our fleet.  We insure our vessels for third-party liability claims subject to and in accordance with the rules of the P&I Associations in which the vessels are entered.  We currently maintain insurance against loss of hire, which covers business interruptions that result in the loss of use of a vessel.  We can give no assurance that we will be adequately insured against all risks.  We may not be able to obtain adequate insurance coverage for our fleet in the future.  The insurers may not pay particular claims.  Our insurance policies contain deductibles for which we will be responsible and limitations and exclusions which may increase our costs or lower our revenue.
 
We cannot assure you that we will be able to renew our insurance policies on the same or commercially reasonable terms, or at all, in the future.  For example, more stringent environmental regulations have led in the past to increased costs for, and in the future may result in the lack of availability of, protection and indemnity insurance against risks of environmental damage or pollution.  Any uninsured or underinsured loss could harm our business, results of operations, cash flows, financial condition and ability to pay dividends.  In addition, our insurance may be voidable by the insurers as a result of certain of our actions, such as our ships failing to maintain certification with applicable maritime self-regulatory organizations.  Further, we cannot assure you that our insurance policies will cover all losses that we incur, or that disputes over insurance claims will not arise with our insurance carriers.  Any claims covered by insurance would be subject to deductibles, and since it is possible that a large number of claims may be brought, the aggregate amount of these deductibles could be material.  In addition, our insurance policies are subject to limitations and exclusions, which may increase our costs or lower our revenues, thereby possibly having a material adverse effect on our business, results of operations, cash flows, financial condition and ability to pay dividends.
 
 
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We are subject to funding calls by our protection and indemnity associations, and our associations may not have enough resources to cover claims made against them.

We are indemnified for legal liabilities incurred while operating our vessels through membership in P&I Associations.  P&I Associations are mutual insurance associations whose members must contribute to cover losses sustained by other association members.  The objective of a P&I Association is to provide mutual insurance based on the aggregate tonnage of a member's vessels entered into the association.  Claims are paid through the aggregate premiums of all members of the association, although members remain subject to calls for additional funds if the aggregate premiums are insufficient to cover claims submitted to the association.  Claims submitted to the association may include those incurred by members of the association, as well as claims submitted to the association from other P&I Associations with which our P&I Association has entered into interassociation agreements.  We cannot assure you that the P&I Associations to which we belong will remain viable or that we will not become subject to additional funding calls which could adversely affect us.

We may have to pay U.S. tax on U.S. source income, which would reduce our net income and cash flows.
 
If we do not qualify for an exemption pursuant to Section 883 of the U.S. Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, or the Code, which we refer to as Section 883, then we will be subject to U.S. federal income tax on our shipping income that is derived from U.S. sources.  If we are subject to such tax, our net income and cash flows would be reduced by the amount of such tax.
 
We will qualify for exemption under Section 883 if, among other things, our stock is treated as primarily and regularly traded on an established securities market in the United States.  Under applicable Treasury regulations, we may not satisfy this publicly traded requirement in any taxable year in which 50% or more of our stock is owned for more than half the days in such year by persons who actually or constructively own 5% or more of our stock, which we sometimes refer to as 5% shareholders.
 
We believe that, based on the ownership of our stock in 2008, we satisfied the publicly traded requirement for 2008.  However, if 5% shareholders were to own more than 50% of our common stock for more than half the days of any future taxable year, we may not be eligible to claim exemption from tax under Section 883 for such taxable year.  We can provide no assurance that changes and shifts in the ownership of our stock by 5% shareholders will not preclude us from qualifying for exemption from tax in 2009 or in future years.
 
If we do not qualify for the Section 883 exemption, our shipping income derived from U.S. sources, or 50% of our gross shipping income attributable to transportation beginning or ending in the United States, would be subject to a 4% tax without allowance for deductions.
 
U.S. tax authorities could treat us as a “passive foreign investment company,” which could have adverse U.S. federal income tax consequences to U.S. shareholders.
 
A foreign corporation generally will be treated as a “passive foreign investment company,” which we sometimes refer to as a PFIC, for U.S. federal income tax purposes if either (1) at least 75% of its gross income for any taxable year consists of “passive income” or (2) at least 50% of its assets (averaged over the year and generally determined based upon value) produce or are held for the production of “passive income.”  U.S. shareholders of a PFIC are subject to a disadvantageous U.S. federal income tax regime with respect to distributions they receive from the PFIC and gain, if any, they derive from the sale or other disposition of their stock in the PFIC.
 
For purposes of these tests, “passive income” generally includes dividends, interest, gains from the sale or exchange of investment property and rents and royalties other than rents and royalties which are received from unrelated parties in connection with the active conduct of a trade or business, as defined in applicable Treasury regulations.  For purposes of these tests, income derived from the performance of services does not constitute “passive income.” By
 
 
36

 
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.  We do not believe that our existing operations would cause us to be deemed a PFIC with respect to any taxable year.  In this regard, we treat the gross income we derive or are deemed to derive from our time and spot chartering activities as services income, rather than rental income.  Accordingly, we believe that (1) our income from our time and spot chartering activities does not constitute passive income and (2) the assets that we own and operate in connection with the production of that income do not constitute passive assets.
 
There is, however, no direct legal authority under the PFIC rules addressing our method of operation.  Accordingly, no assurance can be given that the U.S. Internal Revenue Service, which we sometimes refer to as the IRS, or a court of law will accept our position, and there is a risk that the IRS or a court of law could determine that we are a PFIC.  Moreover, because there are uncertainties in the application of the PFIC rules, because the PFIC test is an annual test, and because, although we intend to manage our business so as to avoid PFIC status to the extent consistent with our other business goals, there could be changes in the nature and extent of our operations in future years, there can be no assurance that we will not become a PFIC in any taxable year.
 
If we were to be treated as a PFIC for any taxable year (and regardless of whether we remain a PFIC for subsequent taxable years), our U.S. shareholders would face adverse U.S. tax consequences.  Under the PFIC rules, unless a shareholder makes certain elections available under the Code (which elections could themselves have adverse consequences for such shareholder), such shareholder would be liable to pay U.S. federal income tax at the highest applicable income tax rates on ordinary income upon the receipt of excess distributions and upon any gain from the disposition of our common stock, plus interest on such amounts, as if such excess distribution or gain had been recognized ratably over the shareholder’s holding period of our common stock.
 
Because we generate all of our revenues in U.S. dollars but incur a portion of our expenses in other currencies, exchange rate fluctuations could hurt our results of operations.

We generate all of our revenues in U.S. dollars, but we may incur drydocking costs and special survey fees in other currencies.  If our expenditures on such costs and fees were significant, and the U.S. dollar were weak against such currencies, our business, results of operations, cash flows, financial condition and ability to pay dividends could be adversely affected.

RISK FACTORS RELATED TO OUR COMMON STOCK

Peter Georgiopoulos owns a large portion of our outstanding common stock, which may limit your ability to influence our actions.

As of March 2, 2009 Peter C. Georgiopoulos, our Chairman, owned approximately 13.29% of our common stock directly or through Fleet Acquisition LLC.  As a result of this share ownership and for so long as he owns a significant percentage of our outstanding common stock, Mr. Georgiopoulos will be able to influence the outcome of any shareholder vote, including the election of directors, the adoption or amendment of provisions in our articles of incorporation or bylaws and possible mergers, corporate control contests and other significant corporate transactions.  This concentration of ownership may have the effect of delaying, deferring or preventing a change in control, merger, consolidation, takeover or other business combination involving us.  This concentration of ownership could also discourage a potential acquirer from making a tender offer or otherwise attempting to obtain control of us, which could in turn have an adverse effect on the market price of our common stock.
 
 
 
37

 
 
Because we are a foreign corporation, you may not have the same rights or protections that a stockholder in a United States corporation may have.
 
We are incorporated in 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 stockholder in the face of actions by the management, directors or controlling stockholders than would stockholders of a corporation incorporated in a United States jurisdiction.

Provisions of our Amended and Restated Articles of Incorporation and Bylaws may have anti-takeover effects which could adversely affect the market price of our common stock.

Several provisions of our amended and restated articles of incorporation and bylaws, which are summarized below, may have anti-takeover effects.  These provisions are intended to avoid costly takeover battles, lessen our vulnerability to a hostile change of control and enhance the ability of our board of directors to maximize shareholder value in connection with any unsolicited offer to acquire our company.  However, these anti-takeover provisions could also discourage, delay or prevent (1) the merger or acquisition of our company by means of a tender offer, a proxy contest or otherwise that a shareholder may consider in its best interest and (2) the removal of incumbent officers and directors.

Blank Check Preferred Stock.

Under the terms of our amended and restated articles of incorporation, our board of directors has the authority, without any further vote or action by our shareholders, to authorize our issuance of up to 25,000,000 shares of blank check preferred stock.  Our board of directors may issue shares of preferred stock on terms calculated to discourage, delay or prevent a change of control of our company or the removal of our management.

Classified Board of Directors.

Our amended and restated articles of incorporation provide for the division of our board of directors into three classes of directors, with each class as nearly equal in number as possible, serving staggered, three-year terms beginning upon the expiration of the initial term for each class.  Approximately one-third of our board of directors is elected each year.  This classified board provision could discourage a third party from making a tender offer for our shares or attempting to obtain control of us.  It could also delay shareholders who do not agree with the policies of our board of directors from removing a majority of our board of directors for up to two years.

Election and Removal of Directors.

Our amended and restated articles of incorporation prohibit cumulative voting in the election of directors.  Our bylaws require parties other than the board of directors to give advance written notice of nominations for the election of directors.  Our articles of incorporation also provide that our directors may be removed only for cause and only upon the affirmative vote of 662/3% of the outstanding shares of our capital stock entitled to vote for those directors or by a majority of the members of the board of directors then in office.  These provisions may discourage, delay or prevent the removal of incumbent officers and directors.
 
 
38


Limited Actions by Shareholders.

Our amended and restated articles of incorporation and our bylaws provide that any action required or permitted to be taken by our shareholders must be effected at an annual or special meeting of shareholders or by the unanimous written consent of our shareholders.  Our amended and restated articles of incorporation and our bylaws provide that, subject to certain exceptions, our Chairman, President, or Secretary at the direction of the board of directors may call special meetings of our shareholders and the business transacted at the special meeting is limited to the purposes stated in the notice.

Advance Notice Requirements for Shareholder Proposals and Director Nominations.

Our bylaws provide that shareholders seeking to nominate candidates for election as directors or to bring business before an annual meeting of shareholders must provide timely notice of their proposal in writing to the corporate secretary.  Generally, to be timely, a shareholder's notice must be received at our principal executive offices not less than 150 days nor more than 180 days before the date on which we first mailed our proxy materials for the preceding year's annual meeting.  Our bylaws also specify requirements as to the form and content of a shareholder's notice.  These provisions may impede shareholder's ability to bring matters before an annual meeting of shareholders or make nominations for directors at an annual meeting of shareholders.

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

We are incorporated in the Republic of the Marshall Islands and most of our subsidiaries are also organized in the Marshall Islands.  Substantially all of our assets and those of our subsidiaries are located outside the United States.  As a result, it may be difficult or impossible for United States stockholders to serve process within the United States upon us or to enforce judgment upon us for civil liabilities in United States courts.  In addition, you should not assume that courts in the countries in which we are incorporated or where our assets are located (1) would enforce judgments of United States courts obtained in actions against us based upon the civil liability provisions of applicable United States federal and state securities laws or (2) would enforce, in original actions, liabilities against us based upon these laws.

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

The market price of our common stock could decline due to sales of a large number of shares in the market, including sales of shares by our large shareholders, 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 common stock.  We have entered into a registration rights agreement with Fleet Acquisition LLC that entitles it to have all the shares of our common stock that it owns registered for sale in the public market under the Securities Act and, pursuant to the registration rights agreement, registered Fleet Acquisition LLC’s shares on a registration statement on Form S-3 in February 2007.  We also registered on Form S-8 an aggregate of 2,000,000 shares issued or issuable under our equity compensation plan.

Future issuances of our common stock could dilute our shareholders’ interests in our company.

We may, from time to time, issue additional shares of common stock to support our growth strategy, reduce debt or provide us with capital for other purposes that our board of directors believes to be in our best interest.  To the extent that an existing shareholder does not purchase additional shares that we may issue, that shareholder’s interest in our company will be diluted, which means that its percentage of ownership in our company will be reduced.  Following such a reduction, that shareholder’s common stock would represent a smaller percentage of the vote in our board of directors’ elections and other shareholder decisions.  In addition, if additional shares are issued, depending on the circumstances, our dividends per share could be reduced.
 
 
39



ITEM 1B.  UNRESOLVED STAFF COMMENTS

Not applicable.

ITEM 2.  PROPERTIES

We do not own any real property.  In September 2005, we entered into a 15-year lease for office space in New York, New York.  The monthly rental is as follows:  Free rent from September 1, 2005 to July 31, 2006, forty thousand dollars per month from August 1, 2006 to August 31, 2010, forty-three thousand dollars per month from September 1, 2010 to August 31, 2015, and forty-six thousand dollars per month from September 1, 2015 to August 31, 2020.  The monthly straight-line rental expense from September 1, 2005 to August 31, 2020 is thirty-nine thousand dollars.  We have the option to extend the lease for a period of five years from September 1, 2020 to August 31, 2025.  The rent for the renewal period will be based on the prevailing market rate for the six months prior to the commencement date of the extension term.
 
Future minimum rental payments on the above lease for the next five years and thereafter are as follows:  $0.5 million per year for 2009, $0.5 million for 2010, $0.5 million for 2011 through 2013 and a total of $3.6 million for the remaining term of the lease.

For a description of our vessels, see “Our Fleet” in Item 1, "Business” in this report.

We consider each of our significant properties to be suitable for its intended use.

ITEM 3.  LEGAL PROCEEDINGS

    The Genco Cavalier, a 2007-built Supramax vessel, was on charter to Samsun Logix Corporation, which the Company understands has filed for the equivalent of bankruptcy protection in South Korea, otherwise referred to as a rehabilitation application. Charter hire for the Genco Cavalier has been received up until January 30, 2009. The Company is expecting the decision of the South Korean courts regarding the acceptance or rejection of the rehabilitation application to be made on or about March 6, 2009. The Company has commenced arbitration proceedings in the United Kingdom for damages related to non-performance of Samsun under the time charter agreement. As a result of the non-payment of hire, the Company may seek to withdraw the vessel from this contract.

Except as described above, we have not been involved in any legal proceedings which we believe are likely to have, or have had a significant effect on our business, financial position, results of operations or cash flows, nor are we aware of any proceedings that are pending or threatened which we believe are likely to 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.


ITEM 4.  SUBMISSION OF MATTERS TO A VOTE OF SECURITY HOLDERS

No matter was submitted to a vote of security holders, through the solicitation of proxies or otherwise, during the fourth quarter of the fiscal year ended December 31, 2008.



40



PART II

ITEM 5.  MARKET FOR REGISTRANT’S COMMON EQUITY, RELATED STOCKHOLDER MATTERS AND PURCHASES OF EQUITY SECURITIES
 
MARKET INFORMATION, HOLDERS AND DIVIDENDS

Our common stock is traded on the New York Stock Exchange (“NYSE”) under the symbol “GNK.”  Trading of our common stock on the NYSE commenced April 11, 2007.  Previously, our common stock was traded on the NASDAQ under the symbol “GSTL” from our initial public offering on July 22, 2005 through April 10, 2007.  The following table sets forth for the periods indicated the high and low prices for the common stock as reported by the NYSE and NASDAQ:

FISCAL YEAR ENDED DECEMBER 31, 2008
 
HIGH
 
LOW
1st Quarter
 
$
64.35
 
$
33.39
2nd Quarter
 
$
84.51
 
$
51.00
3rd Quarter
 
$
69.40
 
$
29.50
4th Quarter
 
$
33.21
6
$
6.43

FISCAL YEAR ENDED DECEMBER 31, 2007
 
HIGH
 
LOW
1st Quarter
 
$
33.49
 
$
27.29
2nd Quarter
 
$
42.47
 
$
30.65
3rd Quarter
 
$
68.97
 
$
40.82
4th Quarter
 
$
78.08
 
$
50.54

As of December 31, 2008, there were approximately 92 holders of record of our common stock.

During October 2007, the Company closed on an equity offering of 3,358,209 shares of Genco common stock (with the exercise of the underwriters’ over-allotment option) at an offering price of $67 per share.  The Company received net proceeds of approximately $213.9 million after deducting underwriters’ fees and expenses.

During May 2008, the Company closed on an equity offering of 2,702,669 shares of Genco common stock at an offering price of $75.47 per share.  The Company received net proceeds of approximately $195.4 million after deducting underwriters’ fees and expenses.

Until January 26, 2009, our dividend policy was to declare quarterly distributions to shareholders, which commenced in November 2005, by each February, May, August and November substantially equal to our available cash from operations during the previous quarter, less cash expenses for that quarter (principally vessel operating expenses and debt service) and any reserves our board of directors determined we should maintain.  These reserves covered, among other things, drydocking, repairs, claims, liabilities and other obligations, interest expense and debt amortization, acquisitions of additional assets and working capital.  Under the terms of an amendment to our 2007 Credit Facility (discussed in the “Liquidity and Capital Resources” section of “Management’s Discussion & Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations” in this report), we have suspended payment of cash dividends indefinitely beginning the quarter ended December 31, 2008.  We will be able to reinstate our cash dividends only when can represent to the lenders under our 2007 Credit Facility that we are in a position to again satisfy the collateral maintenance covenant of the 2007 Credit Facility.  The following table summarizes the dividends declared based on the results of the respective fiscal quarter:
 
 
 
41



   
Dividend per share
   
Declaration date
 
FISCAL YEAR ENDED DECEMBER 31, 2008
           
4th Quarter
 
$
      N/A  
3rd Quarter
 
$
1.00    
10/23/08
 
2nd Quarter
 
$
1.00    
7/24/08
 
1st Quarter
 
$
1.00    
4/29/08
 
FISCAL YEAR ENDED DECEMBER 31, 2007
               
4th Quarter
 
$
0.85    
2/13/08
 
3rd Quarter
 
$
0.66    
10/25/07
 
2nd Quarter
 
$
0.66    
7/26/07
 
1st Quarter
 
$
0.66    
4/26/07
 
                 

EQUITY COMPENSATION PLAN INFORMATION

The following table provides information as of December 31, 2008 regarding the number of shares of our common stock that may be issued under the 2005 Equity Incentive Plan, which is our sole equity compensation plan:
 
Plan category
 
Number of securities to
be issued upon exercise
of outstanding options,
warrants and rights
(a)
   
Weighted-average exercise
price of outstanding
options, warrants and
rights
(b)
   
Number of securities
remaining available for
future issuance under
equity compensation plans
(excluding securities
reflected in column (a))
(c)
 
                   
Equity compensation 
plans approved by security
holders
        $       1,329,900  
Equity compensation
plans not approved by 
security holders
                 
Total                                          —       1,329,900  
                         
 
SHARE REPURCHASE PROGRAM

Refer to the “Share Repurchase Program” section of Item 7 for a summary of the share repurchases made during 2008 pursuant to the Share Repurchase Program.




42

 

 
ITEM 6.  SELECTED CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL AND OTHER DATA
 
                            Financial Data
 
   
 
For the years ended December 31,
   
For the period from
September 27, 2004 to
December 31,
 
   
2008
   
2007
   
2006
   
  2005 (1)
   
2004 (1)
 
Income Statement Data:
                             
(U.S. dollars in thousands except for share and per share amounts)
                             
Revenues
    $ 405,370       $185,387       $133,232       $116,906       $1,887  
                                         
Operating Expenses:
                                       
Voyage expenses
    5,116       5,100       4,710       4,287       44  
Vessel operating expenses
    47,130       27,622       20,903       15,135       141  
General and administrative expenses
    17,027       12,610       8,882       4,937       113  
Management fees
    2,787       1,654       1,439       1,479       27  
Depreciation and amortization
    71,395       34,378       26,978       22,322       421  
Loss on forfeiture of vessel deposits
    53,765       -       -       -       -  
Gain on sale of vessels
    (26,227 )     (27,047 )     -       -       -  
                                         
Total operating expenses
    170,993       54,317       62,912       48,160       746  
                                         
Operating income
    234,377       131,070       70,320       68,746       1,141  
Other (expense) income
    (147,797 )     (24,261 )     (6,798 )     (14,264 )     (234 )
                                         
Net income
    $86,580       $106,809       $63,522       $54,482       $907  
                                         
Earnings per share - Basic
    $2.86       $4.08       $2.51       $2.91       $0.07  
Earnings per share - Diluted
    $2.84       $4.06       $2.51       $2.90       $0.07  
Dividends declared and paid per share 
    $3.85       $2.64       $2.40       $0.60       -  
Weighted average common shares outstanding - Basic
    30,290,016       26,165,600       25,278,726       18,751,726       13,500,000  
Weighted average common shares outstanding - Diluted
    30,452,850       26,297,521       25,351,297       18,755,195       13,500,000
 
 
                                         
Balance Sheet Data:
                                       
(U.S. dollars in thousands, at end of period)
                                       
Cash and cash equivalents
    $124,956       $71,496       $73,554       $46,912       $7,431  
Total assets
    1,990,006       1,653,272       578,262       489,958       201,628  
Total debt (current and long-term)
    1,173,300       936,000       211,933       130,683       125,766  
Total shareholders’ equity
    696,478       622,185       353,533       348,242       73,374  
Other Data:
                                       
(U.S. dollars in thousands)
                                       
Net cash flow provided by operating activities
    $267,416       $120,862       $90,068       $88,230       $2,718  
Net cash flow used in investing activities
    (514,288 )     (984,350 )     (82,840 )     (268,072 )     (189,414 )
Net cash provided by financing activities
    300,332       861,430       19,414       219,323       194,127  
                                         
EBITDA (2)
    $208,807       $164,183       $97,406       $91,068       $1,562  
 
 
 
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(1)  
On July 18, 2005, prior to the closing of the public offering of our common stock, our board of directors and stockholder approved a split (in the form of a stock dividend, giving effect to a 27,000:1 common stock split) of our common stock.  All share and per share amounts relating to common stock, included in the accompanying consolidated financial statements and footnotes, have been restated to reflect the stock split for all periods presented.
 
(2)  
EBITDA represents net income plus net interest expense and depreciation and amortization.  EBITDA is included because it is used by management and certain investors as a measure of operating performance. EBITDA is used by analysts in the shipping industry as a common performance measure to compare results across peers.  Our management uses EBITDA as a performance measure in our consolidating internal financial statements, and it is presented for review at our board meetings.  The Company believes that EBITDA is useful to investors as the shipping industry is capital intensive which often results in significant depreciation and cost of financing.  EBITDA presents investors with a measure in addition to net income to evaluate the Company’s performance prior to these costs.  EBITDA is not an item recognized by U.S. GAAP and should not be considered as an alternative to net income, operating income or any other indicator of a company’s operating performance required by U.S. GAAP.  EBITDA is not a source of liquidity or cash flows as shown in our consolidated statement of cash flows.  The definition of EBITDA used here may not be comparable to that used by other companies.  The following table demonstrates our calculation of EBITDA and provides a reconciliation of EBITDA to net income for each of the periods presented above:
 
   
 
 
 
For the years ended December 31,
   
For the period
from September 27, 2004 to
December 31,
 
   
2008
   
2007
   
2006
   
2005
   
2004
 
                                                     (U.S. dollars in thousands except for per share amounts)
 
Net income
    $86,580       $106,809       $63,522       $54,482       $907  
Net interest expense
    50,832       22,996       6,906       14,264       234  
Depreciation and amortization
    71,395       34,378       26,978       22,322       421  
                                         
EBITDA
    $208,807       $164,183       $97,406       $91,068       $1,562  

 
ITEM 7.  MANAGEMENT’S DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS OF FINANCIAL CONDITION AND RESULTS OF OPERATIONS

General
 
We are a Marshall Islands company incorporated in September 2004 to transport iron ore, coal, grain, steel products and other drybulk cargoes along worldwide shipping routes through the ownership and operation of drybulk carrier vessels.  As of  February 26, 2009, our fleet consisted of six Capesize, eight Panamax, four Supramax, six Handymax and eight Handysize drybulk carriers, with an aggregate carrying capacity of approximately 2,396,500 dwt, and the average age of our fleet was approximately 6.5 years at December 31, 2008, as compared to the average age for the world fleet of approximately 15 years for the drybulk shipping segments in which we compete.  Most of the vessels in our fleet are on time charters to well known charterers, including Lauritzen Bulkers, Cargill, NYK Europe, Pacbasin, STX, Cosco, and HMMC.  As of February 26, 2009, 29 of the 32 vessels in our fleet are presently engaged under time charter contracts that expire (assuming the option periods in the time charters are not exercised) between March 2009 and October 2012,
 
 
 
44

 
and three of our vessels are currently operating in vessel pools.  See page 6 for a table indicated the delivery dates of all vessels currently in our fleet.

We intend to acquire additional modern, high-quality drybulk carriers through timely and selective acquisitions of vessels in a manner that is accretive to our cash flow.  We expect to fund acquisitions of additional vessels using cash reserves set aside for this purpose, additional borrowings and may consider additional debt and equity financing alternatives from time to time.

Our management team and our other employees are responsible for the commercial and strategic management of our fleet.  Commercial management includes the negotiation of charters for vessels, managing the mix of various types of charters, such as time charters and voyage charters, and monitoring the performance of our vessels under their charters.  Strategic management includes locating, purchasing, financing and selling vessels.  We currently contract with three independent technical managers, to provide technical management of our fleet at a lower cost than we believe would be possible in-house.  Technical management involves the day-to-day management of vessels, including performing routine maintenance, attending to vessel operations and arranging for crews and supplies.  Members of our New York City-based management team oversee the activities of our independent technical managers.
 
The Genco Cavalier, a 2007-built Supramax vessel, was on charter to Samsun Logix Corporation, which the Company understands has filed for the equivalent of bankruptcy protection in South Korea, otherwise referred to as a rehabilitation application. Charter hire for the Genco Cavalier has been received up until January 30, 2009. The Company is expecting the decision of the South Korean courts regarding the acceptance or rejection of the rehabilitation application to be made on or about March 6, 2009. The Company has commenced arbitration proceedings in the United Kingdom for damages related to non-performance of Samsun under the time charter agreement. As a result of the non-payment of hire, the Company may seek to withdraw the vessel from this contract.  Also, on February 8, 2009, while the vessel was at safe anchorage in Singapore, it was involved in a minor collision caused by another vessel in its vicinity. No injuries or pollution from either vessel have been reported, but we expect the vessel will incur approximately 14 days of offhire for repairs arising from the event. The Company is in the process of filing a claim for the full amount of the damages as well as any offhire time related to the collision against the other vessel’s owner.
 
Year ended December 31, 2008 compared to the year ended December 31, 2007
 
        Factors Affecting Our Results of Operations
 
We believe that the following table reflects important measures for analyzing trends in our results of operations.  The table reflects our ownership days, available days, operating days, fleet utilization, TCE rates and daily vessel operating expenses for the years ended December 31, 2008 and 2007.

 

45

 

 
 
For the years ended December 31,
 
Increase
     
 
2008
 
2007
 
(Decrease)
 
% Change
 
                 
Fleet Data:
               
Ownership days (1)
               
Capesize
  1,781.6     403.5     1,378.1     341.5 %
Panamax
  2,541.3     2,555.0     (13.7 )   (0.5 %)
Supramax
  1,265.5     37.3     1,228.2     3,292.8 %
Handymax
  2,196.0     2,578.3     (382.3 )   (14.8 %)
Handysize
  2,926.4     1,860.0     1,066.4     57.3 %
                         
Total
  10,710.8     7,434.1     3,276.7     44.1 %
                         
Available days (2)
                       
Capesize
  1,780.8     396.8     1,384.0     348.8 %
Panamax
  2,478.5     2,535.5     (57.0 )   (2.2 %)
Supramax
  1,263.6     32.0     1,231.6     3,848.8 %
Handymax
  2,196.0     2,502.5     (306.5 )   (12.2 %)
Handysize
  2,863.0     1,847.2     1,015.8     55.0 %
                         
Total
  10,581.9     7,314.0     3,267.9     44.7 %
                         
Operating days (3)
                       
Capesize
  1,780.5     396.8     1,383.7     348.7 %
Panamax
  2,425.8     2,473.5     (47.7 )   (1.9 %)
Supramax
  1,215.7     32.0     1,183.7     3,699.1 %
Handymax
  2,180.8     2,483.7     (302.9 )   (12.2 %)
Handysize
  2,857.9     1,833.8     1,024.1     55.8 %
                         
Total
  10,460.7     7,219.9     3,240.8     44.9 %
                         
Fleet  utilization (4)
                       
Capesize
  100.0 %   100.0 %   0.0 %   0.0 %
Panamax
  97.9 %   97.6 %   0.3 %   0.3 %
Supramax
  96.2 %   100.0 %   (3.8 %)   (3.8 %)
Handymax
  99.3 %   99.3 %   0.0 %   0.0 %
Handysize
  99.8 %   99.3 %   0.5 %   0.5 %
Fleet average
  98.9 %   98.7 %   0.2 %   0.2 %
 
 

46



   
For the years ended December 31,
   
Increase
       
   
2008
   
2007
   
(Decrease)
   
% Change
 
(U.S. dollars)
                       
Average Daily Results:
                       
Time Charter Equivalent (5)
                       
Capesize
    $69,922       $68,377       $1,545       2.3 %
Panamax
    34,194       26,952       7,242       26.9 %
Supramax
    46,881       44,959       1,922       4.3 %
Handymax
    33,875       22,221       11,654       52.4 %
Handysize
    20,035       15,034       5,001       33.3 %
                                 
Fleet average
    37,824       24,650       13,174       53.4 %
                                 
Daily vessel operating expenses (6)
                               
Capesize
    $4,822       $4,190       $632       15.1 %
Panamax
    4,641       4,261       380       8.9 %
Supramax
    4,629       4,334       295       6.8 %
Handymax
    4,380       3,395       985       29.0 %
Handysize
    3,851       3,295       556       16.9 %
                                 
Fleet average
    4,400       3,716       684       18.4 %

 
(1)  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.
 
(2) 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 and the aggregate amount of time that we spend positioning our vessels.  Companies in the shipping industry generally use available days to measure the number of days in a period during which vessels should be capable of generating revenues.
 
(3)  We define operating days as the number of our available days in a period less the aggregate number of days that our vessels are off-hire due to unforeseen circumstances.  The shipping industry uses operating days to measure the aggregate number of days in a period during which vessels actually generate revenues.
 
(4)  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 number of days that its vessels are off-hire for reasons other than scheduled repairs or repairs under guarantee, vessel upgrades, special surveys or vessel positioning.
 
(5)  We define TCE rates as net voyage revenue (voyage revenues less voyage expenses) divided by the number of our available days during the period, which is consistent with industry standards.  TCE rate is a common shipping industry performance measure used primarily to compare daily earnings generated by vessels on time charters with daily earnings generated by vessels on voyage charters, because charterhire rates for vessels on voyage charters are generally not expressed in per-day amounts while charterhire rates for vessels on time charters generally are expressed in such amounts.
 
 
 
47

 
 
   
For the years ended December 31,
 
   
2008
   
2007
 
Income statement data
           
(U.S. dollars in thousands)
           
Voyage revenues
    $405,370       $185,387  
Voyage expenses
    5,116       5,100  
Net voyage revenue
    $400,254       $180,287  
                 
 
(6)  We define daily vessel operating expenses to include crew wages and related costs, the cost of insurance, expenses relating to repairs and maintenance (excluding drydocking), the costs of spares and consumable stores, tonnage taxes and other miscellaneous expenses.  Daily vessel operating expenses are calculated by dividing vessel operating expenses by ownership days for the relevant period.
 
 
Operating Data
 
The following compares our operating income and net income for the years ended December 31, 2008 and 2007.
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 
48


 
 
   
For the years ended December 31,
   
Increase
       
   
2008
   
2007
   
(Decrease)
   
% Change
 
Income Statement Data:
                       
(U.S. dollars in thousands except for per share amounts)
                       
Revenues
    $405,370       $185,387       219,983       118.7%  
Operating Expenses:
                               
Voyage expenses
    5,116       5,100       16       0.3%  
Vessel operating expenses
    47,130       27,622       19,508       70.6%  
General and administrative expenses
    17,027       12,610       4,417       35.0%  
Management fees
    2,787       1,654       1,133       68.5%  
Depreciation and amortization
    71,395       34,378       37,017       107.7%  
Loss on forfeiture of vessel deposits
    53,765       -       53,765       100.0%  
Gain on sale of vessels
    (26,227 )     (27,047 )     820       (3.0%)  
Total operating expenses
    170,993       54,317       116,676       214.8%  
Operating income
    234,377       131,070       103,307       78.8%  
Other (expense) income
    (147,797 )     (24,261 )     (123,536 )     509.2%  
Net income
    $86,580       $106,809       (20,229 )     (18.9%)  
                                 
Earnings per share - Basic
    $2.86       $4.08       $(1.22 )     (29.9%)  
Earnings per share - Diluted
    $2.84       $4.06       $(1.22 )     (30.0%)  
Dividends declared and paid per share 
    $3.85       $2.64       $1.21       45.8%  
Weighted average common shares outstanding - Basic
    30,290,016       26,165,600       4,124,416       15.8%  
Weighted average common shares outstanding - Diluted
    30,452,850       26,297,521       4,155,329       15.8%  
Balance Sheet Data:
                               
(U.S. dollars in thousands,
at end of period)
                               
Cash and cash equivalents
    $124,956       $71,496       $53,460       74.8%  
Total assets
    1,990,006       1,653,272       336,734       20.4%  
Total debt (current and long-term)
    1,173,300       936,000       237,300       25.4%  
Total shareholders’ equity
    696,478       622,185       74,293       11.9%  
                                 
Other Data:
                               
(U.S. dollars in thousands)
                               
Net cash flow provided by operating activities
    $267,416       $120,862       146,554       121.3%  
Net cash flow used in investing activities
    (514,288 )     (984,350 )     470,062       (47.8%)  
Net cash provided by financing activities
    300,332       861,430       (561,098 )     (65.1%)  
                                 
EBITDA (1)
    $208,807       $164,183       44,624       27.2%  
                                 
 
 
 
49

 
 

 
(1)  
EBITDA represents net income plus net interest expense and depreciation and amortization.  EBITDA is included because it is used by management and certain investors as a measure of operating performance.  EBITDA is used by analysts in the shipping industry as a common performance measure to compare results across peers.  Our management uses EBITDA as a performance measure in our consolidating internal financial statements, and it is presented for review at our board meetings.  The Company believes that EBITDA is useful to investors as the shipping industry is capital, intensive which often results in significant depreciation and cost of financing. EBITDA presents investors with a measure in addition to net income to evaluate the Company’s performance prior to these costs.  EBITDA is not an item recognized by U.S. GAAP and should not be considered as an alternative to net income, operating income or any other indicator of a company’s operating performance required by U.S. GAAP. EBITDA is not a source of liquidity or cash flows as shown in our consolidated statement of cash flows. The definition of EBITDA used here may not be comparable to that used by other companies.  The following table demonstrates our calculation of EBITDA and provides a reconciliation of EBITDA to net income for each of the periods presented above:
 
   
For the years ended
December 31,
 
   
2008
   
2007
 
(U.S. dollars in thousands except for per share amounts)
           
Net income
   
$86,580
      $106,809  
Net interest expense
   
50,832
      22,996  
Depreciation and amortization
   
71,395
      34,378  
                 
EBITDA
   
$208,807
     
$164,183
 
 
Results of Operations
 
REVENUES-

Our revenues are driven primarily by the number of vessels in our fleet, the number of days during which our vessels operate and the amount of daily charterhire that our vessels earn, that, 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 drybulk shipping industry; and
 
·  
other factors affecting spot market charter rates for drybulk carriers.
 
 
50

 
 
For 2008, revenues grew 118.7% to $405.4 million versus $185.4 million for 2007.  Revenues in both periods consisted of charter payments for our vessels, including revenue realized from pools.  The increase in revenues during the twelve months ended December 31, 2008 was primarily due to the growth of our fleet and favorable market conditions at the time we entered into time charter agreements, as evidenced by the increase in the average TCE rate as discussed below.
 
The average TCE rate of our fleet increased to $37,824 a day for 2008 from $24,650 a day for 2007.  The increase in TCE rates was primarily due to higher time charter rates achieved in 2008 versus the prior year for three of the Panamax vessels, the six Handymax vessels, as well as six of the Handysize vessels in our current fleet.  Furthermore, higher TCE rates were achieved during 2008 versus 2007 due to the operation of one of the Capesize vessels acquired as part of the Metrostar acquisition and the two Panamax and one Supramax vessel acquired as part of the Bocimar acquisition.
 
Charterhire rates are volatile, as evidenced by the historical high rates during May 2008 which have since declined to very low rates in December 2008.  During the first two months of 2009, rates have recovered slightly from the lows experienced in December 2008 but remain significantly below the 2008 highs.
 
For 2008 and 2007, we had ownership days of 10,710.8 days and 7,434.1 days, respectively.  Our fleet utilization for 2008 and 2007 was 98.9% and 98.7%, respectively. The utilization was higher during the year ended December 31, 2008 due to additional unscheduled offhire days during 2007 as compared to 2008.  During 2007, we experienced unscheduled offhire of approximately 50 days in aggregate for the Genco Trader, Genco Glory and Genco Sugar associated with maintenance and other delays, as compared to 41 unscheduled offhire days during 2008 related to the repair of the Genco Hunter.
 
Please see page 8 for table that sets forth information about the current employment of the vessels currently in our fleet as of February 26, 2009.

VOYAGE EXPENSES
 
Voyage expenses include port and canal charges, fuel (bunker) expenses and brokerage commissions payable to unaffiliated third parties.  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 vessel owner.
 
For the years ended 2008 and 2007, we did not incur port and canal charges or any significant expenses related to the consumption of bunkers as part of our vessels’ overall expenses, because all of our vessels were employed under time charters or pool arrangements that required the charterer to bear all of those expenses.
 
For both 2008 and 2007, voyage expenses were $5.1 million and consisted primarily of brokerage commissions paid to third parties.
 
VESSEL OPERATING EXPENSES
 
Vessel operating expenses increased to $47.1 million from $27.6 million for 2008 and 2007, respectively.  This was mostly due to the expansion of our fleet during 2008 as compared to 2007.  Furthermore, the increased costs were due to higher expenses for crewing, repairs and maintenance and insurance.
 
For 2008 and 2007, the average daily vessel operating expenses for our fleet were $4,400 and $3,716 per day, respectively.  The increase in 2008 was due mostly to increased costs for crewing, repairs and maintenance and insurance, as well as the operation of larger, capesize vessels for all of 2008 as compared to 2007.  We believe daily vessel operating expenses are best measured for comparative purposes over a 12-month period in order to take into account all of the expenses that each vessel in our fleet will incur over a full year of operation.
 
 
51

 
Our vessel operating expenses, which generally represent fixed costs, will increase as a result of the expansion of our fleet. Other factors beyond our control, some of which may affect the shipping industry in general, including, for instance, developments relating to market prices for insurance, may also cause these expenses to increase.  Company increased its 2009 budget based primarily on the anticipated increased cost for crewing, insurance and lubes

Based on our management’s estimates and budgets provided by our technical manager, we expect our vessels to have daily vessel operating expenses during 2009 of:
 
Vessel Type
Average Daily
Budgeted Amount
Capesize..................................................................
$6,200
Panamax..................................................................
5,400
Supramax................................................................
5,100
Handymax...............................................................
5,200
Handysize...............................................................
4,800
   

GENERAL AND ADMINISTRATIVE EXPENSES
 
We incur general and administrative expenses, which relate to our onshore non-vessel-related activities. Our general and administrative expenses include our payroll expenses, including those relating to our executive officers, rent, legal, auditing and other professional expenses.
 
For 2008 and 2007, general and administrative expenses were $17.0 million and $12.6 million, respectively.  The increase in general and administrative expenses was due to costs associated with higher employee non-cash compensation and other employee-related costs.
 
MANAGEMENT FEES-
 
We incur management fees to third-party technical management companies for the day-to-day management of our vessels, including performing routine maintenance, attending to vessel operations and arranging for crews and supplies.  For 2008 and 2007, management fees were $2.8 million and $1.7 million, respectively.  The increase was due primarily to increased rates charged by the management companies we use as well to as the operation of a larger fleet.

DEPRECIATION AND AMORTIZATION-
 
We depreciate the cost of our vessels on a straight-line basis over the expected useful life of each vessel. Depreciation is based on the cost of the vessel less its estimated residual value. We estimate the useful life of our vessels to be 25 years.  Furthermore, we estimate the residual values of our vessels to be based upon $175 per lightweight ton, which we believe to be the anticipated scrap value of our vessels.
 
For years ended December 31, 2008 and 2007, depreciation and amortization charges were $71.4 million and $34.4 million, respectively, an increase of $37.0 million.  The increase primarily was due to the growth in our fleet during 2008 as compared to 2007.
 
LOSS ON FORFEITURE OF VESSEL DEPOSITS-
 
For year ended December 31, 2008 and 2007, the loss on forfeiture of vessel deposits was $53.8 million and $0 million, respectively.  This loss was attributable to our cancellation of the acquisition of six vessels during the fourth quarter of 2008.  The Company decided to cancel this acquisition in order to strengthen its liquidity and in light of current market conditions.
 
 
 
52

 

GAIN ON SALE OF VESSELS-
 
For year ended December 31, 2008 and 2007, the gain on the sale of vessels was $26.2 million and $27.0 million, respectively.  These amounts were attributable to the sale of the Genco Trader in 2008 and the sale of the Genco Glory and Genco Commander in 2007.

OTHER (EXPENSE) INCOME-

(LOSS) INCOME FROM DERIVATIVE INSTRUMENTS-

Effective August 16, 2007, the Company has elected hedge accounting for forward currency contracts in place associated with the cost basis of shares of Jinhui stock it has purchased.   However, the hedge is limited to the lower of the cost basis or the market value of the Jinhui stock.  On October 10, 2008, the Company elected to discontinue the purchase of forward currency contracts associated with Jinhui and has eliminated the hedge due to the current market value of Jinhui.  The forward currency contract for a notional amount of 739.2 million NOK (Norwegian Kroner) or $128,105, was settled on October 22, 2008.  For further details of the application of hedge accounting, please refer to the discussion under the subheading “Currency risk management.” For 2008 and 2007, (loss) income from derivative instruments was ($0.1) million and ($1.3) million, respectively.  The loss for the year ended December 31, 2008 is primarily due to the difference paid between the spot and forward rate on the forward currency contracts associated with our investment.  The loss for the year ended December 31, 2007 is primarily attributable to the forward currency contracts associated with Jinhui prior to electing hedge accounting.
 
IMPAIRMENT OF INVESTMENT-

 For 2008 and 2007, impairment of investment was $103.9 million and $0 million, respectively.  During 2008, the impairment of investment balance consists of the write-down of the Company’s investment in Jinhui to its estimated fair value as the Company deemed the investment to be other-than-temporarily impaired as of December 31, 2008.  The impairment loss was reclassified from equity and recorded in the Consolidated Statement of Operations.  The Company investment was considered to be other-than-temporarily impaired as of December 31, 2008 due to the severity of the decline in its market value versus our cost basis.

 
 
NET INTEREST EXPENSE-
 
          For 2008 and 2007, net interest expense was $50.8 million and $23.0 million, respectively.  Net interest expense consisted mostly of interest payments made under our 2007 Credit Facility and 2008 Term Facility during 2008 and the 2005 Credit Facility, the Short-term Line, and the 2007 Credit Facility during 2007.  Due to the 2009 Amendment, the Company recorded a non-cash charge of $1.9 million associated with capitalized costs related to deferred financing costs on the facility and prior amendments.   Additionally, during the fourth quarter of 2008, the Company cancelled the 2008 Term Facility resulting in a charge of $2.2 million associated with unamortized deferred financing costs.  During the third quarter of 2007, the Company refinanced the 2005 Credit Facility and the Short-term Line with the 2007 Credit Facility resulting in a non-cash charge of $3.6 million associated with the write-down of unamortized deferred bank charges related to our former facilities.  Interest income as well as amortization of deferred financing costs related to our respective credit facilities is included in both periods.  The increase in net interest expense for 2008 versus 2007 was mostly a result of higher outstanding debt due to the acquisition of additional vessels in the fourth quarter of 2007 through the third quarter of 2008.
 

 
 
53


 
Year ended December 31, 2007 compared to the year ended December 31, 2006
 
 
Factors Affecting Our Results of Operations
 
We believe that the following table reflects important measures for analyzing trends in our results of operations.  The table reflects our ownership days, available days, operating days, fleet utilization, TCE rates and daily vessel operating expenses for the years ended December 31, 2007 and 2006.

   
For the years ended December 31,
   
Increase
       
   
2007
   
2006
   
(Decrease)
   
% Change
 
                         
Fleet Data:
                       
Ownership days (1)
                       
Capesize
    403.5             403.5       N/A  
Panamax
    2,555.0       1,923.7       631.3       32.8 %
Supramax
    37.3             37.3       N/A  
Handymax
    2,578.3       2,614.4       (36.1 )     (1.4 %)
Handysize
    1,860.0       1,825.0       35.0       1.9 %
                                 
Total
    7,434.1       6,363.1       1,071.0       16.8 %
                                 
Available days (2)
                               
Capesize
    396.8             396.8       N/A  
Panamax
    2,535.5       1,905.7       629.8       33.0 %
Supramax
    32.0             32.0       N/A  
Handymax
    2,502.5       2,552.6       (50.1 )     (2.0 %)
Handysize
    1,847.2       1,825.0       22.2       1.2 %
                                 
Total
    7,314.0       6,283.3       1,030.7       16.4 %
                                 
Operating days (3)
                               
Capesize
    396.8             396.8       N/A  
Panamax
    2,473.5       1,886.6       586.9       31.1 %
Supramax
    32.0             32.0       N/A  
Handymax
    2,483.7       2,527.1       (43.4 )     (1.7 %)
Handysize
    1,833.8       1,822.8       11.0       0.6 %
                                 
Total
    7,219.9       6,236.5       983.4       15.8 %
                                 
 
 
54

 
 
                                 
                                 
Fleet  utilization (4)
                               
Capesize
    100.0 %           100.0 %     N/A  
Panamax
    97.6 %     99.0 %     (1.4 %)     (1.4 %)
Supramax
    100.0 %           100.0 %     N/A  
Handymax
    99.3 %     99.0 %     0.3 %     0.3 %
Handysize
    99.3 %     99.9 %     (0.6 %)     (0.6 %)
Fleet average
    98.7 %     99.3 %     (0.6 %)     (0.6 %)
                                 
                                 


   
For the years ended December 31,
   
Increase
       
   
2007
   
2006
   
(Decrease)
   
% Change
 
(U.S. dollars)
                       
Average Daily Results:
                       
Time Charter Equivalent (5)
                       
Capesize
    $68,377             $68,377       N/A  
Panamax
    26,952       $24,128       2,824       11.7 %
Supramax
    44,959             44,959       N/A  
Handymax
    22,221       21,049       1,172       5.6 %
Handysize
    15,034       15,788       (754 )     (4.8 %)
                                 
Fleet average
    24,650       20,455       4,195       20.5 %
                                 
Daily vessel operating expenses (6)
                               
Capesize
    $4,190             $4,190       N/A  
Panamax
    4,261       $3,615       646       17.9 %
Supramax
    4,334             4,334       N/A  
Handymax
    3,395       3,228       167       5.2 %
Handysize
    3,295       3,019       276       9.1 %
                                 
Fleet average
    3,716       3,285       431       13.1 %

 
(1)  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.
 
(2) 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 and the aggregate amount of time that we spend positioning our vessels.  Companies in the shipping industry generally use available days to measure the number of days in a period during which vessels should be capable of generating revenues.
 
(3)  We define operating days as the number of our available days in a period less the aggregate number of days that our vessels are off-hire due to unforeseen circumstances.  The shipping industry uses operating days to measure the aggregate number of days in a period during which vessels actually generate revenues.
 
 
55

 
(4)  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 number of days that its vessels are off-hire for reasons other than scheduled repairs or repairs under guarantee, vessel upgrades, special surveys or vessel positioning.
 
(5)  We define TCE rates as net voyage revenue (voyage revenues less voyage expenses) divided by the number of our available days during the period, which is consistent with industry standards.  TCE rate is a common shipping industry performance measure used primarily to compare daily earnings generated by vessels on time charters with daily earnings generated by vessels on voyage charters, because charterhire rates for vessels on voyage charters are generally not expressed in per-day amounts while charterhire rates for vessels on time charters generally are expressed in such amounts.

 
For the years ended December 31,
 
2007
2006
Income statement data
   
(U.S. dollars in thousands)
   
Voyage revenues
$ 185,387
$ 133,232
Voyage expenses
   5,100
   4,710
Net voyage revenue
$ 180,287
$ 128,522
     
 
(6)  We define daily vessel operating expenses to include crew wages and related costs, the cost of insurance, expenses relating to repairs and maintenance (excluding drydocking), the costs of spares and consumable stores, tonnage taxes and other miscellaneous expenses.  Daily vessel operating expenses are calculated by dividing vessel operating expenses by ownership days for the relevant period.
 
                Operating Data
 
The following discusses our operating income and net income for the years ended December 31, 2007 and 2006.
 

 

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For the years ended December 31,
   
Increase
       
   
2007
   
2006
   
(Decrease)
   
% Change
 
Income Statement Data:
                       
(U.S. dollars in thousands except for per share amounts)
                       
Revenues
    $185,387       $133,232       $52,155       39.1%  
                                 
Operating Expenses:
                               
Voyage expenses
    5,100       4,710       390       8.3%  
Vessel operating expenses
    27,622       20,903       6,719       32.1%  
General and administrative expenses
    12,610       8,882       3,728       42.0%  
Management fees
    1,654       1,439       215       14.9%  
Depreciation and amortization
    34,378       26,978       7,400       27.4%  
Gain on sale of vessels
    (27,047 )     -       27,047       N/A  
Total operating expenses
    54,317       62,912       (8,595 )     (13.7%)  
Operating income
    131,070       70,320       60,750       86.4%  
Other (expense) income
    (24,261 )     (6,798 )     (17,463 )     256.9%  
Net income
    $106,809       $63,522       $43,287       68.1%  
                                 
Earnings per share - Basic
    $4.08       $2.51       $1.57       62.5%  
Earnings per share - Diluted
    $4.06       $2.51       $1.55       61.8%  
Dividends declared and paid per share 
    $2.64       $.40       $. 24       10.0%  
Weighted average common shares outstanding - Basic
    26,165,600       25,278,726       886,874       3.5%  
Weighted average common shares outstanding - Diluted
    26,297,521       25,351,297       946,224       3.7%  
Balance Sheet Data:
                               
(U.S. dollars in thousands, at end of period)
                               
Cash and cash equivalents
    $71,496       $73,554       $(2,058 )     (2.8%)  
Total assets
    1,653,272       578,262       1,075,010       185.9%  
Total debt (current and long-term)
    936,000       211,933       724,067       341.6%  
Total shareholders’ equity
    622,185       353,533       268,652       76.0%  
                                 
Other Data:
                               
(U.S. dollars in thousands)
                               
Net cash flow provided by operating activities
    $120,862       $90,068       $30,794       34.2%  
Net cash flow used in investing activities
    (984,350 )     (82,840 )     (901,510 )     1,088.3%  
Net cash provided by financing activities
    861,430       19,414       842,016       4,337.2%  
                                 
EBITDA (1)
    $164,183       $97,406       $66,777       68.6%  
 
 
 
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EBITDA represents net income plus net interest expense and depreciation and amortization.  EBITDA is included because it is used by management and certain investors as a measure of operating performance.  EBITDA is used by analysts in the shipping industry as a common performance measure to compare results across peers.  Our management uses EBITDA as a performance measure in our consolidating internal financial statements, and it is presented for review at our board meetings.  The Company believes that EBITDA is useful to investors as the shipping industry is capital intensive which often results in significant depreciation and cost of financing. EBITDA presents investors with a measure in addition to net income to evaluate the Company’s performance prior to these costs.  EBITDA is not an item recognized by U.S. GAAP and should not be considered as an alternative to net income, operating income or any other indicator of a company’s operating performance required by U.S. GAAP.  EBITDA is not a source of liquidity or cash flows as shown in our consolidated statement of cash flows.  The definition of EBITDA used here may not be comparable to that used by other companies.  The following table demonstrates our calculation of EBITDA and provides a reconciliation of EBITDA to net income for each of the periods presented above:

   
For the years ended December 31,
 
   
2007
   
2006
 
(U.S. dollars in thousands except for per share amounts)
           
Net income
    $106,809       $63,522  
Net interest expense
    22,996       6,906  
Depreciation and amortization
    34,378       26,978  
                 
EBITDA
    $164,183       $97,406  

 
Results of Operations
 
REVENUES-
 
For 2007, revenues grew 39.1% to $185.4 million versus $133.2 million for 2006.  Revenues in both periods consisted of charter payments for our vessels.  The increase in revenues was primarily due to the growth of our fleet during the twelve months ended December 31, 2007, as well as higher TCE rates obtained for all Panamax vessels and three Handymax vessels, off-set by lower rates for the five Handysize vessels chartered to Lauritzen.
 
The average TCE rate of our fleet increased to $24,650 a day for 2007 as compared to $20,455 a day for 2006.  The overall increase in TCE rates was primarily due to higher time charter rates achieved in 2007 versus the prior year for all of the Panamax vessels, as well as 3 of the Handymax vessels in our current fleet.  Additionally, included in the TCE rates for the third and fourth quarter of 2007 are the time charter rates for the four Capesize vessels from the Metrostar acquisition and three Supramax vessels from the Evalend acquisition that increased our average TCE rate in comparison to the 2006 period.  The increase was countered by lower charter rates achieved in 2007 versus 2006 for the five Handysize vessels on charter with Lauritzen Bulkers A/S, which commenced their time charter contracts at $13,500 per vessel per day during the third quarter of 2006.  The five Handysize vessels commenced time charter extensions at higher rates of $19,500 per vessel per day on September 5, 2007.
 
For 2007 and 2006, we had ownership days of 7,434.1 days and 6,363.1 days, respectively.  Fleet utilization for 2007 and 2006 was 98.7% and 99.3%, respectively.  The decline in utilization was due primarily to the unscheduled offhire of approximately 50 days in aggregate for the Genco Trader, Genco Glory and Genco Sugar associated with maintenance and other delays.
 
VOYAGE EXPENSES-
 
 
 
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Voyage expenses include port and canal charges, fuel (bunker) expenses and brokerage commissions payable to unaffiliated third parties.  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 vessel owner.
 
For the years ended 2007 and 2006, we did not incur port and canal charges or any significant expenses related to the consumption of bunkers as part of our vessels’ overall expenses, because all of our vessels were employed under time charters that require the charterer to bear all of those expenses.
 
For 2007 and 2006, voyage expenses were $5.1 million and $4.7 million, respectively, and consisted primarily of brokerage commissions paid to third parties.
 
VESSEL OPERATING EXPENSES-
 
Vessel operating expenses increased to $27.6 million from $20.9 million for 2007 and 2006, respectively.  This was mostly due to the expansion of our fleet during 2007 as compared to 2006.  Furthermore, the increased costs were due to an increase in crewing, repairs and maintenance and lube costs.
 
For 2007 and 2006, the average daily vessel operating expenses for our fleet were $3,716 and $3,285 per day, respectively.  This increase was mostly due to increased costs for crewing, repairs and maintenance and lube costs.  We believe daily vessel operating expenses are best measured for comparative purposes over a 12-month period in order to take into account all of the expenses that each vessel in our fleet will incur over a full year of operation.
 
GENERAL AND ADMINISTRATIVE EXPENSES-
 
For 2007 and 2006, general and administrative expenses were $12.6 million and $8.9 million, respectively.  The increased general and administrative expenses were mainly due to higher professional expenses, including professional fees associated with the sale of shares by Fleet Acquisition LLC during the first quarter of 2007, costs associated with higher employee non-cash compensation and other employee related costs.
 
MANAGEMENT FEES-
 
We incur management fees to third-party technical management companies for the day-to-day management of our vessels, including performing routine maintenance, attending to vessel operations and arranging for crews and supplies.  For 2007 and 2006, management fees were $1.7 million and $1.4 million, respectively.  The increase was due primarily to increased rates charged by the management companies we use as well to as the operation of a larger fleet.

DEPRECIATION AND AMORTIZATION-
 
For years ended December 31, 2007 and 2006, depreciation and amortization charges were $34.4 million and $27.0 million, respectively, an increase of $7.4 million.  The increase primarily was due to the growth in our fleet during 2007 as compared to 2006.
 
GAIN ON SALE OF VESSELS-
 
For year ended December 31, 2007, the gain on the sale of vessels was $27.0 million attributable to the sale of the Genco Glory and Genco Commander.  During the year ended December 31, 2006, the Company did not sell any vessels.


 
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OTHER (EXPENSE) INCOME-
 
(LOSS) INCOME FROM DERIVATIVE INSTRUMENTS-

Effective August 16, 2007, the Company has elected hedge accounting for forward currency contracts in place associated with the cost basis of shares of Jinhui stock it has purchased.  For further details of the application of hedge accounting, please refer to the discussion under the subheading “Currency risk management” on page 74. For 2007 and 2006, (loss) income from derivative instruments was ($1.3) million and $0.1 million, respectively.  The net loss is primarily attributable to the forward currency contracts associated with Jinhui prior to electing hedge accounting.  The gain in 2006 is due solely to the gain in value of the Company’s two interest rate swaps with DnB NOR Bank having fixed rates of 5.075% and 5.25%, respectively, prior to being designated against borrowings.

NET INTEREST EXPENSE-
 
For 2007 and 2006, net interest expense was $23.0 million and $6.9 million, respectively.  Net interest expense consisted mostly of interest payments made under our 2005 Credit Facility, the Short-term Line, and the 2007 Credit Facility.  During the third quarter of 2007, the Company refinanced the 2005 Credit Facility and the Short-term Line with the 2007 Credit Facility resulting in a non-cash charge of $3.6 million associated with the write-down of unamortized deferred bank charges related to our former facilities.  Additionally, the Company capitalized certain interest costs associated with seven of the Capesize vessels under construction.  Interest income as well as amortization of deferred financing costs related to our respective credit facilities is included in both periods.  The increase in net interest expense for 2007 versus 2006 was mostly a result of higher outstanding debt due to the acquisition of nine vessels in the second half of 2007, and interest expense associated with the borrowings used for the purchase of Jinhui stock.
 
 
LIQUIDITY AND CAPITAL RESOURCES
 
To date, we have financed our capital requirements with cash flow from operations, equity offerings and bank debt.  We have used our funds primarily to fund vessel acquisitions, regulatory compliance expenditures, the repayment of bank debt and the associated interest expense, and the payment of dividends.  We will require capital to fund ongoing operations, acquisitions and debt service.  We expect to rely on operating cash flows as well as long-term borrowings to implement our growth plan.  Please refer to the discussion under the subheading “Dividend Policy” below for additionally information regarding dividends.  We also may consider debt and additional equity financing alternatives from time to time.  If current market conditions persist, we may be unable to raise additional equity capital or debt financing on acceptable terms or at all.  In May 2008, the Company closed on an equity offering of 2,702,669 shares of our common stock at an offering price of $75.47 per share.  The Company received net proceeds of approximately $195.4 million after deducting underwriters’ fees and expenses.  The Company has repaid a portion of the outstanding balance under the 2007 Credit Facility with proceeds from the offering.
 
The Company entered into the 2007 Credit Facility on July 20, 2007 to repay all other existing debt under the 2005 Credit Facility and Short-Term Line and fund acquisitions, including the agreement to acquire nine Capesize vessels announced on July 18, 2007 and the additional acquisition of three Supramax and three Handysize vessels announced in August 2007.  Additionally, in September 2008, the Company entered into the 2008 Term Facility to fund the acquisition costs of six drybulk newbuildings in connection with our entering into agreements for additional vessel acquisitions in 2008.  We subsequently cancelled our acquisition of these six drybulk newbuildings was subsequently cancelled in November 2008 in order to strengthen our liquidity and in light of current market conditions.  The terms of the 2008 Term Facility provided that it was to be cancelled upon a cancellation of the acquisition contracts for the six vessels.  As a result of the cancellation of the acquisition of the six newbuildings, the Company repaid $53 million in debt associated with the deposits for the vessels using cash flow from operations during the fourth quarter of 2008.
 
 
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We anticipate that internally generated cash flow and borrowings under our 2007 Credit Facility will be sufficient to fund the operations of our fleet, including our working capital requirements for the near term.  As a result of the reduction in the market values of vessels, the Company entered into an amendment to the 2007 Credit Facility on January 26, 2009 which waived the existing collateral maintenance financial covenant, which required us to maintain pledged vessels with a value equal to at least 130% of our current borrowings for the year ended December 31, 2008, and accelerated the reductions of the total facility beginning on March 31, 2009.  Please read the “2007 Credit Facility” section below for further details of the terms of the amendment.  The Company anticipates utilizing a portion of the remaining 2007 Credit Facility and internally generated cash flow or alternative financing to fund the anticipated acquisition of the remaining three Capesize vessels we have agreed to acquire.  The collateral maintenance covenant will be waived until the Company can represent that it is in compliance with all of its financial covenants.
 
Dividend Policy
 
Historically, our dividend policy, which commenced in November 2005, has been to declare quarterly distributions to shareholders by each February, May, August and November, which commenced in November 2005, substantially equal to our available cash from operations during the previous quarter, less cash expenses for that quarter (principally vessel operating expenses and debt service) and any reserves our board of directors determines we should maintain.  These reserves covered, among other things, drydocking, repairs, claims, liabilities and other obligations, interest expense and debt amortization, acquisitions of additional assets and working capital.  In the future, we may incur other expenses or liabilities that would reduce or eliminate the cash available for distribution as dividends.  On January 26, 2009, the Company entered into an amendment to the 2007 Credit Facility (the “2009 Amendment”) pursuant to which we are required to suspend the payment of cash dividends until the Company can represent that it is in a position to satisfy the collateral maintenance covenant.  Refer to Note 8 – Long-Term Debt of our financial statements below.  As such, a dividend was not declared for the quarter ending December 31, 2008.  The following table summarizes the dividends declared based on the results of the respective fiscal quarter:

   
 
Dividend per share
   
 
Declaration date
 
FISCAL YEAR ENDED DECEMBER 31, 2008
           
4th Quarter
  $    —       N/A  
3rd Quarter
   
$ 1.00
   
10/23/08
 
2nd Quarter
    $ 1.00    
7/24/08
 
1st Quarter
    $ 1.00    
4/29/08
 
FISCAL YEAR ENDED DECEMBER 31, 2007
               
4th Quarter
    $ 0.85    
2/13/08
 
3rd Quarter
    $ 0.66    
10/25/07
 
2nd Quarter
    $ 0.66    
7/26/07
 
1st Quarter
    $ 0.66    
4/26/07
 
FISCAL YEAR ENDED DECEMBER 31, 2006
               
4th Quarter
    $ 0.66    
2/8/07
 
3rd Quarter
    $ 0.60    
10/26/06
 
2nd Quarter
    $ 0.60    
7/27/06
 
1st Quarter
    $ 0.60    
4/27/06
 

The aggregate amount of the dividend paid in 2008, 2007 and 2006 was $117.1 million, $69.6 million and $61.0 million, respectively, which we funded from cash on hand.  As a result of the 2009 Amendment to the 2007 Credit Facility, we have suspended the payment of cash dividends until we can meet the collateral maintenance covenant contained in the 2007 Credit Facility.
 
 
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 The declaration and payment of any dividend is subject to the discretion of our board of directors and our compliance with the collateral maintenance waiver obtained as part of the 2009 Amendment.  The timing and amount of dividend payments will depend on our earnings, financial condition, cash requirements and availability, fleet renewal and expansion, restrictions in our loan agreements, the provisions of Marshall Islands law affecting the payment of distributions to shareholders and other factors.  Our board of directors may review and amend our dividend policy from time to time in light of our plans for future growth and other factors.
 
We believe that, under current law, our dividend payments from earnings and profits will constitute “qualified dividend income” and, as such, will generally be subject to a 15% U.S. federal income tax rate with respect to non-corporate U.S. shareholders that meet certain holding period and other requirements (through 2010). Distributions in excess of our earnings and profits will be treated first as a non-taxable return of capital to the extent of a U.S. shareholder's tax basis in its common stock on a dollar-for-dollar basis and, thereafter, as capital gain.

Share Repurchase Program

On February 13, 2008, our board of directors approved our share repurchase program for up to a total of $50.0 million of our common stock.   Share repurchases will be made from time to time for cash in open market transactions at prevailing market prices or in privately negotiated transactions.  The timing and amount of purchases under the program were determined by management based upon market conditions and other factors.  Purchases may be made pursuant to a program adopted under Rule 10b5-1 under the Securities Exchange Act.  The program does not require us to purchase any specific number or amount of shares and may be suspended or reinstated at any time in our discretion and without notice.  Repurchases under the program are subject to restrictions under the 2007 Credit Facility. The 2007 Credit Facility was amended as of February 13, 2008 to permit the share repurchase program and provide that the dollar amount of shares repurchased is counted toward the maximum dollar amount of dividends that may be paid in any fiscal quarter.  Subsequently on January 26, 2009, the Company entered into the 2009 Amendment, which amended the 2007 Credit Facility to require the Company to suspend all share repurchases until the Company can represent that it is in a position to again satisfy the collateral maintenance covenant.  Refer to Note 8 – Long-Term Debt of our financial statements.

Through December 31, 2008, the Company has repurchased and retired 278,300 shares of its common stock for $11.5 million (average per share purchase price of $41.32) using funding from cash generated from operations pursuant to its share repurchase program.  An additional 3,130 shares of common stock were repurchased from employees for $0.04 million during 2008 pursuant to the Company’s Equity Incentive Plan.  This repurchase is not reflected in the table below.

Period
 
Total Number of Shares Purchased
   
 
 
Average Price Paid Per Share
   
Total Dollar Amount as Part of Publicly Announced Plans or Programs
   
Maximum Dollar amount that May Yet Be Purchased Under the Plans or Programs
 
Feb. 1, 2008 – Feb. 29, 2008
        $     $     $ 50,000,000  
Mar. 1, 2008 – Mar. 31, 2008
                      50,000,000  
Apr. 1, 2008 – Apr. 30, 2008
                      50,000,000  
May 1, 2008 – May 31, 2008
                      50,000,000  
Jun. 1, 2008 – Jun. 30, 2008
                      50,000,000  
Jul. 1, 2008 – Jul. 31, 2008
                      50,000,000  
Aug. 1, 2008 – Aug. 31, 2008
                      50,000,000  
Sept. 1, 2008 – Sept. 30, 2008
    278,300       41.32       11,500,038       38,499,962  
Oct. 1, 2008 – Oct. 31, 2008
                      38,499,962  
Nov. 1, 2008 – Nov. 30, 2008
                      38,499,962  
Dec. 1, 2008 – Dec. 31, 2008
                      38,499,962  
Total
    278,300     $ 41.32     $ 11,500,038     $ 38,499,962  
 
 
 
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Cash Flow
 
Net cash provided by operating activities for 2008 and 2007, was $267.4 million and $120.9 million, respectively.  The increase was primarily due to the operation of a larger fleet, which contributed to an increase in net income as well as adjustments to reconcile net income to operating cash flows, including increases in depreciation and amortization.  Adjustments to reconcile net income to operating cash flows included $22.4 million of amortization of value of the time charters acquired as part of the Metrostar and Evalend acquisitions, $13.7 million of realized gain on forward currency contracts, $7.0 million of realized income from investments, and $26.2 million in gains from the sale of the Genco Trader.  The adjustments to operating cash flow above were offset by a $103.9 million non-cash impairment on the investment in Jinhui, a $53.8 million loss on the forfeiture of vessel deposits, also reflected as a payment in cash used in investing activities, $15.4 million of unrealized loss on forward currency contracts, and $6.0 million of amortization of non-vested stock compensation. Net cash provided by operating activities for the twelve months ended December 31, 2007 was primarily a result of recorded net income of $106.8 million, adjusted for depreciation and amortization charges of $34.4 million
 
Net cash used in investing activities was $514.3 million for 2008 as compared to $984.4 million for 2007.  For the twelve months ended December 31, 2008, cash used in investing activities primarily related to the purchase of vessels in the amount of $510.3 million, deposits on vessels to be acquired of $3.5 million, payments for forefeited vessel deposits of $53.8 million and the purchase of $10.3 million of Jinhui stock.  The above were offset by proceeds from the sale of the Genco Trader in the amount of $43.1 million, $13.7 million in proceeds from forward currency contracts and $7.0 million of realized income from investments.  For the twelve months ended December 31, 2007 the cash used in investing activities mostly related to the purchase of vessels in the amount of $764.6 million, deposits on vessels to be acquired of $150.3 million, and the purchase of short-term investments of $115.6 million, offset by the sale of the Genco Glory and the Genco Commander in the cumulative amount of $56.5 million.
 
Net cash provided by financing activities for 2008 and 2007 was $300.3 million and $861.4 million, respectively.  For the twelve months ended December 31, 2008, net cash provided by financing activities consisted of the drawdown of $558.3 million related to the purchase of vessels and $195.4 million in net proceeds from our May 2008 follow-on offering.  These inflows were offset in 2008 by the repayment of $321.0 million under the 2007 Credit Facility and the payment of cash dividends of $117.1 million.  For the twelve months ended December 31, 2007, net cash provided by financing activities consisted of $1,193.0 million of proceeds from the 2007 credit facility related to the purchase of vessels and $77.0 million of proceeds from a short-term line used to finance the purchase of Jinhui shares, and was offset by the repayment of $257.0 million under the 2007 credit facility and the payment of cash dividends of $69.6 million.

 2008 Term Facility

On September 4, 2008, the Company executed a credit agreement for its new $320 million credit facility (“2008 Term Facility”).  The Company had previously announced the bank commitment for this facility in a press release on August 18, 2008.  The 2008 Term Facility was underwritten by Nordea Bank Finland Plc, New York Branch, who serves as Administrative Agent, Bookrunner, and Collateral Agent, as well as other banks.  The terms of the 2008 Term Facility provided that it was to be cancelled upon a cancellation of the acquisition contracts for the six vessels as described in Note 4 – Vessel Acquisitions and Dispositions of our financial statements.

The 2008 Term Facility was cancelled in the fourth quarter of 2008, resulting in a charge to interest expense of $2.2 million associated with unamortized deferred financing costs.

2007 Credit Facility

On July 20, 2007, the Company entered into a credit facility with DnB Nor Bank ASA (the “2007 Credit Facility”) for the purpose of acquiring the nine new Capesize vessels and refinancing the Company’s existing 2005 Credit Facility and Short-Term Line.  DnB Nor Bank ASA is also Mandated Lead Arranger, Bookrunner, and
 
 
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Administrative Agent.  The Company has used borrowings under the 2007 Credit Facility to repay amounts outstanding under the 2005 Credit Facility and the Short-Term Line, and these two facilities have accordingly been terminated.  The maximum amount that may be borrowed under the 2007 Credit Facility is $1,377.0 million.  Subsequent to the equity offering completed in October 2007, the Company is no longer required pay up to $6.3 million or such lesser amount as is available from Net Cash Flow (as defined in the credit agreement for the 2007 Credit Facility) each fiscal quarter to reduce borrowings under the 2007 Credit Facility.  At December 31, 2008, $203.7 million remains available to fund future vessel acquisitions.  The Company may borrow up to $50.0 million of the $203.7 million for working capital purposes.
 
On January 26, 2009, the Company entered into the 2009 Amendment which implements the following modifications to the terms of the 2007 Credit Facility:

·    
Compliance with the existing collateral maintenance financial covenant will be waived effective for the year ended December 31, 2008 and until the Company can represent that it is in compliance with all of its financial covenants and is otherwise able to pay a dividend and purchase or redeem shares of common stock under the terms of the Credit Facility in effect before the 2009 Amendment.  With the exception of the collateral maintenance financial covenant, the Company believes that it is in compliance with its covenants under the 2007 Credit Facility.  The Company’s cash dividends and share repurchases will be suspended until the Company can represent that it is in a position to again satisfy the collateral maintenance covenant.

·    
The total amount of the 2007 Credit Facility will be subject to quarterly reductions of $12.5 million beginning March 31, 2009 through March 31, 2012 and $48.2 million of the total facility amount thereafter until the maturity date.  A final payment of $250.6 million will be due on the maturity date.

·    
The Applicable Margin to be added to the London Interbank Offered Rate to calculate the rate at which the Company’s borrowings bear interest is 2.00% per annum.

·    
The commitment commission payable to each lender is 0.70% per annum of the daily average unutilized commitment of such lender.

 
Under the 2007 Credit Facility, subject to the conditions set forth in the credit agreement, the Company may borrow an amount up to $1,377.0 million.  Amounts borrowed and repaid under the 2007 Credit Facility may be reborrowed.  The 2007 Credit Facility has a maturity date of July 20, 2017.
 
Loans made under the 2007 Credit Facility may be and have been used for the following:

·    
up to 100% of the en bloc purchase price of $1,111.0 million for nine modern drybulk Capesize vessels, which the Company has agreed to purchase from companies within the Metrostar Management Corporation group;

·    
repayment of amounts previously outstanding under the Company’s 2005 Credit Facility, or $206.2 million;

·    
the repayment of amounts previously outstanding under the Company’s Short-Term Line, or $77.0 million;
 
 
 
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·    
possible acquisitions of additional dry bulk carriers between 25,000 and 180,000 dwt that are up to ten years of age at the time of delivery and not more than 18 years of age at the time of maturity of the new credit facility;

·    
up to $50.0 million of working capital; and

·    
the issuance of up to $50.0 million of standby letters of credit. At December 31, 2008, there were no letters of credit issued under the 2007 Credit Facility.

 
All amounts owing under the 2007 Credit Facility are secured by the following:

·    
cross-collateralized first priority mortgages of each of the Company’s existing vessels and any new vessels financed with the 2007 Credit Facility;

·    
an assignment of any and all earnings of the mortgaged vessels;

·    
an assignment of all insurances of the mortgaged vessels;

·    
a first priority perfected security interest in all of the shares of Jinhui owned by the Company;

·    
an assignment of the shipbuilding contracts and an assignment of the shipbuilder’s refund guarantees meeting the Administrative Agent’s criteria for any additional newbuildings financed under the 2007 Credit Facility; and

·    
a first priority pledge of the Company’s ownership interests in each subsidiary guarantor.

The Company has completed a pledge of its ownership interests in the subsidiary guarantors that own the nine Capesize vessels acquired or to be acquired.  The other collateral described above was pledged, as required, within thirty days of the effective date of the 2007 Credit Facility.
 
The Company’s borrowings under the 2007 Credit Facility bear interest at the London Interbank Offered Rate (“LIBOR”) for an interest period elected by the Company of one, three, or six months, or longer if available, plus the Applicable Margin of 0.85%.  Effective January 26, 2009, due to the 2009 Amendment, the Applicable Margin increased to 2.00%.  In addition to other fees payable by the Company in connection with the 2007 Credit Facility, the Company paid a commitment fee at a rate of 0.20% per annum of the daily average unutilized commitment of each lender under the facility until September 30, 2007, and 0.25% thereafter.  Effective January 26, 2009, due to the 2009 Amendment, the rate increased to 0.70% per annum of the daily average unutilized commitment of such lender.
 
Effective January 26, 2009, due to the 2009 Amendment, the total amount of the 2007 Credit Facility will be subject to quarterly reductions of $12.5 million beginning March 31, 2009 through March 31, 2012 and $48.2 million of the total facility amount thereafter until the maturity date.  A final payment of $250.6 million will be due on the maturity date.
 
The 2007 Credit Facility includes the following financial covenants which will apply to the Company and its subsidiaries on a consolidated basis and will be measured at the end of each fiscal quarter beginning with June 30, 2007:
 
 
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·    
The leverage covenant requires the maximum average net debt to EBITDA to be ratio of at least 5.5:1.0.

·    
 Cash and cash equivalents must not be less than $0.5 million per mortgaged vessel.

·    
The ratio of EBITDA to interest expense, on a rolling last four-quarter basis, must be no less than 2.0:1.0.

·    
After July 20, 2007, consolidated net worth must be no less than $263.3 million plus 80% of the value of the any new equity issuances of the Company from June 30, 2007.  Based on the equity offerings completed in October 2007 and May 2008, consolidated net worth must be no less than $590.8 million.

·    
The aggregate fair market value of the mortgaged vessels must at all times be at least 130% of the aggregate outstanding principal amount under the new credit facility plus all letters of credit outstanding; the Company has a 30 day remedy period to post additional collateral or reduce the amount of the revolving loans and/or letters of credit outstanding.  This covenant was waived effective for the year ended December 31, 2008 and indefinitely until the Company can represent that it is in compliance with all of its financial covenants as per the 2009 Amendment as described above.

Other covenants in the 2007 Credit Facility are substantially similar to the covenants in the Company’s previous credit facilities.  As of December 31, 2008, the Company believes it is in compliance with all of the financial covenants under its 2007 Credit Facility, as amended.

On June 18, 2008, the Company entered into an amendment to the 2007 Credit Facility allowing the Company to prepay vessel deposits to give the Company flexibility in refinancing potential vessel acquisitions.

Due to refinancing of the Company’s previous facilities, the Company incurred a non-cash write-off of the unamortized deferred financing cost in the amount of $3.6 million associated with the Company’s previous facilities and this charge was reflected in interest expense in the third quarter of 2007.

Due to refinancing of the 2007 Credit Facility as a result of entering into the 2009 Amendment, the Company incurred a non-cash write off of unamortized deferred financing cost in the amount of $1.9 million associated with capitalized costs related to prior amendments, and this charge was reflected in interest expense in the fourth quarter of 2008.

 
Short-Term Line - Refinanced by the 2007 Credit Facility
 
On May 3, 2007, the Company entered into a short-term line of credit facility under which DnB NOR Bank ASA, Grand Cayman Branch and Nordea Bank Norge ASA, Grand Cayman Branch are serving as lenders (the “Short-Term Line”).  The Short-Term Line was used to fund a portion of acquisitions we made of in the shares of capital stock of Jinhui.  Under the terms of the Short-Term Line, we were allowed to borrow up to $155.0 million for such acquisitions, and we had borrowed a total of $77.0 million under the Short-Term Line prior to its refinancing.  The term of the Short-Term Line was for 364 days, and the interest on amounts drawn was payable at the rate of LIBOR plus a margin of 0.85% per annum for the first six month period and LIBOR plus a margin of 1.00% for the remaining term.  We were obligated to pay certain commitment and administrative fees in connection with the Short-Term Line.  The Company, as required, pledged all of the Jinhui shares it has purchased as collateral against the Short-Term Line.  The Short-Term Line incorporated by reference certain covenants from our 2005 Credit Facility.
 
 
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The Short-Term Line was refinanced in July 2007 by the 2007 Credit Facility.  

2005 Credit Facility - Refinanced by the 2007 Credit Facility
 
The Company’s 2005 Credit Facility, initially for $450.0 million, was with a syndicate of commercial lenders consisting of Nordea Bank Finland Plc, New York Branch, DnB NOR Bank ASA, New York Branch and Citigroup Global Markets Limited.  The 2005 Credit Facility was used to refinance our indebtedness under our Original Credit Facility, and was used to acquire vessels.  Under the terms of our 2005 Credit Facility, borrowings in the amount of $106.2 million were used to repay indebtedness under our Original Credit Facility, and additional net borrowings of $100 million were obtained to fund vessel acquisitions.  In July 2006, the Company increased the line of credit by $100 million to a total facility of $550 million.

Additionally, on February 7, 2007, we reached an agreement with our lenders to allow us to increase the amount of the 2005 Credit Facility by $100.0 million, for a total maximum availability of $650.0 million.  We had the option to increase the facility amount by $25.0 million increments up to the additional $100.0 million, so long as at least one bank within the syndicate agreed to fund such increase.  Any increase associated with this agreement was generally governed by the existing terms of the 2005 Credit Facility, although we and any banks providing the increase may agree to vary the upfront fees, unutilized commitment fees, or other fees payable by us in connection with the increase.

The 2005 Credit Facility was refinanced in July 2007 with the 2007 Credit Facility.

Interest Rate Swap Agreements and Forward Freight Agreements and Currency Swap Agreements
 
As of December 31, 2008, the Company has entered into nine interest rate swap agreements with DnB NOR Bank to manage interest costs and the risk associated with changing interest rates.  The total notional principal amount of the swaps is $681.2 million and the swaps have specified rates and durations.

During January 2009, the Company entered into a $100 million dollar interest rate swap at a fixed interest rate of  2.05%, plus the Applicable Margin and is effective January 22, 2009 and ends on January 22, 2014.  The Company has elected to utilize hedge accounting for this interest rate swap.

During February 2009, the Company entered into a $50 million dollar interest rate swap at a fixed interest rate of 2.45%, plus the Applicable Margin and is effective February 23, 2009 and ends on February 23, 2014.  The Company has elected to utilize hedge accounting for this interest rate swap.

Refer to the table in Note 8 of our financial statements, which summarizes the interest rate swaps in place as of December 31, 2008 and 2007.

The Company considered the creditworthiness of both the Company and the counterparty in determining the fair value of the interest rate derivatives, and such consideration resulted in an immaterial adjustment to the fair value of derivatives on the balance sheet.  Valuations prior to any adjustments for credit risk are validated by comparison with counterparty valuations.  Amounts are not and should not be identical due to the different modeling assumptions.  Any material differences are investigated.

The Company had entered into a number of short-term forward currency contracts to protect the Company from the risk associated with the fluctuation in the exchange rate associated with the cost basis of the Jinhui shares as described above under the heading “Investments” in Note 5 of our financial statements.  As forward contracts expired, the Company continued to enter into new forward currency contracts for the cost basis of the investment, excluding commissions.  However, hedge accounting is limited to the lower of the cost basis or the market value at time of designation.  The Company has elected to discontinue the forward currency contracts as of October 10, 2008 due to the declining underlying market value of Jinhui.
 
 
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As part of our business strategy, we may enter into arrangements commonly known as forward freight agreements, or FFAs, to hedge and manage market risks relating to the deployment of our existing fleet of vessels.  These arrangements may include future contracts, or commitments to perform in the future a shipping service between ship owners, charters and traders.  Generally, these arrangements would bind us and each counterparty in the arrangement to buy or sell a specified tonnage freighting commitment “forward” at an agreed time and price and for a particular route.  Although FFAs can be entered into for a variety of purposes, including for hedging, as an option, for trading or for arbitrage, if we decided to enter into FFAs, our objective would be to hedge and manage market risks as part of our commercial management. It is not currently our intention to enter into FFAs to generate a stream of income independent of the revenues we derive from the operation of our fleet of vessels.  If we determine to enter into FFAs, we may reduce our exposure to any declines in our results from operations due to weak market conditions or downturns, but may also limit our ability to benefit economically during periods of strong demand in the market.  We have not entered into any FFAs as of December 31, 2008.
 

Interest Rates
 
The effective interest rate associated with the interest expense for the 2008 Term Facility and the 2007 Credit Facility, as amended, including the rate differential between the pay fixed receive variable rate on the swaps that were in effect, combined, including the cost associated with unused commitment fees with these facilities for 2008 was 5.24%.  The effective interest rate associated with the interest expense for the 2005 Credit Facility, the Short-term Line and the 2007 Credit Facility, as amended, including the rate differential between the pay fixed receive variable rate on the swaps that were in effect, combined, including the cost associated with unused commitment fees with these facilities for 2007 was 6.25%.  The interest rate on the debt, excluding the unused commitment fees, ranged from 1.35% to 6.10% and from 5.54% to 6.66% for 2008 and 2007, respectively.
 
Contractual Obligations
 
The following table sets forth our contractual obligations and their maturity dates that are reflective of the subsequent events as described in Note 22 – Subsequent Events to our financial statements.  The table incorporates the agreement to acquire three remaining Capesize vessels for approximately $288.8 million, inclusive of commissions for these acquisitions, and the employment agreement entered into in September 2007 with the Chief Financial Officer, John Wobensmith.  The Company plans to fund the remaining acquisitions with the remaining availability under the 2007 Credit Facility and cash generated from operations.  The interest and fees are also reflective of the 2007 Credit Facility, included the 2009 Amendment, and the interest rate swap agreements as discussed above under “Interest Rate Swap Agreements and Forward Freight Agreements and Currency Swap Agreements.”

   
Total
   
Within One
Year (1)
   
One to Three
Years
   
Three to Five
Years
   
More than
Five Years
 
   
(U.S. dollars in thousands)
 
2007 Credit Facility
    $1,173,300       $   —       $   —       $247,970       $925,330  
Remainder of purchase price of acquisitions (2)
    $288,800       $288,800       $   —       $   —       $   —  
Interest and borrowing fees
    $353,753       $68,018       $124,312       $89,061       $72,362  
Executive employment agreement
    $301       $301       $   —       $   —       $   —  
Office lease
    $6,150       $486       $1,014       $1,036       $3,614  

(1)  
Represents the twelve month period ending December 31, 2009.
(2)  
The timing of these obligations are based on estimated delivery dates for the remaining three Capesize vessels which are currently being constructed, and the obligation is inclusive of the commission due to brokers upon purchase of the vessels.
 
 
 
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Interest expense has been estimated using the fixed hedge rate for the effective period and notional amount of the debt which is effectively hedged and 1.25% for the portion of the debt that has no designated swap against it, plus the applicable bank margin of 0.85%.  Effective January 26, 2009, due to the 2009 Amendment, the Applicable Margin increased to 2.00% irrespective of the Total Debt to Total Capitalization ratio.  The Company is obligated to pay certain commitment fees in connection with the 2007 Credit Facility.
 
Capital Expenditures
 
We make capital expenditures from time to time in connection with our vessel acquisitions.  Our fleet currently consists of six Capesize drybulk carriers, eight Panamax drybulk carriers, four Supramax drybulk carriers, six Handymax drybulk carriers and eight Handysize drybulk carriers.

In addition to acquisitions that we may undertake in future periods, we will incur additional capital expenditures due to special surveys and drydockings.  We estimate our drydocking costs and scheduled off-hire days for our fleet through 2010 to be:
 
Estimated Drydocking Cost
Estimated Offhire Days
 
(U.S. dollars in millions)
 
Year
   
2009
$5.0
140
2010
$2.0
60

 
The costs reflected are estimates based on drydocking our vessels in China.  We estimate that each drydock will result in 20 days of offhire.  Actual costs will vary based on various factors, including where the drydockings are actually performed.  We expect to fund these costs with cash from operations.
 
During 2008, we completed drydockings for the Genco Challenger, the Genco Sugar, the Genco Acheron, the Genco Leader, the Genco Progress, and the Genco Knight at a combined cost of $6.4 million.
 
During 2007, we completed drydockings for the Genco Surprise, the Genco Wisdom, the Genco Prosperity, the Genco Reliance and Genco Success at a combined cost of $3.5 million.
 
We estimate that seven of our vessels will be drydocked during 2009 and an additional three vessels in 2010.
 
Off-Balance Sheet Arrangements
 
We do not have any off-balance sheet arrangements.
 
Inflation
 
Inflation has only a moderate effect on our expenses given current economic conditions.  In the event that significant global inflationary pressures appear, these pressures would increase our operating, voyage, general and administrative, and financing costs.  However, the Company expects its 2009 budget to increase based on the anticipated increased cost for crewing, insurance and lubes.
 
 
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CRITICAL ACCOUNTING POLICIES
 
The discussion and analysis of our financial condition and results of operations is based upon our consolidated financial statements, which have been prepared in accordance with U.S. GAAP.  The preparation of those financial statements requires us to make estimates and judgments that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities, revenues and expenses and related disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities at the date of our financial statements.  Actual results may differ from these estimates under different assumptions 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, because they generally involve a comparatively higher degree of judgment in their application.  For an additional description of our significant accounting policies, see Note 2 to our consolidated financial statements included in this 10-K.
 
Vessel acquisitions
 
When we enter into an acquisition transaction, we determine whether the acquisition transaction was the purchase of an asset or a business based on the facts and circumstances of the transaction.  As is customary in the shipping industry, the purchase of a vessel is normally treated as a purchase of an asset as the historical operating data for the vessel is not reviewed nor is material to our decision to make such acquisition.
 
When a vessel is acquired with an existing time charter, we allocate the purchase price of the vessel and the time charter based on, among other things, vessel market valuations and the present value (using an interest rate which reflects the risks associated with the acquired charters) of the difference between (i) the contractual amounts to be paid pursuant to the charter terms and (ii) management's estimate of the fair market charter rate, measured over a period equal to the remaining term of the charter.  The capitalized above-market (assets) and below-market (liabilities) charters are amortized as a reduction or increase, respectively, to voyage revenues over the remaining term of the charter.

Revenue and voyage expense recognition
 
Revenues are generated from time charter agreements and pool agreements.  A time charter involves placing a vessel at the charterer’s disposal for a set period of time during which the charterer may use the vessel in return for the payment by the charterer of a specified daily hire rate.  In time charters, operating costs including crews, maintenance and insurance are typically paid by the owner of the vessel and specified voyage costs such as fuel and port charges are paid by the charterer.  There are certain other non-specified voyage expenses such as commissions which are borne by the Company.
 
We record time charter revenues over the term of the charter as service is provided.  Revenues are recognized on a straight-line basis as the average revenue over the term of the respective time charter agreement.  We recognize vessel operating expenses when incurred.
 
The, Genco Thunder and Genco Leader entered into the Baumarine Panamax Pool during November 2008 and December 2008, respectively.  Additionally, the Genco Predator entered into the Bulkhandling Handymax Pool during November 2008. Vessel pools, such as the Baumarine Panamax Pool and the Bulkhandling Handymax Pool, provide cost-effective commercial management activities for a group of similar class vessels.  The pool arrangement provides the benefits of a large-scale operation, and chartering efficiencies that might not be available to smaller fleets.  Under the pool arrangement, the vessels operate under a time charter agreement whereby the cost of bunkers and port expenses are borne by the pool and operating costs including crews, maintenance and insurance are typically paid by the owner of the vessel.  Since the members of the pool share in the revenue generated by the entire group of vessels in the pool, and the pool operates in the spot market, the revenue earned by these three vessels was subject to the fluctuations of the spot
 
 
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market.  The Company recognizes revenue from these pool arrangements based on the distributions reported by the applicable pool.
 
Due from charterers, net
 
Due from charterers, net includes accounts receivable from charters net of the provision for doubtful accounts.  At each balance sheet date, we provide for the provision based on a review of all outstanding charter receivables.  Included in the standard time charter contracts with our customers are certain performance parameters, which if not met can result in customer claims.  As of December 31, 2008, we had a reserve of $0.2 million against due from charterers balance and an additional reserve of $1.4 million in deferred revenue, each of which is associated with estimated customer claims against us including vessel performance issues under time charter agreements.  As of December 31, 2007, we had no reserve against due from charterers balance and an additional reserve of $0.7 million in deferred revenue, each of which is associated with estimated customer claims against us, including time charter performance issues.

Revenue is based on contracted charterparties.  However, there is always the possibility of dispute over terms and payment of hires and freights.  In particular, disagreements may arise as to the responsibility of lost time and revenue due to us as a result.  Accordingly, we periodically assess the recoverability of amounts outstanding and estimates a provision if there is a possibility of non-recoverability.  Although we believe its provisions to be reasonable at the time they are made, it is possible that an amount under dispute is not ultimately recovered and the estimated provision for doubtful accounts is inadequate.
 
Depreciation
 
We record the value of our vessels at their cost (which includes acquisition costs directly attributable to the vessel and expenditures made to prepare the vessel for its initial voyage) less accumulated depreciation.  We depreciate our drybulk vessels on a straight-line basis over their estimated useful lives, estimated to be 25 years from the date of initial delivery from the shipyard.  Depreciation is based on cost less the estimated residual scrap value.  We estimate the residual values of our vessels to be based upon $175 per lightweight ton.  An increase in the useful life of a drybulk vessel or in its residual value would have the effect of decreasing the annual depreciation charge and extending it into later periods.  A decrease in the useful life of a drybulk vessel or in its residual value would have the effect of increasing the annual depreciation charge.  However, when regulations place limitations over the ability of a vessel to trade on a worldwide basis, we will adjust the vessel’s useful life to end at the date such regulations preclude such vessel’s further commercial use.
 
Deferred drydocking costs
 
Our vessels are required to be drydocked approximately every 30 to 60 months for major repairs and maintenance that cannot be performed while the vessels are operating.  We capitalize the costs associated with drydockings as they occur and amortize these costs on a straight-line basis over the period between drydockings.  Capitalized drydocking costs include actual costs incurred at the drydock yard; cost of travel, lodging and subsistence of our personnel sent to the drydocking site to supervise; and the cost of hiring a third party to oversee the drydocking.  We believe that these criteria are consistent with U.S. GAAP guidelines and industry practice and that our policy of capitalization reflects the economics and market values of the vessels.  Costs that are not related to drydocking are expensed as incurred.
 
Impairment of long-lived assets
 
We follow the Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) Statement of Financial Accounting Standards (“SFAS”) No. 144, Accounting for the Impairment or Disposal of Long-Lived Assets, which requires impairment losses to be recorded on long-lived assets used in operations when indicators of impairment are present and the undiscounted
 
 
 
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cash flows estimated to be generated by those assets are less than their carrying amounts.  In the evaluation of the fair value and future benefits of long-lived assets, we perform an analysis of the anticipated undiscounted future net cash flows of the related long-lived assets.  If the carrying value of the related asset exceeds the undiscounted cash flows, the carrying value is reduced to its fair value.  Various factors including anticipated future charter rates, estimated scrap values, future drydocking costs and estimated vessel operating costs, are included in this analysis.
 
Investments
 
The Company holds an investment in the capital stock of Jinhui Shipping and Transportation Limited (“Jinhui”).  Jinhui is a drybulk shipping owner and operator focused on the Supramax segment of drybulk shipping.  This investment is designated as available-for-sale and is reported at fair value, with unrealized gains and losses recorded in shareholders’ equity as a component of OCI.  The Company classifies the investment as a current or noncurrent asset based on the Company’s intent to hold the investment at each reporting date.  Effective August 16, 2007, the Company elected hedge accounting for forward currency contracts in place associated with the cost basis of the Jinhui shares and therefore the unrealized currency gain or loss associated with Jinhui cost basis is reflected in the income statement as a component of income or (loss) from derivative instruments to off-set the gain or loss associated with these forward currency contracts.  On October 10, 2008, the Company elected to discontinue the purchase of forward currency contracts associated with Jinhui by entering into an offsetting trade that closed the previously oopened currency contract, thereby eliminating the hedge on Jinhui.  The cost of securities when sold is based on the specific identification method.  Realized gains and losses on the sale of these securities will be reflected in the consolidated statement of operations in other (expense) income.  Additionally, the realized gain or loss on the forward currency contracts is reflected in the Consolidated Statement of Cash Flows as an investing activity and is reflected in the caption Payments on forward currency contracts, net.

Investments are reviewed quarterly to identify possible other-than-temporary impairment in accordance with FASB Staff Position SFAS 115-1, The Meaning of Other-Than-Temporary Impairment and Its Application to Certain Investments (“FSP 115-1).  When evaluating the investments, the Company reviews factors such as the length of time and extent to which fair value has been below the cost basis, the financial condition of the issuer, the underlying net asset value of the issuers assets and liabilities, and the Company’s ability and intent to hold the investment for a period of time which may be sufficient for anticipated recovery in market value.  Should the decline in the value of any investment be deemed to be other-than-temporary, the investment basis would be written down to fair market value, and the write-down would be reclassified from the statement of equity and recorded as a loss in the income statement for the amount of the impairment.  Investments that are not expected to be sold within the next year are classified as noncurrent.
 
The Company’s investment in Jinhui was deemed to be other-than-temporarily impaired due to the severity of the decline in its market value versus our cost basis.  The Company recorded a $103.9 million impairment loss which was at December 31, 2008, reclassified from the statement of equity and recorded as a loss in the income statement.  We will continue to evaluate the investment on a quarterly basis to determine the likelihood of any further significant adverse effects on the fair value and amount of any additional impairments.  In the event we determine that the Jinhui investment is subject to any additional other-than-temporary impairment, the amount of the impairment would be reclassified from the statement of equity and recorded as a loss in the income statement for the amount of the impairment.
 
Income taxes
 
Pursuant to Section 883 of the U.S. Internal Revenue Code of 1986 as amended (the “Code”), qualified income derived from the international operations of ships is excluded from gross income and exempt from U.S. federal income tax if a company engaged in the international operation of ships meets certain requirements.  Among other things, in order to qualify, the company must be incorporated in a country which grants an equivalent exemption to U.S. corporations and must satisfy certain qualified ownership requirements.
 
 
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We are incorporated in the Marshall Islands.  Pursuant to the income tax laws of the Marshall Islands, we are not subject to Marshall Islands income tax.  The Marshall Islands has been officially recognized by the Internal Revenue Service as a qualified foreign country that currently grants the requisite equivalent exemption from tax.
 
Based on the publicly traded requirement of the Section 883 regulations as described in the next paragraph, we believe that we qualified for exemption from income tax for 2008, 2007 and 2006.

Based on the ownership of our common stock prior to our initial public offering on July 22, 2005 as discussed in Note 1, we qualified for exemption from income tax for 2005 under Section 883, since we were a Controlled Foreign Corporation (“CFC”) and satisfied certain other criteria in the Section 883 regulations.  We were a CFC, as defined in the Code, since through the initial public offering on July 22, 2005, over 50% of our stock was owned by United States holders each of whom owned ten percent or more of our voting stock (“US 10% Owners”).  During that time, approximately 93% of our common stock was held by US 10% Owners.

Based on the publicly traded requirement of the Section 883 regulations, we believe that we are qualified for exemption from income tax for 2008, 2007 and 2006.  In order to meet the publicly traded requirement, our stock must be treated as being primarily and regularly traded for more than half the days of any such year.  Under the Section 883 regulations, our qualification for the publicly traded requirement may be jeopardized if shareholders of our common stock that own five percent or more of our stock (“5% shareholders”) own, in the aggregate, 50% or more of our common stock for more than half the days of the year.  We believe that during 2008, 2007 and 2006, the combined ownership of our 5% shareholders did not equal 50% or more of our common stock for more than half the days of 2008, 2007 and 2006.  However if our 5% shareholders were to increase their ownership to 50% or more of our common stock for more than half the days of 2009 or any future taxable year, we would not be eligible to claim exemption from tax under Section 883 for that taxable year.  We can therefore give no assurance that changes and shifts in the ownership of our stock by 5% shareholders will not preclude us from qualifying for exemption from tax in 2009 or in future years.

If the Company does not qualify for the exemption from tax under Section 883, it would be subject to a 4% tax on the gross “shipping income” (without the allowance for any deductions) that is treated as derived from sources within the United States or “United States source shipping income.” For these purposes, “shipping income” means any income that is derived from the use of vessels, from the hiring or leasing of vessels for use, or from the performance of services directly related to those uses; and “United States source shipping income” includes 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.
 
Fair value of financial instruments
 
The estimated fair values of our financial instruments such as amounts due to / due from charterers, accounts payable and long-term debt approximate their individual carrying amounts as of December 31, 2008 and December 31, 2007 due to their short-term maturity or the variable-rate nature of the respective borrowings under the credit facility.

The fair value of the interest rate swaps and forward currency contracts (used for purposes other than trading) is the estimated amount we would receive to terminate these agreements at the reporting date, taking into account current interest rates and the creditworthiness of the counterparty for assets and creditworthiness of us for liabilities.  See Note 10 - Fair Value of Financial Instruments for additional disclosure on the fair values of long term debt, derivative instruments, and available-for-sale securities.

The Company adopted SFAS No. 157, Fair Value Measurements (“SFAS No. 157”) in the first quarter of 2007, which did not have a material impact on the financial statements of the Company.


 
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Derivative financial instruments
 
Interest rate risk management
 
We are exposed to the impact of interest rate changes.  Our objective is to manage the impact of interest rate changes on its earnings and cash flow in relation to borrowings primarily for the purpose of acquiring drybulk vessels.  These borrowings are subject to a variable borrowing rate.  We use pay-fixed receive-variable interest rate swaps to manage future interest costs and the risk associated with changing interest rate obligations.  These swaps are designated as cash flow hedges of future variable rate interest payments and are tested for effectiveness on a quarterly basis.
 
 The differential to be paid or received for the effectively hedged portion of any swap agreement is recognized as an adjustment to interest expense as incurred.  Additionally, the changes in value for the portion of the swaps that are effectively hedging future interest payments are reflected as a component of OCI.

For the portion of the forward interest rate swaps that are not effectively hedged, the change in the value and the rate differential to be paid or received is recognized as income or (expense) from derivative instruments and is listed as a component of other (expense) income until such time we have obligations against which the swap is designated and is an effective hedge.

Currency risk management

We currently hold an investment in Jinhui shares that are traded on the Oslo Stock Exchange located in Norway, and as such, the Company is exposed to the impact of exchange rate changes on this available-for-sale security denominated in Norwegian Kroner.  Our objective is to manage the impact of exchange rate changes on its earnings and cash flows in relation to its cost basis associated with its investments.  We utilized foreign currency forward contracts to protect its original investment from changing exchange rates through October 10, 2008 when the use of these contracts was discontinued due to the underlying value of Jinhui.

The change in the value of the forward currency contracts is recognized as income or (expense) from derivative instruments and is listed as a component of other (expense) income.  Effective August 16, 2007, we elected to utilize fair value hedge accounting for these instruments whereby the change in the value in the forward contracts continues to be recognized as income or (expense) from derivative instruments and is listed as a component of other (expense) income.  Fair value hedge accounting then accelerates the recognition of the effective portion of the currency translation gain or (loss) on the Available for Sale Security from August 16, 2007 from OCI into income or (expense) from derivative instruments and is listed as a component of other (expense) income.  Time value of the forward contracts is excluded from effectiveness testing and recognized currently in income.  On October 10, 2008, we elected to discontinue the purchase of forward currency contracts associated with Jinhui by entering into an offsetting trade that closed the previously opened currency contract, thereby eliminating the hedge on Jinhui.
 
ITEM 7A.  QUANTITATIVE AND QUALITATIVE DISCLOSURES ABOUT MARKET RISK

INTEREST RATE RISK

Interest rate risk
 
We are exposed to the impact of interest rate changes.  Our objective is to manage the impact of interest rate changes on our earnings and cash flow in relation to our borrowings.  We held nine interest rate risk management instruments at December 31, 2008 and eight interest rate risk management instruments at December 31, 2007, in order to manage future interest costs and the risk associated with changing interest rates.
 
 
74

 
The Company has entered into nine interest rate swap agreements with DnB NOR Bank to manage interest costs and the risk associated with changing interest rates.  The total notional principal amount of the swaps is $681.2 million, and the swaps have specified rates and durations.  Refer to the table in Note 8 of our financial statements which summarized the interest rate swaps in place as of December 31, 2008 and December 31, 2007.

The swap agreements, with effective dates prior to December 31, 2008 synthetically convert variable rate debt to fixed rate debt at the fixed interest rate of swap plus the Applicable Margin as defined in the “2007 Credit Facility” section of Note 8 – Long-Term Debt of our financial statements.
 
The liability associated with the swaps at December 31, 2008 is $65.9 million and $21.0 million at December 31, 2007, and are presented as the fair value of derivatives on the balance sheet.  There were no swaps in an asset position at December 31, 2008 or December 31, 2007.  As of December 31, 2008 and 2007, the Company has accumulated OCI of ($66.0) million and ($21.1) million, respectively, related to the effectively hedged portion of the swaps.  Hedge ineffectiveness associated with the interest rate swaps resulted in income or (loss) from derivative instruments of $0.1 million and ($0.1) million for 2008 and 2007, respectively.  At December 31, 2008, ($23.7) million of OCI is expected to be reclassified into income over the next 12 months associated with interest rate derivatives.

During January 2009, the Company entered into a $100 million dollar interest rate swap at a fixed interest rate of  2.05% plus the Applicable Margin which is effective January 22, 2009 and ends on January 22, 2014.  The Company’s intent is to utilize hedge accounting for this interest rate swap.

During February 2009, the Company entered into a $50 million dollar interest rate swap at a fixed interest rate of 2.45% plus the Applicable Margin which is effective February 23, 2009 and ends on February 23, 2014.  The Company’s intent is to utilize hedge accounting for this interest rate swap.

Derivative financial instruments
 
As of December 31, 2008, the Company has entered into nine interest rate swap agreements with DnB NOR Bank to manage interest costs and the risk associated with changing interest rates.  The total notional principal amount of the swaps is $681.2 million, and the swaps have specified rates and durations.  Refer to the table in Note 8 of our financial statements which summarized the interest rate swaps in place as of December 31, 2008 and December 31, 2007.  Also note that during January and February 2009, the Company entered into a $100 million and $50 million dollar interest rate swap at fixed interest rates of 2.05% and 2.45%, respectively, plus the Applicable Margin and are effective January 22, 2009 through January 22, 2014 and February 23, 2009 through February 23, 2014, respectively.

   The differential to be paid or received for these swap agreements is recognized as an adjustment to interest expense as incurred.  The Company is currently utilizing cash flow hedge accounting for the swaps whereby the effective portion of the change in value of the swaps is reflected as a component of Other Comprehensive Income (“OCI”).  The ineffective portion is recognized as income or (loss) from derivative instruments, which is a component of other (expense) income.  For any period of time that the Company did not designate the swaps for hedge accounting, the change in the value of the swap agreements prior to designation was recognized as income or (loss) from derivative instruments and was listed as a component of other (expense) income.

Amounts receivable or payable arising at the settlement of hedged interest rate swaps are deferred and amortized as an adjustment to interest expense over the period of interest rate exposure provided the designated liability continues to exist.  Amounts receivable or payable arising at the settlement of unhedged interest rate swaps are reflected as income or expense from derivative instruments and is listed as a component of other (expense) income.
 
The interest (expense) income pertaining to the interest rate swaps for 2008 and 2007 was ($9.5) million and $1.0 million, respectively.
 
 
75

 
 
The swap agreements, with effective dates prior to December 31, 2008 synthetically convert variable rate debt to fixed rate debt at the fixed interest rate of swap plus the Applicable Margin as defined in the “2007 Credit Facility” section of Note 8 – Long-Term Debt of our financial statements.
 
The liability associated with the swaps at December 31, 2008 is $65.9 million and $21.0 million at December 31, 2007, and are presented as the fair value of derivatives on the balance sheet.  There were no swaps in an asset position at December 31, 2008 or December 31, 2007.  As of December 31, 2008 and 2007, the Company has accumulated OCI of ($66.0) million and ($21.1) million, respectively, related to the effectively hedged portion of the swaps.  Hedge ineffectiveness associated with the interest rate swaps resulted in income or (loss) from derivative instruments of $0.1 million and ($0.1) million for 2008 and 2007, respectively.  At December 31, 2008, ($23.7 million) of OCI is expected to be reclassified into income over the next 12 months associated with interest rate derivatives.

The Company has entered into a number of short-term forward currency contracts to protect the Company from the risk associated with the fluctuation in the exchange rate associated with the cost basis of the Jinhui shares as described under the heading “Investments” in Note 5 of our financial statements.  The use of short-term forward currency contracts was discontinued on October 10, 2008 due to the underlying value of Jinhui.  For further information on these forward currency contracts, please see page 67 under the heading “Interest Rate Swap Agreements and Forward Freight Agreements and Currency Swap Agreements”.

We are subject to market risks relating to changes in interest rates because we have significant amounts of floating rate debt outstanding.  For 2008, we paid LIBOR plus 0.85% on the 2007 Credit Facility for the debt in excess of any designated swap’s notional amount for such swap’s effective period.  For 2007, we paid LIBOR plus 0.85% on the 2007 Credit Facility, LIBOR plus 0.95% on the 2005 Credit Facility, and LIBOR plus 0.85% on the Short-term Line for the debt in excess of any designated swap’s notional amount for the respective swap’s effective period.  For each effective swap, the interest rate is fixed at the fixed interest rate of swap plus the applicable margin on the respective debt in place.  A 1% increase in LIBOR would result in an increase of $2.6 million in interest expense for 2008, considering the increase would be only on the unhedged portion of the debt for which the rate differential on the relevant swap is not in effect.
 
FOREIGN EXCHANGE RATE RISK

Currency and exchange rate risk
 
The international shipping industry’s functional currency is the U.S. Dollar.  Virtually all of our revenues and most of our operating costs are in U.S. Dollars.  We incur certain operating expenses in currencies other than the U.S. dollar, and the foreign exchange risk associated with these operating expenses is immaterial.

The Company had entered into a number of short-term forward currency contracts to protect the Company from the risk associated with the fluctuation in the exchange rate associated with the cost basis of the Jinhui shares as described above under the heading “Investments” in Note 5 of our financial statements.  For further information on these forward currency contracts, please see page 67 under the heading “Interest Rate Swap Agreements, Forward Freight Agreements and Currency Swap Agreements.”

The Company utilized hedge accounting on the cost basis of the Jinhui stock through October 10, 2008 when the use of the forward currency contract was discontinued due to the underlying value of Jinhui.

Investments

The Company holds investments in Jinhui of $16.8 million which are classified as available for sale under SFAS No. 115, “Accounting for Certain Investments in Debt and Equity Securities” (“SFAS No. 115”).  The Company
 
 
 
76

 
 
 
classifies the investment as a current or noncurrent asset based on the Company’s intent to hold the investment at each reporting date.  The investments that are classified as available for sale are subject to risk of changes in market value, which if determined to be impaired (other than temporarily impaired), could result in realized impairment losses.  The Company reviews the carrying value of such investments on a quarterly basis to determine if any valuation adjustments are appropriate under SFAS No. 115.  We reviewed the investment in Jinhui for indicators of other-than-temporary impairment.  This determination required significant judgment.  In making this judgment, we evaluated, among other factors, the duration and extent to which the fair value of the investment is less than its cost; the general market conditions, including factors such as industry and sector performance, and our intent and ability to hold the investment.  The Company’s investment in Jinhui was deemed to be other-than-temporarily impaired due to the severity of the decline in its market value versus our cost basis.  The Company recorded a $103.9 million impairment loss which was at December 31, 2008, reclassified from the statement of equity and recorded as a loss in the income statement.  We will continue to evaluate the investment on a quarterly basis to determine the likelihood of any further significant adverse effects on the fair value and amount of any additional impairments.  In the event we determine that the Jinhui investment is subject to any additional other-than-temporary impairment, the amount of the impairment would be reclassified from the statement of equity and recorded as a loss in the income statement for the amount of the impairment.



  77
 

 

 


ITEM 8.  FINANCIAL STATEMENTS AND SUPPLEMENTARY DATA

Genco Shipping & Trading Limited
Form 10-K as of December 31, 2008 and 2007 and for the years ended December 31, 2008, 2007 and 2006
Index to consolidated financial statements
                                                                              Page
 
  a)
Report of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm
F-2 
     
b) 
Consolidated Balance Sheets - 
 
 
December 31, 2008 and December 31, 2007 
F-3 
     
c) 
Consolidated Statements of Operations - 
 
 
For the Years Ended December 31, 2008, 2007 and 2006 
F-4 
     
d) 
Consolidated Statements of Shareholders’ Equity and Comprehensive Income - 
 
  For the Years Ended December 31, 2008, 2007 and 2006    F-5 
     
e) 
Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows -   
  For the Years Ended December 31, 2008, 2007, and 2006
F-6 
     
f) 
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements    
  For rhe Years Ended December 31, 2008, 2007 and 2006  
F-7 
     
 
 
 
F-1 
 

 


REPORT OF INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM

To the Board of Directors and Stockholders of
Genco Shipping & Trading Limited
New York, New York

 
We have audited the accompanying consolidated balance sheets of Genco Shipping & Trading Limited and subsidiaries (the "Company") as of December 31, 2008 and 2007, and the related consolidated statements of operations, shareholders' equity and comprehensive income, and cash flows for each of the three years in the period ended December 31, 2008.  These financial statements are the responsibility of the Company's management.  Our responsibility is to express an opinion on these financial statements based on our audits.
 
We conducted our audits in accordance with the standards of the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States).  Those standards require that we plan and perform the audit to obtain reasonable assurance about whether the financial statements are free of material misstatement.  An audit includes examining, on a test basis, evidence supporting the amounts and disclosures in the financial statements.  An audit also includes assessing the accounting principles used and significant estimates made by management, as well as evaluating the overall financial statement presentation.  We believe that our audits provide a reasonable basis for our opinion.
 
In our opinion, such consolidated financial statements present fairly, in all material respects, the financial position of Genco Shipping & Trading Limited and subsidiaries at December 31, 2008 and 2007, and the results of their operations and their cash flows for each of the three years in the period ended December 31, 2008, in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America.
 
We have also audited, in accordance with the standards of the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States), the Company's internal control over financial reporting as of December 31, 2008, based on the criteria established in Internal Control—Integrated Framework issued by the Committee of Sponsoring Organizations of the Treadway Commission and our report dated March 2, 2009 expressed an unqualified opinion on the Company's internal control over financial reporting.

/s/ DELOITTE & TOUCHE LLP

New York, New York
March 2, 2009
 
 
F-2

 
Genco Shipping & Trading Limited
Consolidated Balance Sheets as of December 31, 2008
and December 31, 2007
(U.S. Dollars in thousands, except share data)
 
 
   
December 31,
 
   
2008
   
2007
 
Assets
           
Current assets:
           
Cash and cash equivalents
  $ 124,956     $ 71,496  
Investments
          167,524  
Vessel held for sale
          16,857  
Due from charterers, net
    2,297       2,343  
Prepaid expenses and other current assets
    13,495       9,374  
Total current assets
    140,748       267,594  
                 
Noncurrent assets:
               
Vessels, net of accumulated depreciation of $140,388 and $71,341, respectively
    1,726,273       1,224,040  
Deposits on vessels
    90,555       149,017  
Deferred drydock, net of accumulated depreciation of $2,868 and $941, respectively
    8,972       4,552  
Other assets, net  of accumulated amortization of $1,548 and $288, respectively
    4,974       6,130  
Fixed assets, net of accumulated depreciation and amortization of $1,140 and $722, respectively
    1,712       1,939  
Investments
    16,772        
Total noncurrent assets
    1,849,258       1,385,678  
                 
Total assets
  $ 1,990,006     $ 1,653,272  
                 
Liabilities and Shareholders’ Equity
               
Current liabilities:
               
Accounts payable and accrued expenses
  $ 17,345     $ 17,514  
Current portion of long term debt
          43,000  
Deferred revenue
    10,356       8,402  
Fair value of derivative instruments
    2,491       1,448  
Total current liabilities
    30,192       70,364  
                 
Noncurrent liabilities:
               
Deferred revenue
    2,298       968  
Deferred rent credit
    706       725  
Fair market value of time charters acquired
    23,586       44,991  
Fair value of derivative instruments
    63,446       21,039  
Long term debt
    1,173,300       893,000  
Total noncurrent liabilities
    1,263,336       960,723  
                 
Total liabilities
    1,293,528       1,031,087  
                 
Commitments and contingencies
               
                 
Shareholders’ equity:
               
Common stock, par value $0.01; 100,000,000 shares authorized; issued and
               
outstanding 31,709,548 and 28,965,809 shares at December 31, 2008 and December 31, 2007, respectively
    317       290  
Paid in capital
    717,979       523,002  
Accumulated other comprehensive (deficit) income
    (66,014 )     19,017  
Retained earnings
    44,196       79,876  
Total shareholders’ equity
    696,478       622,185  
                 
Total liabilities and shareholders’ equity
  $ 1,990,006     $ 1,653,272  
                 
See accompanying notes to consolidated financial statements.
 
 
 
 
F-3

 
 

Genco Shipping & Trading Limited
Consolidated Statements of Operations for the Years Ended December 31, 2008, 2007 and 2006
(U.S. Dollars in Thousands, Except Earnings per Share and share data)

   
For the Years Ended December 31,
 
   
2008
   
2007
   
2006
 
                   
                   
Revenues
  $ 405,370     $ 185,387     $ 133,232  
                         
Operating expenses:
                       
Voyage expenses
    5,116       5,100       4,710  
Vessel operating expenses
    47,130       27,622       20,903  
General and administrative expenses
    17,027       12,610       8,882  
Management fees
    2,787       1,654       1,439  
Depreciation and amortization
    71,395       34,378       26,978  
Loss on forfeiture of vessel deposits
    53,765              
Gain on sale of vessels
    (26,227 )     (27,047 )      
                         
Total operating expenses
    170,993       54,317       62,912  
                         
Operating income
    234,377       131,070       70,320  
                         
Other (expense) income:
                       
(Loss) income from derivative instruments
    (74 )     (1,265 )     108  
Impairment of investment
    (103,892 )            
Interest income
    1,757       3,507       3,129  
Interest expense
    (52,589 )     (26,503 )     (10,035 )
Income from investments
    7,001              
                         
Other (expense) income
    (147,797 )     (24,261 )     (6,798 )
                         
Net income
  $ 86,580     $ 106,809     $ 63,522  
                         
Earnings per share-basic
  $ 2.86     $ 4.08     $ 2.51  
Earnings per share-diluted
  $ 2.84     $ 4.06     $ 2.51  
Weighted average common shares outstanding-basic
    30,290,016       26,165,600       25,278,726  
Weighted average common shares outstanding-diluted
    30,452,850       26,297,521       25,351,297  
Dividends declared per share
  $ 3.85     $ 2.64     $ 2.40  
                         
                         
See accompanying notes to consolidated financial statements.
 


F-4 
 

 

Genco Shipping & Trading Limited
Consolidated Statements of Shareholders’ Equity and Comprehensive Income
for the Years Ended December 31, 2008, 2007 and 2006
   
Common
Stock
   
Paid in
Capital
   
Retained
Earnings
   
Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income
   
Comprehensive Income
   
Total
 
Balance – January 1, 2006
 
 
$     254       $305,500       $40,163       $2,325             $348,242  
                                               
Net income
                    63,522               $63,522       63,522  
Unrealized derivative gains from cash flow hedge, net
                            1,221       1,221       1,221  
Comprehensive income
                                    $64,743          
Cash dividends paid ($2.40 per share)
                    (61,041 )                     (61,041 )
Issuance of 72,000 shares of nonvested stock, less forfeitures of 750 shares
    1       (1 )                             -  
Nonvested stock amortization
            1,589                               1,589  
                                                 
Balance – December 31, 2006
 
 
$     255       $307,088       $42,644       $3,546               $353,533  
                                                 
Net income
                    106,809               $106,809       106,809  
Change in unrealized gain on investments
                            38,540       38,540       38,540  
Change in unrealized gain on currency translation on Investments, net
                            1,545       1,545       1,545  
Unrealized derivative loss on cash flow hedges, net
                            (24,614 )     (24,614 )     (24,614 )
Comprehensive income
                                    $122,280          
Cash dividends paid ($2.64 per share)
                    (69,577 )                     (69,577 )
Issuance of common stock, 3,358,209 shares
    34       213,837                               213,871  
Issuance of 109,200 shares of nonvested stock, less forfeitures of 7,062 shares
    1       (1 )                             -  
Nonvested stock amortization
            2,078                               2,078  
                                                 
Balance – December 31, 2007
 
 
$     290       $523,002       $79,876       $19,017               $622,185  
                                                 
Net income
                    86,580               $86,580       86,580  
Change in unrealized loss on investments
                            (38,540 )     (38,540 )     (38,540 )
Change in unrealized gain on currency translation on Investments, net
                            (1,545 )     (1,545 )     (1,545 )
Unrealized derivative loss on cash flow hedges, net
                            (44,946 )     (44,946 )     (44,946 )
Comprehensive income
                                    $1,549          
Cash dividends paid ($3.85 per share)
                    (117,109 )                     (117,109 )
Issuance of common stock 2,702,669 shares
    27       195,415                               195,442  
Issuance of 322,500 shares of nonvested stock
    3       (3 )                             -  
Acquisition and retirement of 281,430 shares of common stock
    (3 )     (6,388 )     (5,151 )                     (11,542 )
Nonvested stock amortization
            5,953                               5,953  
                                                 
Balance – December 31, 2008
    $     317       $717,979       $44,196       $(66,014 )             $696,478  
                                                 
 (U.S. Dollars in Thousands)
See accompanying notes to consolidated financial statements.

F-5 
 

 

Genco Shipping & Trading Limited
Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows for the Years Ended December 31, 2008, 2007 and 2006
(U.S. Dollars in Thousands)
   
Year ended December 31,
 
   
2008
   
2007
   
2006
 
Cash flows from operating activities:
                 
Net income
  $ 86,580     $ 106,809     $ 63,522  
Adjustments to reconcile net income to net cash provided by operating activities:
                       
Depreciation and amortization
    71,395       34,378       26,978  
Amortization of deferred financing costs
    4,915       4,128       341  
Amortization of fair market value of time charter acquired
    (22,447 )     (5,139 )     1,850  
Realized (gain) loss on forward currency contracts
    (13,691 )     9,864       -  
Impairment of investment
    103,892       -       -  
Unrealized (gain) loss on derivative instruments
    (46 )     80       (108 )
Unrealized loss (gain) on hedged investment
    15,361       (10,160 )     -  
Unrealized (gain) loss on forward currency contract
    (1,448 )     1,448       -  
Realized income on investments
    (7,001 )     -       -  
Amortization of nonvested stock compensation expense
    5,953       2,078       1,589  
Gain on sale of vessel
    (26,227 )     (27,047 )     -  
Loss on forfeiture of vessel deposits
    53,765       -       -  
Change in assets and liabilities:
                       
Decrease (increase) in due from charterers
    46       (1,872 )     (252 )
Increase in prepaid expenses and other current assets
    (3,063 )     (2,241 )     (2,069 )
Increase in accounts payable and accrued expenses
    2,514       6,164       2,288  
Increase (decrease) in deferred revenue
    3,284       5,908       (1,114 )
(Decrease) increase in deferred rent credit
    (19 )     (19 )     264  
Deferred drydock costs incurred
    (6,347 )     (3,517 )     (3,221 )
Net cash provided by operating activities
    267,416       120,862       90,068  
Cash flows from investing activities:
                       
Purchase of vessels
    (510,345 )     (764,574 )     (81, 638 )
Deposits on vessels
    (3,489 )     (150,279 )     -  
Purchase of investments
    (10,290 )     (115,577 )     -  
Payments on forward currency contracts, net
    -       (9,897 )     -  
Proceeds from forward currency contracts, net
    13,723       -       -  
Realized income on investments
    7,001       -       -  
Proceeds from sale of vessels
    43,084       56,536       -  
Payments on forfeiture of vessel deposits
    (53,765 )                
Purchase of other fixed assets
    (207 )     (559 )     (1,202 )
Net cash used in investing activities
    (514,288 )     (984,350 )     (82, 840 )
Cash flows from financing activities:
                       
Proceeds from the 2007 Credit Facility
    558,300       1,193,000       -  
Repayments on the 2007 Credit Facility
    (321,000 )     (257,000 )     -  
Proceeds from the 2005 Credit Facility, Short-term Line and Original Credit Facility
    -       77,000       81,250  
Repayments on the 2005 Credit Facility, Short-term Line and Original Credit Facility
    -       (288,933 )     -  
Payment of deferred financing costs
    (3,759 )     (6,931 )     (795 )
Cash dividends paid
    (117,109 )     (69,577 )     (61,041 )
Payments to acquire and retire common stock
    (11,542 )     -       -  
Net proceeds from issuance of common stock
    195,442       213,871       -  
Net cash provided by financing activities
    300,332       861,430       19,414  
Net (decrease) increase in cash and cash equivalents
    53,460       (2,058 )     26,642  
Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of period
    71,496       73,554       46,912  
Cash and cash equivalents at end of period
  $ 124,956     $ 71,496     $ 73,554  
See accompanying notes to consolidated financial statements.
 
 
 
F-6


 
Genco Shipping & Trading Limited
 (U.S. Dollars in Thousands)
 
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements for the Years Ended December 31, 2008, 2007 and 2006

1 - GENERAL INFORMATION
 
The accompanying consolidated financial statements include the accounts of Genco Shipping & Trading Limited (“GS&T”) and its wholly owned subsidiaries (collectively, the “Company,” “we” or “us”).  The Company is engaged in the ocean transportation of drybulk cargoes worldwide through the ownership and operation of drybulk carrier vessels.  GS&T was incorporated on September 27, 2004 under the laws of the Marshall Islands and is the sole owner of all of the outstanding shares of the following subsidiaries: Genco Ship Management LLC; Genco Investments LLC; and the ship-owning subsidiaries as set forth below.
 
The Company began operations on December 6, 2004 with the delivery of its first vessel.  The Company agreed to acquire a fleet of 16 drybulk carriers from an unaffiliated third party on November 19, 2004 for approximately $421,900; these vessels were delivered during 2004 and 2005.
 
 On October 14, 2005, the Company acquired the Genco Muse, a 2001 Handymax vessel and time charter contract for a total of $34,450 and was funded entirely by the Company’s credit facility entered into on July 29, 2005 (the “2005 Credit Facility”).  On July 10, 2006, the Company acquired the Genco Acheron, the Genco Commander, and the Genco Surprise for a total purchase price of $81,250, all of which were delivered in the fourth quarter of 2006.  During February 2007, the Company completed the sale of the Genco Glory to Cloud Maritime S.A. for $13,004, net of commission.  On July 18, 2007, the Company entered into an agreement to acquire nine Capesize vessels from companies within the Metrostar Management Corporation group for a net purchase price of $1,111,000, consisting of the value of the vessels and the liability for the below market time charter contracts acquired.  On August 10 and August 13, 2007, the Company also agreed to acquire six drybulk vessels (three Supramax and three Handysize) from affiliates of Evalend Shipping Co. S.A. for a net purchase price of $336,000, consisting of the value of the vessels and the liability for the below market time charter contract acquired.
 
On August 15, 2007, the Company decided to sell the two oldest vessels in its fleet, the Genco Commander and the Genco Trader.  On September 3, 2007, the Company reached an agreement to sell the Genco Commander, a 1994-built Handymax vessel, to Dan Sung Shipping Co. Ltd. for $44,450 less a 2% brokerage commission payable to a third party.  On December 3, 2007, the Company realized a net gain of $23,472 from the sale of the vessel and received net proceeds of $43,532.  Lastly, on October 2, 2007, the Company reached an agreement to sell the Genco Trader, a 1990-built Panamax vessel, to SW Shipping Co., Ltd for $44,000 less a 2% brokerage commission payable to a third party.  On February 26, 2008, the Company realized a net gain of $26,227 from the sale of the vessel and received net proceeds of $43,080.  The Genco Trader was classified as held for sale at December 31, 2007.
 
On May 9, 2008, the Company agreed to acquire three 2007 built vessels, consisting of two Panamax vessels and one Supramax vessel, from Bocimar International N.V. and Delphis N.V. for an aggregate purchase price of approximately $257,000.  Additionally, on June 16, 2008 the Company agreed to acquire six drybulk newbuildings from Lambert Navigation Ltd., Northville Navigation Ltd., Providence Navigation Ltd., and Prime Bulk Navigation Ltd., for an aggregate purchase price of $530 million.  On November 3, 2008, the Company agreed to cancel the acquisition of these six drybulk newbuildings.  As part of the agreement, the selling group will retain the deposits totaling $53,000 plus the interest earned on such deposits for the six vessels, comprised of three Capesize and three Handysize vessels.  This transaction resulted in a charge in the fourth quarter of 2008 to the Company’s income statement of $53,765 related to the forfeiture of these deposits.  This amount included $53,213, which was recorded in Deposits on vessels and included net capitalized interest, approximately $546 of interest income receivable which was recorded as part of Prepaid expenses and other current assets, and $6 of other expenses.

 

 

F-7

 

 
Below is the list of the Company’s wholly owned ship-owning subsidiaries as of December 31, 2008:

Wholly Owned
Subsidiaries
Vessels
Acquired
Dwt
Date
Delivered
Year
Built
Date Sold
 
             
Genco Reliance Limited.........................
Genco Reliance
29,952
12/6/04
1999
 
Genco Vigour Limited............................
Genco Vigour
73,941
12/15/04
1999
 
Genco Explorer Limited..........................
Genco Explorer
29,952
12/17/04
1999
 
Genco Carrier Limited.............................
Genco Carrier
47,180
12/28/04
1998
 
Genco Sugar Limited..............................
Genco Sugar
29,952
12/30/04
1998
 
Genco Pioneer Limited...........................
Genco Pioneer
29,952
1/4/05
1999
 
Genco Progress Limited.........................
Genco Progress
29,952
1/12/05
1999
 
Genco Wisdom Limited..........................
Genco Wisdom
47,180
1/13/05
1997
 
Genco Success Limited..........................
Genco Success
47,186
1/31/05
1997
 
Genco Beauty Limited............................
Genco Beauty
73,941
2/7/05
1999
 
Genco Knight Limited............................
Genco Knight
73,941
2/16/05
1999
 
Genco Leader Limited............................
Genco Leader
73,941
2/16/05
1999
 
Genco Marine Limited...........................
Genco Marine
45,222
3/29/05
1996
 
Genco Prosperity Limited.....................
Genco Prosperity
47,180
4/4/05
1997
 
Genco Trader Limited............................
Genco Trader
69,338
6/7/05
1990
2/26/08
 
Genco Muse Limited …………………
Genco Muse
48,913
10/14/05
2001
 
Genco Acheron Limited ……………..
Genco Acheron
72,495
11/7/06
1999
 
Genco Surprise Limited ……………..
Genco Surprise
72,495
11/17/06
1998
 
Genco Augustus Limited …………….
Genco Augustus
180,151
8/17/07
2007
 
Genco Tiberius Limited ……………..
Genco Tiberius
175,874
8/28/07
2007
 
Genco London Limited ………………
Genco London
177,833
9/28/07
2007
 
Genco Titus Limited …………….......
Genco Titus
177,729
11/15/07
2007
 
Genco Challenger Limited ………….
Genco Challenger
28,428
12/14/07
2003
 
Genco Charger Limited ……………..
Genco Charger
28,398
12/14/07
2005
 
Genco Warrior Limited …………….
Genco Warrior
55,435
12/17/07
2005
 
Genco Predator Limited …………….
Genco Predator
55,407
12/20/07
2005
 
Genco Hunter Limited ………………
Genco Hunter
58,729
12/20/07
2007
 
Genco Champion Limited …………..
Genco Champion
28,445
1/2/08
2006
 
Genco Constantine Limited …………
Genco Constantine
180,183
2/21/08
2008
 
Genco Raptor LLC…………………..
Genco Raptor
76,499
6/23/08
2007
 
Genco Cavalier LLC…………………
Genco Cavalier
53,617
7/17/08
2007
 
Genco Thunder LLC…………………
Genco Thunder
76,499
9/25/05
2007
 
Genco Hadrian Limited ……………..
Genco Hadrian
169,694
12/29/08
2008
 
Genco Commodus Limited …………
Genco Commodus
170,500
Q2 2009 (1)
2009 (2)
 
Genco Maximus Limited ……………
Genco Maximus
170,500
Q2 2009 (1)
2009 (2)
 
Genco Claudius Limited …………….
Genco Claudius
170,500
Q3 2009 (1)
2009 (2)
 
             
 
(1) Dates for vessels being delivered in the future are estimates based on guidance received from the sellers and/or the respective shipyards.
(2) Built dates for vessels delivering in the future are estimates based on guidance received from the sellers and respective shipyards.
In January 2007, we filed a registration statement on Form S-3 with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) to register possible future offerings, including possible resales by Fleet Acquisition LLC.  That registration statement, as amended, was declared effective by the SEC on February 7, 2007.  Fleet Acquisition LLC utilized that registration statement to conduct an underwritten offering of 4,830,000 shares it owned, including an over-allotment option granted to underwriters for 630,000 shares which the underwriters exercised in full.  Following completion of that offering, Fleet Acquisition LLC owned 15.80% of our common stock.  During October 2007, the Company closed on an equity offering of 3,358,209 shares of Genco common stock (with the exercise of the underwriters’ over-allotment
 
 
F-8

 
option) at an offering price of $67.00 per share.  The Company received net proceeds of $213,871 after deducting underwriters’ fees and expenses.  On October 5, 2007, the Company utilized $214,000 including these proceeds to repay outstanding borrowings under the 2007 Credit Facility.  Additionally, in the same offering, Fleet Acquisition LLC sold 1,076,291 shares (with the exercise of the underwriters’ over-allotment option) at the same offering price of $67.00 per share.  The Company did not receive any proceeds from the common stock sold by Fleet Acquisition LLC.

On January 10, 2008, the Board of Directors approved a grant of 100,000 nonvested common stock to Peter Georgiopoulos, Chairman of the Board.  This grant vests ratably on each of the ten anniversaries of the determined vesting date beginning with November 15, 2008.  On March 10, 2008, Fleet Acquisition LLC distributed 2,512,532 shares of the Company's common stock to OCM Fleet Acquisition LLC, as a member thereof, pursuant to an agreement among Fleet Acquisition LLC's members.  In connection with this distribution, Mr. Georgiopoulos became the sole member of the Management Committee of Fleet Acquisition LLC, which currently retains 443,606 shares of the Company's common stock of which Mr. Georgiopoulos may be deemed to be the beneficial owner.

Lastly, during May 2008, the Company closed on an equity offering of 2,702,669 shares of Genco common stock at an offering price of $75.47 per share.  The Company received net proceeds of $195,442 after deducting underwriters' fees and expenses.  On May 28, 2008, the Company utilized $195,000 of these proceeds to repay outstanding borrowings under the 2007 Credit Facility.  Additionally, in the same offering, OCM Fleet Acquisition LLC sold 1,000,000 shares at the same offering price of $75.47 per share.  The Company did not receive any proceeds from the common stock sold by OCM Fleet Acquisition LLC.  Additionally, on December 24, 2008, the Board of Directors approved a grant of 75,000 nonvested common stock to Peter Georgiopoulos.  As a result of the foregoing transactions, Mr. Georgiopoulos may be deemed to beneficially own 13.29% of our common stock (including shares held through Fleet Acquisition LLC), and OCM Fleet Acquisition LLC may be deemed to beneficially own 4.77% of our common stock.

2 - SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES
 
Principles of consolidation
 
The accompanying financial statements have been prepared in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America (“U.S. GAAP”), which include the accounts of Genco Shipping & Trading Limited and its wholly owned subsidiaries.  All intercompany accounts and transactions have been eliminated in consolidation.
 
Business geographics
 
The Company’s vessels regularly move between countries in international waters, over hundreds of trade routes and, as a result, the disclosure of geographic information is impracticable.
 
Vessel acquisitions
 
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.  As is customary in the shipping industry, the purchase of a vessel is normally treated as a purchase of an asset as the historical operating data for the vessel is not reviewed nor is material to our decision to make such acquisition.
 
When a vessel is acquired with an existing time charter, the Company allocates the purchase price of the vessel and the time charter based on, among other things, vessel market valuations and the present value (using an interest rate which reflects the risks associated with the acquired charters) of the difference between (i) the contractual amounts to be paid pursuant to the charter terms and (ii) management's estimate of the fair market charter rate, measured over a period equal to the remaining term of the charter.  The capitalized above-market (assets) and below-market (liabilities) charters are amortized as a reduction or increase, respectively, to revenues over the remaining term of the charter.


F-9


Segment reporting
 
The Company reports financial information and evaluates its operations by charter revenues and not by the length of ship employment for its customers, i.e., spot or time charters.  Each of the Company’s vessels serve the same type of customer, have similar operations and maintenance requirements, operate in the same regulatory environment, and are subject to similar economic characteristics. Based on this, the Company has determined that it operates in one reportable segment, the transportation of various drybulk cargoes with its fleet of vessels.
 
Revenue and voyage expense recognition
 
Since the Company’s inception, revenues have been generated from time charter agreements and pool agreements.  A time charter involves placing a vessel at the charterer’s disposal for a set period of time during which the charterer may use the vessel in return for the payment by the charterer of a specified daily hire rate.  In time charters, operating costs including crews, maintenance and insurance are typically paid by the owner of the vessel and specified voyage costs such as fuel and port charges are paid by the charterer.  There are certain other non-specified voyage expenses such as commissions which are borne by the Company.
 
The Company records time charter revenues over the term of the charter as service is provided.  Revenues are recognized on a straight-line basis as the average revenue over the term of the respective time charter agreement.  The Company recognizes vessel operating expenses when incurred.
 
The Genco Thunder and Genco Leader entered into the Baumarine Panamax Pool in November 2008 and December 2008, respectively.  Additionally, the Genco Predator entered into the Bulkhandling Handymax Pool in November 2008.  Vessel pools, such as the Baumarine Panamax Pool and the Bulkhandling Handymax Pool, provide cost-effective commercial management activities for a group of similar class vessels.  The pool arrangement provides the benefits of a large-scale operation, and chartering efficiencies that might not be available to smaller fleets.  Under the pool arrangement, the vessels operate under a time charter agreement whereby the cost of bunkers and port expenses are borne by the pool and operating costs including crews, maintenance and insurance are typically paid by the owner of the vessel.  Since the members of the pool share in the revenue generated by the entire group of vessels in the pool, and the pool operates in the spot market, the revenue earned by these three vessels was subject to the fluctuations of the spot market.  The Company recognizes revenue from these pool arrangements based on the distributions reported by the respective pool.
 
Due from charterers, net
 
Due from charterers, net includes accounts receivable from charters net of the provision for doubtful accounts.  At each balance sheet date, the Company provides for the provision based on a review of all outstanding charter receivables.  Included in the standard time charter contracts with our customers are certain performance parameters, which if not met can result in customer claims.  As of December 31, 2008, the Company had a reserve of $244 against due from charterers balance and an additional reserve of $1,350 in deferred revenue, each of which is associated with estimated customer claims against the Company including vessel performance issues under time charter agreements.  As of December 31, 2007, the Company had no reserve against due from charterers balance and an additional reserve of $734 in deferred revenue, each of which is associated with estimated customer claims against the Company, including time charter performance issues.

Revenue is based on contracted charterparties.   However, there is always the possibility of dispute over terms and payment of hires and freights.  In particular, disagreements may arise concerning the responsibility of lost time and revenue.  Accordingly, the Company periodically assesses the recoverability of amounts outstanding and estimates a provision if there is a possibility of non-recoverability.  The Company believes its provisions to be reasonable based on information available upon issuing the Company’s financial statements.
 

 
F-10


 
Vessel operating expenses
 
Vessel operating expenses include crew wages and related costs, the cost of insurance, expenses relating to repairs and maintenance, the cost of spares and consumable stores, and other miscellaneous expenses.  Vessel operating expenses are recognized when incurred.
 
Vessels, net
 
Vessels, net are stated at cost less accumulated depreciation.  Included in vessel costs are acquisition costs directly attributable to the acquisition of a vessel and expenditures made to prepare the vessel for its initial voyage.  The Company also considers interest costs for a vessel under construction as a cost which is directly attributable to the acquisition of a vessel.  Vessels are depreciated on a straight-line basis over their estimated useful lives, determined to be 25 years from the date of initial delivery from the shipyard.  Depreciation expense for vessels for the years ended December 31, 2008, 2007 and 2006 was $69,050, $32,900, and $26,344, respectively.
 
Depreciation expense is calculated based on cost less the estimated residual scrap value.  The costs of significant replacements, renewals and betterments are capitalized and depreciated over the shorter of the vessel’s remaining estimated useful life or the estimated life of the renewal or betterment.  Undepreciated cost of any asset component being replaced that was acquired after the initial vessel purchase is written off as a component of vessel operating expense.  Expenditures for routine maintenance and repairs are expensed as incurred.  Scrap value is estimated by the Company by taking the cost of steel times the weight of the ship noted in lightweight tons (lwt).  At December 31, 2008 and 2007, the Company estimated the residual value of vessels to be $175/lwt.
 
Fixed assets, net
 
Fixed assets, net are stated at cost less accumulated depreciation and amortization.  Depreciation and amortization are based on a straight line basis over the estimated useful life of the specific asset placed in service.  The following table is used in determining the estimated useful lives:
 
Description                                 Useful lives
 
Leasehold improvements                                             15 years
Furniture, fixtures & other equipment                          5 years
Vessel equipment                                                         2-5 years
Computer equipment                                                       3 years

Depreciation and amortization expense for fixed assets for the years ended December 31, 2008, 2007 and 2006 was $418, $393, and $304, respectively.
 
Deferred drydocking costs
 
The Company’s vessels are required to be drydocked approximately every 30 to 60 months for major repairs and maintenance that cannot be performed while the vessels are operating.  The Company capitalizes the costs associated with the drydockings as they occur and amortizes these costs on a straight-line basis over the period between drydockings.  Costs capitalized as part of a vessel’s drydocking include actual costs incurred at the drydocking yard; cost of travel, lodging and subsistence of personnel sent to the drydocking site to supervise; and the cost of hiring a third party to oversee the drydocking.  Amortization expense for drydocking for the years ended December 31, 2008, 2007 and 2006 was $1,927, $1,084, and $331, respectively.  Costs that are not related to drydocking are expensed as incurred.
 
Impairment of long-lived assets
 
The Company follows the Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) Statement of Financial Accounting Standards (“SFAS”) No. 144, Accounting for the Impairment or Disposal of Long-Lived Assets, which requires impairment losses to be recorded on long-lived assets used in operations when indicators of impairment are present and the undiscounted cash flows estimated to be generated by those assets are less than their carrying amounts.  In the evaluation of the fair value and future benefits of long-lived assets, the Company performs an analysis of the
 
 
 
F-11

 
 
anticipated undiscounted future net cash flows of the related long-lived assets.  If the carrying value of the related asset exceeds the undiscounted cash flows, the carrying value is reduced to its fair value.  Various factors including anticipated future charter rates, estimated scrap values, future drydocking costs and estimated vessel operating costs, are included in this analysis.
 
For the years ended December 31, 2008, 2007 and 2006, no impairment charges were recorded, based on the analysis described above.
 
Deferred financing costs
 
Deferred financing costs, included in other assets, consist of fees, commissions and legal expenses associated with obtaining loan facilities.  These costs are amortized over the life of the related debt and are included in interest expense.
 
Cash and cash equivalents
 
The Company considers highly liquid investments such as time deposits and certificates of deposit with an original maturity of three months or less to be cash equivalents.
 
Investments
 
The Company holds an investment in the capital stock of Jinhui Shipping and Transportation Limited (“Jinhui”).  Jinhui is a drybulk shipping owner and operator focused on the Supramax segment of drybulk shipping.  This investment is designated as Available For Sale (“AFS”) and is reported at fair value, with unrealized gains and losses recorded in shareholders’ equity as a component of other comprehensive income (“OCI”).  The Company classifies the investment as a current or noncurrent asset based on the Company’s intent to hold the investment at each reporting date. Effective August 16, 2007, the Company has elected hedge accounting for forward currency contracts in place associated with the cost basis of the Jinhui shares, and therefore the unrealized currency gain or loss associated with the cost basis in the Jinhui shares is reflected in the income statement as income or (loss) from derivative instruments to offset the gain or loss associated with these forward currency contracts.  On October 10, 2008, the Company elected to discontinue the purchase of forward currency contracts associated with Jinhui by entering into an offsetting trade that closed the previously opened currency contract, thereby eliminating the hedge on Jinhui.  The cost of securities when sold is based on the specific identification method.  Realized gains and losses on the sale of these securities is reflected in the consolidated statement of operations in other (expense) income.  Additionally, the realized gain or loss on the forward currency contracts is reflected in the Consolidated Statement of Cash Flows as an investing activity and is reflected in the caption Payments on forward currency contracts, net.

Investments are reviewed quarterly to identify possible other-than-temporary impairment in accordance with FASB Staff Position SFAS 115-1, The Meaning of Other-Than-Temporary Impairment and Its Application to Certain Investments (“FSP 115-1”).  When evaluating the investments, the Company reviews factors such as the length of time and extent to which fair value has been below the cost basis, the financial condition of the issuer, the underlying net asset value of the issuers assets and liabilities, and the Company’s ability and intent to hold the investment for a period of time which may be sufficient for anticipated recovery in market value.  Should the decline in the value of any investment be deemed to be other-than-temporary, the investment basis would be written down to fair market value, and the write-down would be recorded to earnings as a loss.  Refer to Note 5 – Investments.
 
Income taxes
 
Pursuant to Section 883 of the U.S. Internal Revenue Code of 1986 as amended (the “Code”), qualified income derived from the international operations of ships is excluded from gross income and exempt from U.S. federal income tax if a company engaged in the international operation of ships meets certain requirements.  Among other things, in order to qualify, the company must be incorporated in a country which grants an equivalent exemption to U.S. corporations and must satisfy certain qualified ownership requirements.
 
The Company is incorporated in the Marshall Islands.  Pursuant to the income tax laws of the Marshall Islands,
 
 
F-12

 
 
the Company is not subject to Marshall Islands income tax.  The Marshall Islands has been officially recognized by the Internal Revenue Service as a qualified foreign country that currently grants the requisite equivalent exemption from tax.
 
Based on the publicly traded requirement of the Section 883 regulations as described in the next paragraph, we believe that the Company qualified for exemption from income tax for 2008, 2007 and 2006.

Based on the ownership of our common stock prior to our initial public offering on July 22, 2005 as discussed in Note 1, we qualified for exemption from income tax for 2005 under Section 883, since we were a Controlled Foreign Corporation (“CFC”) and satisfied certain other criteria in the Section 883 regulations.  We were a CFC, as defined in the Code, since through the initial public offering on July 22, 2005, over 50% of our stock was owned by United States holders each of whom owned ten percent or more of our voting stock, (“US 10% Owners”).  During that time, approximately 93% of our common stock was held by US 10% Owners.

Based on the publicly traded requirement of the Section 883 regulations, we believe that the Company qualified for exemption from income tax for 2008, 2007 and 2006.  In order to meet the publicly traded requirement, our stock must be treated as being primarily and regularly traded for more than half the days of any such year.  Under the Section 883 regulations, our qualification for the publicly traded requirement may be jeopardized if shareholders of our common stock that own five percent or more of our stock (“5% shareholders”) own, in the aggregate, 50% or more of our common stock for more than half the days of the year.  We believe that during 2008, 2007 and 2006, the combined ownership of our 5% shareholders did not equal 50% or more of our common stock for more than half the days of 2008, 2007 and 2006.

If the Company does not qualify for the exemption from tax under Section 883, it would be subject to a 4% tax on the gross “shipping income” (without the allowance for any deductions) that is treated as derived from sources within the United States or “United States source shipping income.” For these purposes, “shipping income” means any income that is derived from the use of vessels, from the hiring or leasing of vessels for use, or from the performance of services directly related to those uses; and “United States source shipping income” includes 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.
 
Deferred revenue
 
Deferred revenue primarily relates to cash received from charterers prior to it being earned.  These amounts are recognized as income when earned.  Additionally, deferred revenue includes estimated customer claims mainly due to time charter performance issues.

Comprehensive income
 
The Company follows SFAS No. 130 “Reporting Comprehensive Income,” which establishes standards for reporting and displaying comprehensive income and its components in financial statements.  Comprehensive income is comprised of net income and amounts related to SFAS No. 133 “Accounting for Derivative Instruments and Hedging Activities” as well as unrealized gains or losses associated with the Company’s investments.
 
Nonvested stock awards
 
In 2006, the Company adopted SFAS No. 123R, Share-Based Payment, for nonvested stock issued under its equity incentive plan.  Adoption of this new accounting policy did not change the method of accounting for nonvested stock awards.  However, deferred compensation costs from nonvested stock have been classified as a component of paid-in capital as required by SFAS No. 123R.
 
Accounting estimates
 
   The preparation of financial statements in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities and disclosures of contingent assets and liabilities at the date of the financial statements and the reported amounts of revenues and expenses during the reporting period.  Significant estimates include vessel and
 
 
 
F-13

 
 
drydock valuations, the valuation of amounts due from charterers, performance claims, residual value of vessels, useful life of vessel and fair value of derivative instruments.  Actual results could differ from those estimates.

Concentration of credit risk
 
Financial instruments that potentially subject the Company to concentrations of credit risk are amounts due from charterers.  With respect to amounts due from charterers, the Company attempts to limit its credit risk by performing ongoing credit evaluations and, when deemed necessary, requiring letters of credit, guarantees, or collateral.  The Company earned 100% of revenues from 22 customers in 2008 and earned 100% of revenue from 18 customers in 2007 and 100% of revenues from 14 customers in 2006.  Management does not believe significant risk exists in connection with the Company’s concentrations of credit at December 31, 2008 and 2007.
 
For the year ended December 31, 2008 there were two customers that individually accounted for more than 10% of revenue, Cargill International S.A. and Pacific Basin Chartering Ltd., which represented 27.79% and 14.64% of revenue, respectively.  For the year ended December 31, 2007 there were two customers that individually accounted for more than 10% of revenue, Lauritzen Bulkers A/S and Cargill International S.A., which represented 15.42% and 13.74% of revenue, respectively.  For the year ended December 31, 2006 there were two customers that individually accounted for more than 10% of revenue, BHP Billiton Marketing AG and Lauritzen Bulkers A/S, which represented 15.74% and 21.51% of revenue, respectively.
 
The Company maintains all of its cash with one financial institution.  None of the Company's cash balances are covered by insurance in the event of default by this financial institution.

Fair value of financial instruments
 
The estimated fair values of the Company’s financial instruments such as amounts due to / due from charterers, accounts payable and long-term debt approximate their individual carrying amounts as of December 31, 2008 and December 31, 2007 due to their short-term maturity or the variable-rate nature of the respective borrowings under the credit facility.

The fair value of the interest rate swaps and forward currency contracts (used for purposes other than trading) is the estimated amount the Company would receive to terminate these agreements at the reporting date, taking into account current interest rates and the creditworthiness of the counterparty for assets and creditworthiness of the Company for liabilities.  See Note 10 - Fair Value of Financial Instruments for additional disclosure on the fair values of long term debt, derivative instruments, and available-for-sale securities.

The Company adopted SFAS No. 157, Fair Value Measurements (“SFAS No. 157”) in the first quarter of 2007, which did not have a material impact on the financial statements of the Company.

Derivative financial instruments
 
Interest rate risk management
 
The Company is exposed to the impact of interest rate changes.  The Company’s objective is to manage the impact of interest rate changes on its earnings and cash flow in relation to borrowings primarily for the purpose of acquiring drybulk vessels.  These borrowings are subject to a variable borrowing rate.  The Company uses pay-fixed receive-variable interest rate swaps to manage future interest costs and the risk associated with changing interest rate obligations.  These swaps are designated as cash flow hedges of future variable rate interest payments and are tested for effectiveness on a quarterly basis.
 
 The differential to be paid or received for the effectively hedged portion of any swap agreement is recognized as an adjustment to interest expense as incurred.  Additionally, the changes in value for the portion of the swaps that are effectively hedging future interest payments are reflected as a component of OCI.
 
 
F-14


For the portion of the forward interest rate swaps that are not effectively hedged, the change in the value and the rate differential to be paid or received is recognized as income or (expense) from derivative instruments and is listed as a component of other (expense) income until such time the Company has obligations against which the swap is designated and is an effective hedge.

Currency risk management

The Company currently holds an investment in Jinhui shares that are traded on the Oslo Stock Exchange located in Norway, and as such, the Company is exposed to the impact of exchange rate changes on this available-for-sale security denominated in Norwegian Kroner.  The Company’s objective is to manage the impact of exchange rate changes on its earnings and cash flows in relation to its cost basis associated with its investments.  The Company utilized foreign currency forward contracts to protect its original investment from changing exchange rates through October 10, 2008 when the use of these contracts were discontinued due to the underlying value of Jinhui.

The change in the value of the forward currency contracts is recognized as income or (expense) from derivative instruments and is listed as a component of other (expense) income.  Effective August 16, 2007, the Company elected to utilize fair value hedge accounting for these instruments whereby the change in the value in the forward contracts continues to be recognized as income or (expense) from derivative instruments and is listed as a component of other (expense) income.  Fair value hedge accounting then accelerates the recognition of the effective portion of the currency translation gain or (loss) on the Available for Sale Security from August 16, 2007 from OCI into income or (expense) from derivative instruments and is listed as a component of other (expense) income.  Time value of the forward contracts are excluded from effectiveness testing and recognized currently in income.  On October 10, 2008, the Company elected to discontinue the purchase of forward currency contracts associated with Jinhui by entering into an offsetting trade that closed the previously opened currency contract, thereby eliminating the hedge on Jinhui.

New accounting pronouncements
 
In September 2006, FASB issued SFAS No.157, “Fair Value Measurements” which enhances existing guidance for measuring assets and liabilities using fair value.  Previously, guidance for applying fair value was incorporated in several accounting pronouncements.  The new statement provides a single definition of fair value, together with a framework for measuring it, and requires additional disclosure about the use of fair value to measure assets and liabilities.  While the statement does not add any new fair value measurements, it does change current practice.  One such change is a requirement to adjust the value of nonvested stock for the effect of the restriction even if the restriction lapses within one year.

Additionally, in February 2008, the FASB issued FASB Staff Position (“FSP”) 157-2, which delays the effective date of SFAS Statement No. 157 to fiscal years beginning after November 15, 2008 and interim periods with those fiscal years for all nonfinancial assets and liabilities, except those that are recognized or disclosed at fair value in the financial statements on a recurring basis (at least annually) until January 1, 2009 for calendar year end entities.  The Company has already adopted this Statement except as it applies to nonfinancial assets and liabilities as noted in FSP 157-2.  The partial adoption of SFAS No. 157 did not have a significant impact on the Company’s consolidated results of operations or financial position.  The Company is currently evaluating the effect that the adoption of SFAS No. 157, as it relates to nonfinancial assets and liabilities, will have on its consolidated results of operations or financial position.

In February 2007, the FASB issued SFAS No. 159, “The Fair Value Option for Financial Assets and Financial Liabilities” (“SFAS No. 159”).  Under this statement, the Company may elect to report financial instruments and certain other items at fair value on a contract-by-contract basis with changes in value reported in earnings.  This election is irrevocable.  SFAS No. 159 is effective for the Company commencing in 2008.  Early adoption within 120 days of the beginning of the year is permissible, provided the Company has adopted SFAS No. 157.  The Company adopted SFAS 159 on January 1, 2008 and elected not to report financial instruments and certain other items at fair value on a contract-by-contract basis with changes in value reported in earnings.

In December 2007, the FASB issued SFAS No. 141 (Revised 2007), “Business Combinations” (SFAS No. 141R).  SFAS No. 141R will significantly change the accounting for business combinations.  Under SFAS No. 141R, an acquiring entity will be required to recognize all the assets acquired and liabilities assumed in a transaction at the acquisition-date fair value with limited exceptions.  SFAS No. 141R also includes a substantial
 
 
F-15

 
number of new disclosure requirements and applies prospectively to business combinations for which the acquisition date is on or after the beginning of the first annual reporting period beginning on or after December 15, 2008.  As the provisions of SFAS No. 141R are applied prospectively, the impact to the Company cannot be determined until any such transactions occur.

In March 2008, the FASB issued SFAS No. 161, “Disclosures about Derivative Instruments and Hedging Activities, an amendment of FASB statement 133” (“SFAS No. 161”).  The new standard is intended to improve financial reporting about derivative instruments and hedging activities by requiring enhanced disclosures to enable investors to better understand their effects on an entity’s financial position, results of operations and cash flows.  The new standard also improves transparency about how and why a company uses derivative instruments and how derivative instruments and related hedged items are accounted for under SFAS No. 133.  It is effective for financial statements issued for fiscal years and interim periods beginning after November 15, 2008, with early application encouraged.  The Company’s management is currently assessing the new disclosure requirements required by SFAS No. 161.

3 - CASH FLOW INFORMATION
 
As of December 31, 2008, the Company had nine interest rate swaps, and these swaps are described and discussed in Note 8.  The fair value of the nine swaps is in a liability position of $65,937 as of December 31, 2008, of which $2,491 is a current liability.  At December 31, 2007, there were a total of eight interest rate swaps which were in a liability position of $21,039.

For the year ended December 31, 2008, the Company had non-cash investing activities not included in the Consolidated Statement of Cash Flows for items included in accounts payable and accrued expenses consisting of $473 for the purchase of vessels and $337 associated with deposits on vessels.  Additionally, for the year ended December 31, 2008, the Company had items in prepaid expenses and other current assets consisting of $3,524 which had reduced the deposits on vessels.  For the year ended December 31, 2007, the Company had non-cash investing activities not included in the Consolidated Statement of Cash Flows for items included in accounts payable and accrued expenses consisting of $682 for the purchase of vessels, $1,227 associated with deposits on vessels, $1,670 for the purchase of investments, and $16 for the purchase of fixed assets.  For the year ended December 31, 2007, the Company did not have any non-cash financing activities included in the Consolidated Statement of Cash Flows for items in accounts payable and accrued expenses.

For the year ended December 31, 2008, the Company made a non-cash reclassification of $60,128 from deposits on vessels to vessels net of accumulated depreciation due to the completion of the purchase of the Genco Champion, Genco Constantine and Genco Hadrian.

During the years ended December 31, 2008, 2007 and 2006, the cash paid for interest, including amounts capitalized were $54,344, $22,003, and $9,553, respectively.
 
On January 10, 2008 and December 24, 2008 the Board of Directors approved grants of 100,000 and 75,000 shares, respectively, of nonvested common stock to Peter Georgiopoulos, Chairman of the Board.  The fair value of such nonvested stock was $4,191 and $905, respectively, on the grant date and was recorded in equity.  Additionally, on February 13, 2008 and July 24, 2008, the Company made grants of nonvested common stock under the Plan in the amount of 12,500 and 15,000 shares, respectively, to directors of the Company.  The fair value of such nonvested stock was $689 and $938, respectively, on the grant dates and was recorded in equity.  Lastly, on December 24, 2008, the Company granted nonvested stock to certain employees.  The fair value of such nonvested stock was $1,448 on the grant date and was recorded in equity.

On February 8, 2007, the Company granted nonvested stock to certain directors and employees.  The fair value of such nonvested stock was $494 on the grant date and was recorded in equity.  Additionally, during January 2007, nonvested stock forfeited amounted to $54 for shares granted in 2005 and is recorded in equity.  During May 2007, nonvested stock forfeited amounted to $88 for shares granted in 2006 and 2005 and is recorded in equity.  Lastly, on December 21, 2007, the Company granted nonvested stock to certain employees.  The fair value of such nonvested stock was $4,935 on the grant date and was recorded in equity.
 
 
F-16


During 2006, the Company granted nonvested stock to its employees.  The fair value of such nonvested stock was $2,018 on the grant date and was recorded in equity.  Additionally, during 2006, nonvested stock forfeited amounted to $12 for shares granted in 2005 and is recorded in equity.  
 
4 - VESSEL ACQUISITIONS AND DISPOSITIONS
 
On June 16, 2008 the Company agreed to acquire six drybulk newbuildings from Lambert Navigation Ltd., Northville Navigation Ltd., Providence Navigation Ltd., and Primebulk Navigation Ltd., for an aggregate purchase price of $530,000.  This acquisition was subsequently cancelled in November 2008, as described further in Note 1 – General Information.  Additionally, on May 9, 2008, the Company agreed to acquire three 2007 built vessels, consisting of two Panamax vessels and one Supramax vessel, from Bocimar International N.V. and Delphis N.V for an aggregate purchase price of approximately $257,000 which have all been acquired during 2008.  Upon completion the remaining three Capesize vessels from companies within the Metrostar Management Corporation group, Genco's fleet will consist of 35 drybulk vessels, consisting of nine Capesize, eight Panamax, four Supramax, six Handymax and eight Handysize vessels, with an aggregate carrying capacity of approximately 2,908,000 dwt and an average age of 6.8 years.

On February 26, 2008, the Company completed the sale of the Genco Trader.  The Company realized a net gain of approximately $26,227 and had net proceeds of $43,084 from the sale of the vessel in the first quarter of 2008.  The Company had previously reached an agreement, on October 2, 2007, to sell the Genco Trader, a 1990-built Panamax vessel, to SW Shipping Co., Ltd for $44,000 less a 2% brokerage commission payable to a third party.  The Genco Trader was classified as held for sale at December 31, 2007 in the amount of $16,857.
 
On February 21, 2008, the Company completed the acquisition of the Genco Constantine, a 2008 built Capesize vessel from companies within the Metrostar Management Corporation group.  The remaining three Capesize vessels are expected to be built, and subsequently delivered to Genco, between the second and third quarter of 2009.  In July 2007, the Company entered into an agreement to acquire nine Capesize vessels from companies within the Metrostar Management Corporation group for a net purchase price of $1,111,000, consisting of the value of the vessels and the liability for the below market time charter contracts acquired.  As of December 31, 2008, six of the nine Capesize vessels, the Genco Hadrian, Genco Constantine, Genco Augustus, Genco Tiberius, Genco London, and Genco Titus, all 2007 and 2008 built vessels, had been delivered to Genco.

On January 2, 2008, the Company completed the acquisition of the Genco Champion, the last vessel acquired from affiliates of Evalend Shipping Co. S.A.  On August 10 and August 13, 2007, the Company had agreed to acquire six drybulk vessels (three Supramax and three Handysize) from affiliates of Evalend Shipping Co. S.A. for a net purchase price of $336,000, consisting of the value of the vessels and the liability for the below market time charter contract acquired.  As of December 31, 2008, the Company had completed the acquisition of all six of the vessels, the Genco Champion, Genco Predator, Genco Warrior, Genco Hunter, Genco Charger, and Genco Challenger.

On August 15, 2007, the Company decided to sell the two oldest vessels in its fleet, the Genco Commander and the Genco Trader.  On September 3, 2007, the Company reached an agreement to sell the Genco Commander, a 1994-built Handymax vessel, to Dan Sung Shipping Co. Ltd. for $44,450 less a 2% brokerage commission payable to a third party.  On December 3, 2007, the Company realized a net gain of $23,472 and received net proceeds of $43,532.  Lastly, on October 2, 2007, the Company reached an agreement to sell the Genco Trader, a 1990-built Panamax vessel, to SW Shipping Co., Ltd for $44,000 less a 2% brokerage commission payable to a third party.  The Company recorded a net gain of $26,227 from the sale of the vessel in the first quarter of 2008.  The Genco Trader was classified as held for sale at December 31, 2007 in the amount of $16,857.

As four of the Capesize vessels and two of the Supramax vessels delivered during 2007 and 2008 had existing below market time charters at the time of the acquisition, the Company recorded the fair market value of time charter acquired of $52,584 which is being amortized as an increase to revenues during the remaining term of each respective time charter. For the years ended December 31, 2008 and 2007, $22,447 and $6,382 was amortized into revenue.  No amortization occurred during 2006 as the transactions occurred in 2008 and 2007.  This balance will be amortized into revenue over a weighted average period of 1.42 years and will be amortized as follows: $18,975 for 2009, $3,635 for 2010 and $976 for 2011.  The remaining unamortized fair market value of time charter acquired at December 31, 2008 and December 31, 2007 is $23,586 and $44,991, respectively.  These amounts include the accelerated amortization of the unamortized fair market value of the time charter acquired related to the Genco Cavalier as a result of the charterer of
 
 
F-17

 
 
the vessel going bankrupt.  Refer to Note 22 – Subsequent Events for further detail.

On December 21, 2006, the Company engaged the services of WeberCompass (Hellas) S.A. to sell the Genco Glory.  The Company, as of such date, reclassed the net assets associated with the Genco Glory to “Vessel held for Sale” in the current asset section of the balance sheet and discontinued depreciating such assets.  At December 31, 2006, the net assets classified as Vessel held for Sale was $9,450.  On February 21, 2007, the Genco Glory was sold to Cloud Maritime S.A. for $13,004 net of a brokerage commission of 1% was paid to WeberCompass (Hellas) S.A.  Based on the selling price and the net book value of the vessel, the Company recorded a gain of $3,575 during the first quarter of 2007.

On July 10, 2006, the Company entered into an agreement with affiliates of Franco Compania Naviera S.A. under which the Company purchased three drybulk vessels for an aggregate price of $81,250.  These vessels were delivered in the fourth quarter of 2006.  The acquisition consisted of a 1999 Japanese-built Panamax vessel, the Genco Acheron, a 1998 Japanese-built Panamax vessel, the Genco Surprise, and a 1994 Japanese-built Handymax vessel, the Genco Commander.

On October 14, 2005, the Company took delivery of the Genco Muse, a 48,913 dwt Handymax drybulk carrier and the results of its operations are included in the consolidated results of the Company after that date.  The vessel is a 2001 Japanese-built vessel.  The total purchase price of the vessel was $34,450.  The purchase price included the assumption of an existing time charter with Qatar Navigation QSC at a rate of $26.5 per day.  Due to the above-market rate of the existing time charter, the Company capitalized $3,492 of the purchase price as an asset which is being amortized as a reduction of revenues through September 2007 (the remaining term of the charter).  For 2008, 2007 and 2006, $0, $1,244 and $1,850, respectively, was amortized and $0, remains unamortized at December 31, 2008 and 2007.
 
See Note 1 for discussion on the initial acquisition of our initial 16 drybulk carriers.

Capitalized interest expense associated with the newbuilding contracts acquired for the year ended December 31, 2008 and 2007 was $5,778 and $4,340, respectively.

The purchase and sale of the aforementioned vessels is consistent with the Company's strategy of selectively expanding the number and maintaining the high-quality vessels in the fleet.

5 INVESTMENTS

The Company holds an investment in the capital stock of Jinhui.  Jinhui is a drybulk shipping owner and operator focused on the Supramax segment of drybulk shipping.  This investment is designated as Available For Sale (“AFS”) and is reported at fair value, with unrealized gains and losses recorded in shareholders’ equity as a component of other comprehensive income (“OCI”).  At December 31, 2008 and December 31, 2007, the Company holds an investment of 16,335,100, and 15,439,800 shares of Jinhui capital stock, respectively, which is recorded at the fair value of $16,772 and $167,524, respectively based on the closing price on December 31, 2008 and December 28, 2007 (the last trading date on the Oslo exchange in 2007) of 7.14 NOK and 59.00 NOK, respectively.  Effective on August 16, 2007, the Company elected to utilize hedge accounting for forward contracts hedging the currency risk associated with the Norwegian Kroner cost basis in the Jinhui stock.  The hedge accounting is limited to the lower of the cost basis or the market value at time of the designation.  The unrealized appreciation in the stock and the currency translation gain above the cost basis are recorded as a component of OCI.  Realized gains and losses on the sale of these securities will be reflected in the consolidated statement of operations in other (expense) or income once sold.  Time value of the forward contracts are excluded from effectiveness testing and recognized currently in income.  For the years ended December 31, 2008 and 2007, an immaterial amount was recognized in income or (expense) from derivative instruments associated with excluded time value and ineffectiveness.  On October 10, 2008, the Company elected to discontinue the purchase of forward currency contracts associated with Jinhui by entering into an offsetting trade that closed the previously opened currency contract, thereby eliminating the hedge on Jinhui.
 
The unrealized currency translation gain for any unhedged portion for the Jinhui capital stock remains a component of OCI since this investment is designated as an AFS security.  The hedged portion of the currency translation (loss)/gain has been reclassed to the income statement as a component of (loss) income from derivative instruments.  Refer to Note 9 – Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income for a breakdown of the components of accumulated OCI.
 
 
F-18

 
 
The Company reviewed the investment in Jinhui for indicators of other-than-temporary impairment in accordance with FSP 115-1.  Based on our review, we have deemed the investment in Jinhui to be other-than-temporarily impaired as of December 31, 2008 due to the severity of the decline in its market value versus our cost basis.  As a result, during the fourth quarter of 2008 we recorded a $103,892 impairment charge.  This amount is included under impairment of investments in the accompanying Consolidated Statement of Operations.  We will continue to review the investment in Jinhui for impairment on a quarterly basis.  There can be no assurance that additional impairment charges will not be required in the future, and any such amounts could be material to our Consolidated Statements of Operations.  We did not recognize any other-than-temporary impairments for the years ended December 31, 2007 and December 31, 2006.
 
At December 31, 2008, the Company did not have a short-term forward currency contract to hedge the Company’s exposure to the Norwegian Kroner related to the cost basis of Jinhui stock as described above.  The Company has elected to discontinue the forward currency contract and hedge due to the underlying market value of Jinhui in October 2008.  At December 31, 2007, the Company had one short-term forward currency contract to hedge the Company’s exposure to the Norwegian Kroner related to the cost basis of Jinhui stock as described above.  The forward currency contract for a notional amount of 685.1 million NOK (Norwegian Kroner) or $124,557, matured on January 17, 2008.  The short-term asset (liability) associated with the forward currency contract at December 31, 2008 and December 31, 2007 is $0 and ($1,448), respectively, and is presented as the fair value of derivatives on the balance sheet.  The gain (loss) associated with this respective asset/liability is included as a component of (loss) income from derivative instruments and is offset by a reclassification from OCI for the hedged portion of the currency gain (loss) on investments.

The following table sets forth the net (loss)/gain, realized and unrealized, related to the forward currency contracts and to the hedged translation on the cost basis of the Jinhui stock.  These are reflected as income/(loss) from derivative instruments and are included as a component of other expense.

 
Year ended December 31,
 
2008
2007
2006
 
Net (loss)/gain, realized and unrealized
 
($189)
 
($1,185)
 
$ —
 
         

6 - EARNINGS PER COMMON SHARE
 
The computation of basic earnings (loss) per share is based on the weighted average number of common shares outstanding during the year.  The computation of diluted earnings (loss) per share assumes the vesting of granted nonvested stock awards (see Note 18), for which the assumed proceeds upon grant are deemed to be the amount of compensation cost attributable to future services and are not yet recognized using the treasury stock method, to the extent dilutive.
 
The components of the denominator for the calculation of basic earnings per share and diluted earnings per share are as follows:
 
 
F-19

 
 
   
Years Ended December 31,
 
   
2008
   
2007
   
2006
 
                   
Common shares outstanding, basic:
                 
Weighted average common shares outstanding, basic
    30,290,016       26,165,600       25,278,726  
                         
Common shares outstanding, diluted:
                       
Weighted average common shares outstanding, basic
    30,290,016       26,165,600       25,278,726  
                         
Weighted average nonvested stock awards
    162,834       131,921       72,571  
                         
Weighted average common shares outstanding, diluted
    30,452,850       26,297,521       25,351,297  
 
7 - RELATED PARTY TRANSACTIONS
 
The following are related party transactions not disclosed elsewhere in these financial statements:
 
The Company makes an employee performing internal audit services available to General Maritime Corporation (“GMC”), where the Company’s Chairman, Peter C. Georgiopoulos, also serves as Chairman of the Board.  For the years ended December 31, 2008, 2007 and 2006, the Company invoiced $175, $167 and $52, respectively, to GMC for the time associated with such internal audit services.  Additionally, during the years ended December 31, 2008, 2007 and 2006, the Company incurred travel and other related expenditures totaling $337, $248 and $257, respectively, reimbursable to GMC or its service provider.  For the year ended December 31, 2008, 2007 and 2006 approximately $9, $0 and $49 of these travel expenditures were paid from the gross proceeds received from the May 2008 equity offering and the initial public offering and as such were included in the determination of net proceeds.  At December 31, 2008 the amount due the Company from GMC is $62 and the amount due to GMC from the Company at December 31, 2007 is $5.
 
During the years ended December 31, 2008, 2007 and 2006, the Company incurred legal services (primarily in connection with vessel acquisitions) aggregating $99, $219, and $82, respectively, from Constantine Georgiopoulos, the father of Peter C. Georgiopoulos, Chairman of the Board.  At December 31, 2008 and 2007, $1 and $86, respectively was outstanding to Constantine Georgiopoulos.
 
In December 2006, the Company engaged the services of WeberCompass (Hellas) S.A. (“WC”), a shipbroker, to facilitate the sale of the Genco Glory.  One of our directors, Basil G. Mavroleon, is a Managing Director of WC and a Managing Director and shareholder of Charles R. Weber Company, Inc., which is 50% shareholder of WC.  WC was paid a commission of $132, or 1% of the gross selling price of the Genco Glory.  No amounts were due to WC at December 31, 2008 or at December 31, 2007.
 
During March 2007, the Company utilized the services of North Star Maritime, Inc. (“NSM”) which is owned and operated by one of our directors, Rear Admiral Robert C. North, USCG (ret.).  NSM, a marine industry consulting firm, specializes in international and domestic maritime safety, security and environmental protection issues.  NSM was paid $12 for services rendered.  There are no amounts due to NSM at December 31, 2008 and 2007.
 
8 - LONG-TERM DEBT
 
Long-term debt consists of the following:
 
   
December 31,
 
   
2008
   
2007
 
             
Outstanding total debt................................................................
    $1,173,300       $936,000  
Less: Current portion..................................................................
          43,000  
                 
Long-term debt.............................................................................
    $1,173,300       $893,000  
 
 

 
F-20

 
2008 Term Facility

   On September 4, 2008, the Company executed a Credit Agreement and other definitive documentation for its new $320 million credit facility (the “2008 Term Facility”).   The 2008 Term Facility was underwritten by Nordea Bank Finland Plc, New York Branch, who served as Administrative Agent, Bookrunner, and Collateral Agent; Bayerische Hypo- und Vereinsbank AG, who served as Bookrunner; DnB NOR Bank ASA; Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation, acting through its Brussels Branch; and Deutsche Schiffsbank Akteingesellschaft.  DnB NOR Bank ASA underwrote the Company’s existing 2007 Credit Facility and served under that facility as Administrative Agent and Collateral Agent.
 
   Under the 2008 Term Facility, subject to the conditions set forth in the Credit Agreement, the Company was able to borrow an amount up to $320 million.  Amounts borrowed and repaid under the 2008 Term Facility could not be reborrowed.  The 2008 Term Facility had a maturity date of the earlier of the fifth anniversary of the initial borrowing date under the facility or December 31, 2013.
 
   Loans made under the 2008 Term Facility were able to be used to fund or refund to the Company the acquisition costs of six drybulk newbuildings, consisting of three Capesize and three Handysize vessels, which the Company agreed on June 16, 2008 to acquire from Lambert Navigation Ltd., Northville Navigation Ltd., Providence Navigation Ltd., and Prime Bulk Navigation Ltd.
 
The terms of the 2008 Term Facility provide that it was to be cancelled upon a cancellation of the acquisition contracts for the six vessels described above.  As such, the 2008 Term Facility was cancelled effective November 4, 2008 upon the cancellation of the acquisition of six drybulk newbuildings from Lambert Navigation Ltd., Northville Navigation Ltd., Providence Navigation Ltd., and Primebulk Navigation Ltd., for an aggregate purchase price of $530,000.  Cancellation of the facility resulted in a charge in the fourth quarter of 2008 to interest expense of $2,191 associated with unamortized deferred financing costs.   

2007 Credit Facility

On July 20, 2007, the Company entered into a credit facility with DnB Nor Bank ASA (the “2007 Credit Facility”) for the purpose of acquiring the nine new Capesize vessels and refinancing the Company’s existing 2005 Credit Facility and Short-Term Line.  DnB Nor Bank ASA is also Mandated Lead Arranger, Bookrunner, and Administrative Agent.  The Company has used borrowings under the 2007 Credit Facility to repay amounts outstanding under the 2005 Credit Facility and the Short-Term Line, and these two facilities have accordingly been terminated.  The maximum amount that may be borrowed under the 2007 Credit Facility is $1,377,000.  Subsequent to the equity offering completed in October 2007, the Company was no longer required pay up to $6,250 or such lesser amount as available from Net Cash Flow (as defined in the credit agreement for the 2007 Credit Facility) each fiscal quarter to reduce borrowings under the 2007 Credit Facility.  As of December 31, 2008 and 2007, $1,173,300 and $936,000 was outstanding under the 2007 Credit Facility.  At December 31, 2008, $203,700 remains available to fund future vessel acquisitions.  The Company may borrow up to $50,000 of the $203,700 for working capital purposes.
 
On January 26, 2009, the Company entered into an amendment to the 2007 Credit Facility (the “2009 Amendment”) which implemented the following modifications to the terms of the 2007 Credit Facility:

·    
Compliance with the existing collateral maintenance financial covenant was be waived effective for the year ended December 31, 2008 and until the Company can represent that it is in compliance with all of its financial covenants and is otherwise able to pay a dividend and purchase or redeem shares of common stock under the terms of the Credit Facility in effect before the 2009 Amendment.  With the exception of the collateral maintenance financial covenant, the Company believes that it is in compliance with its covenants under the 2007 Credit Facility.  The Company’s cash dividends and share repurchases were suspended until the Company can represent that it is in a position to again satisfy the collateral maintenance covenant.
 
 
F-21


 
·    
The total amount of the 2007 Credit Facility is subject to quarterly reductions of $12,500 beginning March 31, 2009 through March 31, 2012 and $48,195 of the total facility amount thereafter until the maturity date.  A final payment of $250,600 will be due on the maturity date.

·    
The Applicable Margin to be added to the London Interbank Offered Rate to calculate the rate at which the Company’s borrowings bear interest is 2.00% per annum.

·    
The commitment commission payable to each lender is 0.70% per annum of the daily average unutilized commitment of such lender.

 
Under the 2007 Credit Facility, subject to the conditions set forth in the credit agreement, the Company may borrow an amount up to $1,377,000.  Amounts borrowed and repaid under the 2007 Credit Facility may be reborrowed.  The 2007 Credit Facility has a maturity date of July 20, 2017.
 
Loans made under the 2007 Credit Facility may be and have been used for the following:

·    
up to 100% of the en bloc purchase price of $1,111,000 for nine modern drybulk Capesize vessels, which the Company has agreed to purchase from companies within the Metrostar Management Corporation group;

·    
repayment of amounts previously outstanding under the Company’s 2005 Credit Facility, or $206,233;

·    
the repayment of amounts previously outstanding under the Company’s Short-Term Line, or $77,000;

·    
possible acquisitions of additional dry bulk carriers between 25,000 and 180,000 dwt that are up to ten years of age at the time of delivery and not more than 18 years of age at the time of maturity of the new credit facility;

·    
up to $50,000 of working capital; and

·    
the issuance of up to $50,000 of standby letters of credit. At December 31, 2008, there were no letters of credit issued under the 2007 Credit Facility.

 
All amounts owing under the 2007 Credit Facility are secured by the following:

·    
cross-collateralized first priority mortgages of each of the Company’s existing vessels and any new vessels financed with the 2007 Credit Facility;

·    
an assignment of any and all earnings of the mortgaged vessels;

·    
an assignment of all insurances of the mortgaged vessels;

·    
a first priority perfected security interest in all of the shares of Jinhui owned by the Company;

·    
an assignment of the shipbuilding contracts and an assignment of the shipbuilder’s refund guarantees meeting the Administrative Agent’s criteria for any additional newbuildings financed under the 2007 Credit Facility; and

·    
a first priority pledge of the Company’s ownership interests in each subsidiary guarantor.

The Company has completed a pledge of its ownership interests in the subsidiary guarantors that own the nine Capesize vessels acquired or to be acquired.  The other collateral described above was pledged, as required, within thirty
 
 
F-22

 
 
 
days of the effective date of the 2007 Credit Facility.
 
The Company’s borrowings under the 2007 Credit Facility bear interest at the London Interbank Offered Rate (“LIBOR”) for an interest period elected by the Company of one, three, or six months, or longer if available, plus the Applicable Margin which was 0.85% per annum.  Effective January 26, 2009, due to the 2009 Amendment, the Applicable Margin increased to 2.00%.  In addition to other fees payable by the Company in connection with the 2007 Credit Facility, the Company paid a commitment fee at a rate of 0.20% per annum of the daily average unutilized commitment of each lender under the facility until September 30, 2007, and 0.25% thereafter.  Effective January 26, 2009, due to the 2009 Amendment, the rate increased to 0.70% per annum of the daily average unutilized commitment of such lender.
 
Effective January 26, 2009, due to the 2009 Amendment, the total amount of the 2007 Credit Facility will be subject to quarterly reductions of $12,500 beginning March 31, 2009 through March 31, 2012 and $48,195 of the total facility amount thereafter until the maturity date.  A final payment of $250,600 will be due on the maturity date.
 
The 2007 Credit Facility includes the following financial covenants which apply to the Company and its subsidiaries on a consolidated basis and are measured at the end of each fiscal quarter beginning with June 30, 2007:

·    
The leverage covenant requires the maximum average net debt to EBITDA to be ratio of at least 5.5:1.0.

·    
 Cash and cash equivalents must not be less than $500 per mortgaged vessel.

·    
The ratio of EBITDA to interest expense, on a rolling last four-quarter basis, must be no less than 2.0:1.0.

·    
After July 20, 2007, consolidated net worth, as defined in the 2007 Credit Facility, must be no less than $263,300 plus 80% of the value of the any new equity issuances of the Company from June 30, 2007.  Based on the equity offerings completed in October 2007 and May 2008, consolidated net worth must be no less than $590,750.

·    
The aggregate fair market value of the mortgaged vessels must at all times be at least 130% of the aggregate outstanding principal amount under the new credit facility plus all letters of credit outstanding; the Company has a 30 day remedy period to post additional collateral or reduce the amount of the revolving loans and/or letters of credit outstanding.  This covenant was waived effective for the year ended December 31, 2008 and indefinitely until the Company can represent that it is in compliance with all of its financial covenants as per the 2009 Amendment as described above.

Other covenants in the 2007 Credit Facility are substantially similar to the covenants in the Company’s previous credit facilities.  As of December 31, 2008, the Company believes it is in compliance with all of the financial covenants under its 2007 Credit Facility, as amended.

On June 18, 2008, the Company entered into an amendment to the 2007 Credit Facility allowing the Company to prepay vessel deposits to give the Company flexibility in refinancing potential vessel acquisitions.

Due to refinancing of the Company’s previous facilities, the Company incurred a write-off of the unamortized deferred financing costs in the amount of $3,568 associated with the Company’s previous facilities and this charge was reflected in interest expense in the third quarter of 2007.

Due to refinancing of the 2007 Credit Facility as a result of entering into the 2009 Amendment, the Company incurred a non-cash write off of unamortized deferred financing costs in the amount of $1,921 associated with capitalized costs related to prior amendments and this charge was reflected in interest expense in the fourth quarter of 2008.
 
 
F-23

 

The following table sets forth the repayment of the outstanding debt of $1,173,000 at December 31, 2008 under the 2007 Credit Facility, including the January 2009 amendment:
 
       
Period Ending December 31,
 
Total
 
       
2009......................................................................................................................
    $              -  
2010......................................................................................................................
    -  
2011......................................................................................................................
    -  
2012......................................................................................................................
    55,190  
2013......................................................................................................................
    192,780  
Thereafter............................................................................................................
    925,330  
         
Total long-term debt
    $1,173,300  
         
Interest rates

   The following tables sets forth the effective interest rate associated with the interest expense for the 2005 Credit Facility, the Short-term Line, the 2008 Term Facility and the 2007 Credit Facility, as amended, including the rate differential between the pay fixed receive variable rate on the swaps that were in effect, combined, and the cost associated with unused commitment fees (“Credit Facilities” in table below).  Additionally, it includes the range of interest rates on the debt, excluding the unused commitment fees:

   
Year ended December 31,
 
Effective interest rate associated with:
 
2008
   
2007
   
2006
 
Credit Facilities
    5.24%       6.25%       6.75%  
Debt, excluding unused commitment fees  (range)
 
1.35% to 6.10%
   
5.54% to 6.66%
   
6.14% to 6.45%
 
                         

Short-Term Line-Refinanced by the 2007 Credit Facility
 
On May 3, 2007, the Company entered into a short-term line of credit facility under which DnB NOR Bank ASA, Grand Cayman Branch and Nordea Bank Norge ASA, Grand Cayman Branch are serving as lenders (the “Short-Term Line”).  The Short-Term Line was used to fund a portion of acquisitions we made of in the shares of capital stock of Jinhui.  Under the terms of the Short-Term Line, we were allowed to borrow up to $155,000 for such acquisitions, and we had borrowed a total of $77,000 under the Short-Term Line prior to its refinancing.  The term of the Short-Term Line was for 364 days, and the interest on amounts drawn was payable at the rate of LIBOR plus a margin of 0.85% per annum for the first six month period and LIBOR plus a margin of 1.00% for the remaining term.  We were obligated to pay certain commitment and administrative fees in connection with the Short-Term Line.  The Company, as required, pledged all of the Jinhui shares it has purchased as collateral against the Short-Term Line.  The Short-Term Line incorporated by reference certain covenants from our 2005 Credit Facility.

The Short-Term Line was refinanced in July 2007 with the 2007 Credit Facility.
 
2005 Credit Facility-Refinanced by the 2007 Credit Facility
 
The Company entered into the 2005 Credit Facility as of July 29, 2005.  The 2005 Credit Facility was with a syndicate of commercial lenders including Nordea Bank Finland plc, New York Branch, DnB NOR Bank ASA, New York Branch and Citibank, N.A.  The 2005 Credit Facility was used to refinance our indebtedness under our original credit facility entered into on December 3, 2004 (the “Original Credit Facility”).  Under the terms of our 2005 Credit Facility, borrowings in the amount of $106,233 were used to repay indebtedness under our Original Credit Facility and additional net borrowings of $24,450 were obtained to fund the acquisition of the Genco Muse.  In July 2006, the
 
 
 
F-24

 
 Company increased the line of credit by $100,000 and during the second and third quarters of 2006 borrowed $81,250 for the acquisition of three vessels.
 
The 2005 Credit Facility had a term of ten years and would have matured on July 29, 2015.  The facility permitted borrowings up to 65% of the value of the vessels that secure our obligations under the 2005 Credit Facility up to the facility limit, provided that conditions to drawdown are satisfied.  Certain of these conditions required the Company, among other things, to provide to the lenders acceptable valuations of the vessels in our fleet confirming that the aggregate amount outstanding under the facility (determined on a pro forma basis giving effect to the amount proposed to be drawn down) will not exceed 65% of the value of the vessels pledged as collateral.  The facility limit is reduced by an amount equal to 8.125% of the total $550,000, commitment, semi-annually over a period of four years and is reduced to $0 on the tenth anniversary.

On February 7, 2007, the Company reached an agreement with its syndicate of commercial lenders to allow the Company to increase the amount of the 2005 Credit Facility by $100,000, for a total maximum availability of $650,000.  The Company had the option to increase the facility amount by $25,000 increments up to the additional $100,000, so long as at least one bank within the syndicate agrees to fund such increase.  Any increase associated with this agreement was generally governed by the existing terms of the 2005 Credit Facility, although we and any banks providing the increase could have agreed to vary the upfront fees, unutilized commitment fees, or other fees payable by us in connection with the increase.

The obligations under the 2005 Credit Facility were secured by a first-priority mortgage on each of the vessels in our fleet as well as any future vessel acquisitions pledged as collateral and funded by the 2005 Credit Facility.  The 2005 Credit Facility was also secured by a first-priority security interest in our earnings and insurance proceeds related to the collateral vessels.

All of our vessel-owning subsidiaries were full and unconditional joint and several guarantors of our 2005 Credit Facility.  Each of these subsidiaries was wholly owned by Genco Shipping & Trading Limited.  Genco Shipping & Trading Limited had no independent assets or operations.
 
Interest on the amounts drawn was payable at the rate of 0.95% per annum over LIBOR until the fifth anniversary of the closing of the 2005 Credit Facility and 1.00% per annum over LIBOR thereafter.  We were also obligated to pay a commitment fee equal to 0.375% per annum on any undrawn amounts available under the facility.  On July 29, 2005, the Company paid an arrangement fee to the lenders of $2.7 million on the original commitment of $450,000 and an additional $600 for the $100,000 commitment increase which equates to 0.6% of the total commitment of $550,000 as of July 12, 2006.  These arrangement fees along with other costs were capitalized as deferred financing costs.
 
Under the terms of our 2005 Credit Facility, we were permitted to pay or declare dividends in accordance with our dividend policy so long as no default or event of default has occurred and is continuing or would result from such declaration or payment.
 
The 2005 Credit Facility had certain financial covenants that required the Company, among other things, to:  ensure that the fair market value of the collateral vessels maintains a certain multiple as compared to the outstanding indebtedness; maintain a specified ratio of total indebtedness to total capitalization; maintain a specified ratio of earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization to interest expense; maintain a net worth of approximately $263,000; and maintain working capital liquidity in an amount of not less than $500 per vessel securing the borrowings.  Additionally, there were certain non-financial covenants that required the Company, among other things, to provide the lenders with certain legal documentation, such as the mortgage on a newly acquired vessel using funds from the 2005 Credit Facility, and other periodic communications with the lenders that include certain compliance certificates at the time of borrowing and on a quarterly basis.  For the period since facility inception through retirement of the facility, the Company was in compliance with these covenants, except for an age covenant in conjunction with the acquisition of the Genco Commander, a 1994 vessel, for which the Company obtained a waiver for the term of the agreement.

The 2005 Credit Facility permitted the issuance of letters of credit up to a maximum amount of $50,000.  The conditions under which letters of credit can be issued were substantially the same as the conditions for borrowing funds under the facility.  Each letter of credit had to terminate within twelve months, but could have been extended for
 
 
 
F-25

 
successive periods also not exceeding twelve months.  The Company would pay a fee of 1/8 of 1% per annum on the amount of letters of credit outstanding.  At December 31, 2006, there were no letters of credit issued under the 2005 Credit Facility.

Due to the agreement related to the sale of the Genco Glory, the 2005 Credit Facility required a certain portion of the debt be repaid based on a pro-rata basis.  The repayment amount was calculated by dividing the value of the vessel being sold by the value of the entire fleet and multiplying such percentage by the total debt outstanding.  Therefore, the Company reflected $4,322 as current portion of long-term debt as of December 31, 2006.  The Company repaid $5,700 during the first quarter of 2007 to comply with the repayment requirement from the sale of the Genco Glory.

The 2005 Credit Facility has been refinanced with the 2007 Credit Facility.

Letter of credit

In conjunction with the Company entering into a new long-term office space lease (See Note 16 - Lease Payments), the Company was required to provide a letter of credit to the landlord in lieu of a security deposit.  As of September 21, 2005, the Company obtained an annually renewable unsecured letter of credit with DnB NOR Bank.  The letter of credit amount as of December 31, 2008 and 2007 was in the amount of $416 and $520, respectively, at a fee of 1% per annum.  The letter of credit was reduced to $416 on August 1, 2008 and is cancelable on each renewal date provided the landlord is given 150 days minimum notice.

Interest rate swap agreements
 
The Company has entered into nine interest rate swap agreements with DnB NOR Bank to manage interest costs and the risk associated with changing interest rates.  The total notional principal amount of the swaps at December 31, 2008 is $681,233 and the swaps have specified rates and durations.

The following table summarizes the interest rate swaps in place as of December 31, 2008 and 2007:

Interest Rate Swap Detail
 
December 31,
2008
   
December 31, 2007
 
Trade Date
 
Fixed Rate
 
Start Date of  Swap
End date of  Swap
 
Notional
Amount Outstanding
   
Notional Amount Outstanding
 
9/6/05
    4.485 %
9/14/05
7/29/15
    $106,233       $106,233  
3/29/06
    5.25 %
1/2/07
1/1/14
    50,000       50,000  
3/24/06
    5.075 %
1/2/08
1/2/13
    50,000       50,000  
9/7/07
    4.56 %
10/1/07
12/31/09
    75,000       75,000  
7/31/07
    5.115 %
11/30/07
11/30/11
    100,000       100,000  
8/9/07
    5.07 %
1/2/08
1/3/12
    100,000       100,000  
8/16/07
    4.985 %
3/31/08
3/31/12
    50,000       50,000  
8/16/07
    5.04 %
3/31/08
3/31/12
    100,000       100,000  
1/22/08
    2.89 %
2/1/08
2/1/11
    50,000        
                             
                  $681,233       $631,233  

The differential to be paid or received for these swap agreements are recognized as an adjustment to interest expense as incurred.  The Company is currently utilizing cash flow hedge accounting for the swaps whereby the effective portion of the change in value of the swaps is reflected as a component of OCI.  The ineffective portion is recognized as income or (loss) from derivative instruments, which is a component of other (expense) income.  For any period of time that the Company did not designate the swaps for hedge accounting, the change in the value of the swap agreements prior to designation was recognized as income or (loss) from derivative instruments and was listed as a component of other (expense) income.
 
 
F-26


The interest (expense) income pertaining to the interest rate swaps for the years ended December 31, 2008, 2007 and 2006 was ($9,470), $1,039 and $637, respectively.
 
The swap agreements, with effective dates prior to December 31, 2008 synthetically convert variable rate debt to fixed rate debt at the fixed interest rate of the swap plus the Applicable Margin, as defined in the “2007 Credit Facility” section above.
 
The liability associated with the swaps at December 31, 2008 is $65,937 and $21,039 at December 31, 2007, and are presented as the fair value of derivatives on the balance sheet.  There were no swaps in an asset position at December 31, 2008 or December 31, 2007.  As of December 31, 2008 and December 31, 2007, the Company has accumulated OCI of ($66,014) and ($21,068), respectively, related to the effectively hedged portion of the swaps.  Hedge ineffectiveness associated with the interest rate swaps resulted in income or (loss) from derivative instruments of $98 and ($98) for the years ended December 31, 2008 and 2007, respectively.  The change in value of the swaps prior to being designated resulted in income or (loss) from derivative instruments of $108 for the year ended December 31, 2006.  At December 31, 2008, ($23,698) of OCI is expected to be reclassified into income over the next 12 months associated with interest rate derivatives.

During January 2009, the Company entered into a $100 million dollar interest rate swap at a fixed interest rate of  2.05%, plus the Applicable Margin and is effective January 22, 2009 and ends on January 22, 2014.

During February 2009, the Company entered into a $50 million dollar interest rate swap at a fixed interest rate of 2.45%, plus the Applicable Margin and is effective February 23, 2009 and ends on February 23, 2014.

9 – ACCUMULATED OTHER COMPREHENSIVE INCOME
 
The components of accumulated other comprehensive income included in the accompanying consolidated balance sheets consist of net unrealized gain (loss) from investments, net gain (loss) on derivative instruments designated and qualifying as cash-flow hedging instruments, and cumulative translation adjustments on the investment in Jinhui stock as December 31, 2008 and 2007.

   
Accumulated OCI
   
Unrealized Gain (loss) on Cash Flow Hedges
   
Change in Unrealized Gain (Loss) on Investments
   
Change in Currency Translation Gain (loss) on Investments
 
OCI – January 1, 2007
    $3,546       $3,546       $   -       $   -  
Change in unrealized gain on investments
    38,540               38,540       -  
Translation gain on investments
    11,705                       11,705  
Translation gain reclassed to (loss) income from derivative instruments
    (10,160 )                     (10,160 )
Unrealized loss on cash flow hedges
    (23,575 )     (23,575 )                
Interest income reclassed to (loss) income from derivative instruments
    (1,039 )     (1,039 )                
OCI – December 31, 2007
    $19,017       $(21,068 )     $38,540       $1,545  
Change in unrealized loss on investments
    (38,540 )             (38,540 )        
Translation loss on investments
    (11,705 )                     (11,705 )
Translation gain reclassed to (loss) income from derivative instruments
    10,160                       10,160  
Unrealized loss on cash flow hedges
    (37,629 )     (37,629 )                
Interest income reclassed to (loss) income from derivative instruments
    (7,317 )     (7,317 )                
OCI – December 31, 2008
    $(66,014 )     $(66,014 )     $  —       $  —  

 
F-27


 
10 - FAIR VALUE OF FINANCIAL INSTRUMENTS
 
The estimated fair values of the Company’s financial instruments are as follows:
 

             
   
December 31, 2008
   
December 31, 2007
 
Cash and cash equivalents
    $   124,956       $  71,496  
Investments
    16,772       167,524  
Floating rate debt
    1,173,300       936,000  
Derivative instruments – liability position
    65,937       22,487  
                 

 
The fair value of the investments is based on quoted market rates.  The fair value of the revolving credit facility is estimated based on current rates offered to the Company for similar debt of the same remaining maturities.  Additionally, the Company considers its creditworthiness in determining the fair value of the revolving credit facility.  The carrying value approximates the fair market value for the floating rate loans.  The fair value of the interest rate and currency swaps (used for purposes other than trading) is the estimated amount the Company would receive to terminate the swap agreements at the reporting date, taking into account current interest rates, NOK spot rates, and the creditworthiness of both the swap counterparty and the Company.  On October 10, 2008, the Company elected to discontinue the purchase of forward currency contracts associated with Jinhui by entering into an offsetting trade that closed the previously opened currency contract, thereby eliminating the hedge on Jinhui.
 
The Company elected to early adopt SFAS No. 157 beginning in its 2007 fiscal year and there was no material impact to its first quarter financial statements.  SFAS No. 157 applies to all assets and liabilities that are being measured and reported on a fair value basis. SFAS No. 157 requires new disclosure that establishes a framework for measuring fair value in GAAP, and expands disclosure about fair value measurements.  This statement enables the reader of the financial statements to assess the inputs used to develop those measurements by establishing a hierarchy for ranking the quality and reliability of the information used to determine fair values.  The statement requires that assets and liabilities carried at fair value will be classified and disclosed in one of the following three 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.

The following table summarizes the valuation of our investments and financial instruments by the above SFAS No. 157 pricing levels as of the valuation dates listed:

   
December 31, 2008
 
   
Total
   
Quoted market prices in active markets (Level 1)
   
Significant Other Observable Inputs
(Level 2)
 
Investments
    $16,772       $16,772        
Derivative instruments –
liability position
    65,937             65,937  
 
The Company holds an investment in the capital stock of Jinhui, which is classified as a long-term investment.  The stock of Jinhui is publicly traded on the Oslo Stock Exchange and is considered a Level 1 item.  The Company’s interest rate derivative instruments are pay-fixed, receive-variable interest rate swaps based on LIBOR.  The Company has elected to use the income approach to value the derivatives, using observable Level 2 market expectations at
 
 
 
F-28

 
 
measurement date and standard valuation techniques to convert future amounts to a single present amount assuming that participants are motivated, but not compelled to transact.  Level 2 inputs for the valuations are limited to quoted prices for similar assets or liabilities in active markets (specifically futures contracts on LIBOR for the first two years) and inputs other than quoted prices that are observable for the asset or liability (specifically LIBOR cash and swap rates and credit risk at commonly quoted intervals).  Mid-market pricing is used as a practical expedient for fair value measurements.  SFAS No. 157 states that the fair value measurement of an asset or liability must reflect the nonperformance risk of the entity and the counterparty.  Therefore, the impact of the counterparty’s creditworthiness when in an asset position and the Company’s creditworthiness when in a liability position have also been factored into the fair value measurement of the derivative instruments in an asset or liability position and did not have a material impact on the fair value of these derivative instruments.  As of December 31, 2008, both the counterparty and the Company are expected to continue to perform under the contractual terms of the instruments.
 
11 - PREPAID EXPENSES AND OTHER CURRENT ASSETS
 
 
Prepaid expenses and other current assets consist of the following:
 
   
December
31, 2008
   
December 31, 2007
 
Lubricant inventory and other stores
    $3,772       $2,720  
Prepaid items
    2,581       1,769  
Insurance Receivable
    2,345       1,331  
Interest receivable on deposits for vessels to be acquired
    3,547       2,489  
Other
    1,250       1,065  
Total
    $13,495       $9,374  

 
12 – OTHER ASSETS, NET
 
Other assets consist of the following:
 
(i) Deferred financing costs which include fees, commissions and legal expenses associated with securing loan facilities.  These costs are amortized over the life of the related debt, which is included in interest expense.  The Company has unamortized deferred financing costs of $4,974 and $6,130 at December 31, 2008 and 2007, respectively, associated with the 2007 Credit Facility.  Accumulated amortization of deferred financing costs as of December 31, 2008 and December 31, 2007 was $1,548 and $288, respectively.  During the fourth quarter of 2008, the cancellation of the 2008 Term Facility resulted in a write-off of the unamortized deferred financing costs of $2,191 to interest expense.  Additionally, during the fourth quarter of 2008, the refinancing of the 2007 Credit Facility due to the 2009 Amendment resulted in a write-off of a portion of the unamortized deferred financing costs of $1,921 to interest expense.  During July 2007, the Company refinanced its previous facilities (the Short-Term Line and the 2005 Credit Facility) resulting in the write-off of the unamortized deferred financing costs of $3,568 to interest expense.  The Company has incurred deferred financing costs of $6,522 in total for the existing 2007 Credit Facility.  Amortization expense for deferred financing costs, including the write-off any unamortized costs upon refinancing credit facilities for the years ended December 31, 2008, 2007 and 2006 was $4,915, $4,128 and $341, respectively.
 
(ii) Value assigned to the time charter acquired with the Genco Muse in October 2005.  The value assigned to the time charter was $3,492.  This intangible asset was amortized as a reduction of revenue over the minimum life of the time charter.  The amount amortized for this intangible asset was $0, $1,244 and $1,850 for the years ended December 31, 2008, 2007, and 2006, respectively.  At December 31, 2008 and 2007, $0 remained unamortized.
 
 
F-29

 

 
13 - FIXED ASSETS
 
 
Fixed assets consist of the following:
 
   
December 31, 2008
   
December 31, 2007
 
Fixed assets:
           
Vessel equipment
    $958       $826  
Leasehold improvements
    1,146       1,146  
Furniture and fixtures
    347       347  
Computer equipment
    401       342  
Total cost
    2,852       2,661  
Less: accumulated depreciation and amortization
    1,140       722  
Total
    $1,712       $1,939  
                 
 
 
14 - ACCOUNTS PAYABLE AND ACCRUED EXPENSES
 
 
Accounts payable and accrued expenses consist of the following:
 
   
December 31, 2008
   
December 31, 2007
 
Accounts payable
    $4,371       $4,164  
Accrued general and administrative expenses
    5,937       9,108  
Accrued vessel operating expenses
    7,037       4,242  
                 
Total
    $17,345       $17,514  

 
 
15 - REVENUE FROM TIME CHARTERS
 
Total revenue earned on time charters, including revenue earned in vessel pools, for the years ended December 31, 2008, 2007 and 2006 was $405,370, $185,387, and $133,232 respectively.  Included in revenues for the year ended December 31, 2008 is $176 and $1,248 received from loss of hire insurance associated with unscheduled offhire associated with the Genco Trader and Genco Hunter, respectively.  Included in revenues for the year ended December 31, 2007 is $400 received from loss of hire insurance associated with the Genco Trader’s unscheduled off-hire due to repairs and maintenance in the first half of 2007.  Additionally, included in revenues for the years ended December 31, 2008, 2007 and 2006 was $22,829, $2,878 and $0 of profit sharing revenue.   Future minimum time charter revenue, based on vessels committed to noncancelable time charter contracts as of February 10, 2009 will be $315,104 during 2009, $211,803 during 2010, $92,241 during 2011 and $35,563 during 2012, assuming 20 days of off-hire due to any scheduled drydocking and no additional off-hire time is incurred.  Future minimum revenue excludes the future acquisitions of the remaining three Capesize vessels to be delivered to Genco in the future, since estimated delivery dates are not firm.  Additionally, future minimum revenue excludes revenue earned for the three vessels in pools, namely the Genco Thunder, Genco Predator, and Genco Leader, as pool rates cannot be estimated.
 
16 - LEASE PAYMENTS
 
In September 2005, the Company entered into a 15-year lease for office space in New York, New York.  The monthly rental is as follows:  Free rent from September 1, 2005 to July 31, 2006, $40 per month from August 1, 2006 to August 31, 2010, $43 per month from September 1, 2010 to August 31, 2015, and $46 per month from September 1, 2015 to August 31, 2020.  The monthly straight-line rental expense from September 1, 2005 to August 31, 2020 is $39.  As a result of the straight-line rent calculation generated by the free rent period and the tenant work credit, the Company has a deferred rent credit at December 31, 2008 and 2007 of $706 and $725, respectively.  The Company has the option to extend the lease for a period of five years from September 1, 2020 to August 31, 2025.  The rent for the renewal period
 
 
F-30

 
 
will be based on prevailing market rate for the six months prior to the commencement date of the extension term.  Rent expense for the years ended December 31, 2008, 2007 and 2006 was $467, $468 and $472, respectively.

Future minimum rental payments on the above lease for the next five years and thereafter are as follows: $486 for 2009, $496 for 2010, $518 for 2011 through 2013 and a total of $3,614 for the remaining term of the lease.

17 - SAVINGS PLAN
 
In August 2005, the Company established a 401(k) plan which is available to full-time employees who meet the plan’s eligibility requirements.  This 401(k) plan is a defined contribution plan, which permits employees to make contributions up to maximum percentage and dollar limits allowable by IRS Code Sections 401(k), 402(g), 404 and 415 with the Company matching up to the first six percent of each employee’s salary on a dollar-for-dollar basis.  The matching contribution vests immediately.  For the years ended December 31, 2008, 2007 and 2006, the Company’s matching contributions to this plan were $166, $127 and $94, respectively.
 
18- NONVESTED STOCK AWARDS
 
On July 12, 2005, the Company’s board of directors approved the Genco Shipping and Trading Limited 2005 Equity Incentive Plan (the “Plan”).  Under this plan, the Company’s board of directors, the compensation committee, or another designated committee of the board of directors may grant a variety of stock-based incentive awards to employees, directors and consultants whom the compensation committee (or other committee or the board of directors) believes are key to the Company’s success.  Awards may consist of incentive stock options, nonqualified stock options, stock appreciation rights, dividend equivalent rights, nonvested stock, unrestricted stock and performance shares.  The aggregate number of shares of common stock available for award under the Plan is 2,000,000 shares.
 
Grants of nonvested common stock to executives and employees vest ratably on each of the four anniversaries of the determined vesting date.  The fair value of nonvested stock at the grant date is equal to the closing stock price on that date.  The company is amortizing these grants over the applicable vesting periods.  Grants of nonvested common stock to directors vest the earlier of the first anniversary of the grant date or the date of the next annual shareholders’ meeting, which are typically held during May.  On January 10, 2008, the Board of Directors approved a grant of 100,000 shares of nonvested common stock to Peter Georgiopoulos, Chairman of the Board, which vests ratably on each of the ten anniversaries of the determined vesting date beginning with November 15, 2008.  Additionally, on December 24, 2008, the Board of Directors approved a grant of 75,000 shares of nonvested common stock to Peter Georgiopoulos, Chairman of the Board, which also vests ratably on each of the ten anniversaries of the determined vesting date beginning with November 15, 2009.
 
The table below summarizes the Company’s nonvested stock awards for the three years ended December 31, 2008:
 
 
Year Ended December 31,
 
2008
2007
2006
 
Number of
        Shares
Weighted
Average
Grant Date
        Price
Number of
              Shares
Weighted
Average
Grant Date
        Price
Number of
       Shares
Weighted
Average
Grant Date
        Price
Outstanding at January 1
231,881
$34.32
196,509
$20.97
174,212
$16.88
Granted
322,500
25.34
109,200
49.72
72000
28.02
Vested
(105,316)
33.93
(66,766)
21.74
(48,953)
16.83
Forfeited
(7,062)
20.03
(750)
16.43
             
Outstanding at December 31
449,066
$27.96
231,881
$34.22
196,509
$20.97

 
   As of December 31, 2008 and 2007, there was $8,507 and $6,289, respectively, of unrecognized compensation cost related to nonvested restricted stock awards.  As of December 31, 2008, unrecognized compensation cost related to
 
 
 
F-31

 
 
nonvested stock will be recognized over a weighted average period of 5.15 years.  Total compensation cost recognized in income related to amortization of restricted stock awards for the years ended December 31, 2008, 2007 and 2006 was $5,953, $2,078 and $1,589, respectively.
 
19 - LEGAL PROCEEDINGS
 
From time to time the Company may be subject to legal proceedings and claims in the ordinary course of its business, principally personal injury and property casualty claims.  Such claims, even if lacking merit, could result in the expenditure of significant financial and managerial resources.  The Company is not aware of any legal proceedings or claims that it believes will have, individually or in the aggregate, a material adverse effect on the Company, its financial condition, results of operations or cash flows.
 
20 – STOCK REPURCHASE PROGRAM
 
On February 13, 2008, our board of directors approved a share repurchase program for up to a total of $50,000 of the Company's common stock.  Share repurchases will be made from time to time for cash in open market transactions at prevailing market prices or in privately negotiated transactions.  The timing and amount of purchases under the program will be determined by management based upon market conditions and other factors.  Purchases may be made pursuant to a program adopted under Rule 10b5-1 under the Securities Exchange Act.  The program does not require the Company to purchase any specific number or amount of shares and may be suspended or reinstated at any time in the Company's discretion and without notice.  Repurchases will be subject to restrictions under the 2007 Credit Facility.  The 2007 Credit Facility was amended as of February 13, 2008 to permit the share repurchase program and provide that the dollar amount of shares repurchased is counted toward the maximum dollar amount of dividends that may be paid in any fiscal quarter.  Subsequently, on January 26, 2009, the Company entered into the 2009 Amendment which amended the 2007 Credit Facility to require the Company to suspend all share repurchases until the Company can represent that it is in a position to again satisfy the collateral maintenance covenant.  Refer to Note 8 – Long-Term Debt.

Through December 31, 2008, the Company repurchased and retired 278,300 shares of its common stock for $11,500 under the share repurchase program.  An additional 3,130 shares of common stock were repurchased from employees for $41 during 2008 pursuant to the Company’s Equity Incentive Plan rather than the share repurchase program.
















F-32


 

21 – UNAUDITED QUARTERLY RESULTS OF OPERATIONS

In the opinion of the Company’s management, all adjustments, consisting of normal recurring accruals considered necessary for a fair presentation have been included on a quarterly basis.
 
 
2008 Quarter Ended
 
2007 Quarter Ended
 
  Mar 31
Jun 30
Sept 30
Dec. 31
 
Mar 31
Jun 30
Sept 30
Dec. 31
 
(In thousands, except per share amounts)
Revenues
$91,669
$104,572
$107,557
$101,572
 
$37,220
$36,847
$45,630
$65,690
                   
Operating income
85,286
70,817
70,615
7,659
 
22,261
18,507
25,107
65,195
                   
Net income
73,987
60,899
62,999
(111,305)
 
19,837
13,721
16,320
56,931
                   
Earnings per share - Basic
$2.57
$2.05
$2.00
($3.56)
 
$0.78
$0.54
$0.64
$1.99
Earnings per share - Diluted
$2.56
$2.03
$1.99
($3.56)
 
$0.78
$0.54
$0.64
$1.98
Dividends declared and paid per share 
$0.85
$1.00
$1.00
$1.00
 
$0.66
$0.66
$0.66
$0.66
Weighted average common shares outstanding - Basic
28,734
29,750
31,423
31,230
 
25,309
25,313
25,337
28,676
Weighted average common shares outstanding - Diluted
28,914
29,958
31,610
31,230
 
25,421
25,456
25,482
28,826
   


 
 
22 - SUBSEQUENT EVENTS
 
On January 26, 2009, the Company entered into an amendment to the 2007 Credit Facility which implements various modifications to the terms of the 2007 Credit Facility.  Refer to Note 8 – Long-Term Debt for description of the terms of the amendment.

The Genco Cavalier, a 2007-built Supramax vessel, was on charter to Samsun Logix Corporation, which the Company understands has filed for the equivalent of bankruptcy protection in South Korea, otherwise referred to as a rehabilitation application. Charter hire for the Genco Cavalier has been received up until January 30, 2009. The Company is expecting the decision of the South Korean courts regarding the acceptance or rejection of the rehabilitation application to be made on or about March 6, 2009. The Company has commenced arbitration proceedings in the United Kingdom for damages related to non-performance of Samsun under the time charter agreement. As a result of the non-payment of hire, the Company may seek to withdraw the vessel from this contract.  Also, on February 8, 2009, while the vessel was at safe anchorage in Singapore, it was involved in a minor collision caused by another vessel in its vicinity. No injuries or pollution from either vessel have been reported, but we expect the vessel will incur approximately 14 days of offhire for repairs arising from the event. The Company is in the process of filing a claim for the full amount of the damages as well as any offhire time related to the collision against the other vessel’s owner.





 


F-33 
 

 


ITEM 9. CHANGES IN AND DISAGREEMENTS WITH ACCOUNTANTS ON ACCOUNTING AND FINANCIAL DISCLOSURE

No changes were made to, nor was there any disagreement with the Company's independent registered public accounting firm regarding, the Company's accounting or financial disclosure.
 
ITEM 9A.  CONTROLS AND PROCEDURES

EVALUATION OF DISCLOSURE CONTROLS AND PROCEDURES

Under the supervision and with the participation of our management, including our President and Chief Financial Officer, we have evaluated the effectiveness of the design and operation of our disclosure controls and procedures pursuant to Rule 13a-15 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 as of the end of the period covered by this Report.  Based upon that evaluation, our President and Chief Financial Officer have concluded that our disclosure controls and procedures are effective in timely alerting them at a reasonable assurance level to material information required to be included in our periodic Securities and Exchange Commission filings.

INTERNAL CONTROL OVER FINANCIAL REPORTING
 
MANAGEMENT REPORT ON INTERNAL CONTROL OVER FINANCIAL REPORTING
 
Our management is responsible for establishing and maintaining effective internal control over financial reporting.  Our internal control over financial reporting is designed to provide reasonable assurance regarding the reliability of financial reporting and the preparation of financial statements for external purposes in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles.
 
Our internal control over financial reporting includes those policies and procedures that:
 
      •
pertain to the maintenance of records that, in reasonable detail, accurately and fairly reflect the transactions and dispositions of our assets;
 
 
      •
provide reasonable assurance that transactions are recorded as necessary to permit preparation of financial statements in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles, and that our receipts and expenditures are being made only in accordance with authorizations of our management and directors; and
 
 
      •
provide reasonable assurance regarding prevention or timely detection of unauthorized acquisition, use or disposition of our assets that could have a material effect on the financial statements.
 
Because of its inherent limitations, internal control over financial reporting may not prevent or detect misstatements.  Also, projections of any evaluation of effectiveness to future periods are subject to the risk that controls may become ineffective because of changes in conditions, or that the degree or compliance with the policies or procedures may deteriorate.
 
Our management assessed the effectiveness of our internal control over financial reporting as of December 31, 2008.  In making this assessment, management used the criteria set forth by the Committee of Sponsoring Organizations of the Treadway Commission (COSO) in Internal Control-Integrated Framework.  Based on our assessment and those criteria, our management believes that we maintained effective internal control over financial reporting as of December 31, 2008.  

Our independent registered public accounting firm, Deloitte & Touche LLP, has issued an attestation report on the Company’s internal control over financial reporting.  The attestation report is included on page F-2 of this report.
 
CHANGES IN INTERNAL CONTROLS

There have been no changes in our internal controls or over financial reporting that occurred during our most recent fiscal quarter (the fourth fiscal quarter of 2008) that have materially affected, or are reasonably likely to materially affect, our internal control over financial reporting.
 
 
 
79




REPORT OF INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM
 
To the Board of Directors and Stockholders of
Genco Shipping & Trading Limited
New York, New York

We have audited the internal control over financial reporting of Genco Shipping & Trading Limited and subsidiaries (the "Company") as of December 31, 2008, based on criteria established in Internal Control — Integrated Framework issued by the Committee of Sponsoring Organizations of the Treadway Commission.  The Company's management is responsible for maintaining effective internal control over financial reporting and for its assessment of the effectiveness of internal control over financial reporting, included in the accompanying Management Report on Internal Control Over Financial Reporting. Our responsibility is to express an opinion on the Company's internal control over financial reporting based on our audit.

We conducted our audit in accordance with the standards of the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States).  Those standards require that we plan and perform the audit to obtain reasonable assurance about whether effective internal control over financial reporting was maintained in all material respects.  Our audit included obtaining an understanding of internal control over financial reporting, assessing the risk that a material weakness exists, testing and evaluating the design and operating effectiveness of internal control based on the assessed risk, and performing such other procedures as we considered necessary in the circumstances.  We believe that our audit provides a reasonable basis for our opinion.

A company's internal control over financial reporting is a process designed by, or under the supervision of, the company's principal executive and principal financial officers, or persons performing similar functions, and effected by the company's board of directors, management, and other personnel to provide reasonable assurance regarding the reliability of financial reporting and the preparation of financial statements for external purposes in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles.  A company's internal control over financial reporting includes those policies and procedures that (1) pertain to the maintenance of records that, in reasonable detail, accurately and fairly reflect the transactions and dispositions of the assets of the company; (2) provide reasonable assurance that transactions are recorded as necessary to permit preparation of financial statements in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles, and that receipts and expenditures of the company are being made only in accordance with authorizations of management and directors of the company; and (3) provide reasonable assurance regarding prevention or timely detection of unauthorized acquisition, use, or disposition of the company's assets that could have a material effect on the financial statements.

Because of the inherent limitations of internal control over financial reporting, including the possibility of collusion or improper management override of controls, material misstatements due to error or fraud may not be prevented or detected on a timely basis.  Also, projections of any evaluation of the effectiveness of the internal control over financial reporting to future periods are subject to the risk that the controls may become inadequate because of changes in conditions, or that the degree of compliance with the policies or procedures may deteriorate.
 
In our opinion, the Company maintained, in all material respects, effective internal control over financial reporting as of December 31, 2008, based on the criteria established in Internal Control — Integrated Framework issued by the Committee of Sponsoring Organizations of the Treadway Commission.

We have also audited, in accordance with the standards of the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States), the consolidated financial statements as of and for the year ended December 31, 2008 of the Company and our report dated March 2, 2009 expressed an unqualified opinion on those financial statements.
 
/s/ DELOITTE & TOUCHE LLP
 
New York, New York
March 2, 2009


80



ITEM 9B.                      OTHER INFORMATION
 

Not applicable.
 
 
 
 
 
 
81

 
 
PART III
 
 
 ITEM 10.  DIRECTORS EXECUTIVE OFFICERS AND CORPORATE GOVERNANCE
 
Information regarding our directors and executive officers is set forth in our Proxy Statement for our 2009 Annual Meeting of Shareholders to be filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission not later than 120 days after December 31, 2008 (the “2009 Proxy Statement”) under the headings “Election of Directors” and “Management” and is incorporated by reference herein.  Information relating to our Code of Conduct and Ethics and to compliance with Section 16(a) of the 1934 Act is set forth in the 2009 Proxy Statement under the heading “Corporate Governance” and is incorporated by reference herein.

We intend to satisfy the disclosure requirements under Item 5.05 of Form 8-K regarding amendment to, or waiver from, a provision of the Code of Ethics for Chief Executive and Senior Financial Officers by posting such information on our website, www.gencoshipping.com.

 ITEM 11.  EXECUTIVE COMPENSATION

Information regarding compensation of our executive officers and information with respect to Compensation Committee Interlocks and Insider Participation in compensation decisions is set forth in the 2009 Proxy Statement under the headings “Management” and “Compensation Committee’s Report on Executive Compensation” and is incorporated by reference herein.
 
 ITEM 12. SECURITY OWNERSHIP OF CERTAIN BENEFICIAL OWNERS AND MANAGEMENT AND RELATED STOCKHOLDER MATTERS
 
Information regarding the beneficial ownership of shares of our common stock by certain persons is set forth in the 2009 Proxy Statement under the heading “Security Ownership of Certain Beneficial Owners and Management” and is incorporated by reference herein.
 
 ITEM 13.  CERTAIN RELATIONSHIPS AND RELATED TRANSACTIONS, AND DIRECTOR INDPEENDENCE

Information regarding certain of our transactions is set forth in the 2009 Proxy Statement under the heading “Certain Relationships and Related Transactions” and is incorporated by reference herein.
 
 ITEM 14. PRINCIPAL ACCOUNTANT FEES AND SERVICES

Information regarding our accountant fees and services is set forth in the 2009 Proxy Statement under the heading “Ratification of Appointment of Independent Auditors” and is incorporated by reference herein.

 PART IV
 
 ITEM 15.  EXHIBITS AND FINANCIAL STATEMENT SCHEDULES

     (a)           The following documents are filed as a part of this report:

1.
 
The financial statements listed in the “Index to Consolidated Financial Statements”
     
2.
 
The financial statement schedules included in the financial statements.
     
3.
 
Exhibits:
     

3.1
 
Amended and Restated Articles of Incorporation of Genco Shipping & Trading Limited (1)
     
           
3.2
 
Articles of Amendment of Articles of Incorporation of Genco Shipping & Trading Limited as adopted July 21, 2005 (2)
     
 
 
 
82

 
 
           
3.3
 
Articles of Amendment of Articles of Incorporation of Genco Shipping & Trading Limited as adopted May 18, 2006 (3)
     
         
3. 3.4
 
Certificate of Designations of Series A Preferred Stock (4)
   
           
3.5
 
Amended and Restated By-Laws of Genco Shipping & Trading Limited, dated as of April 9, 2007 (4)
     
           
4.1
 
Form of Share Certificate of the Company (5)
     
           
4.2
 
Shareholder Rights Agreement, dated as of April 11, 2007, between Genco Shipping & Trading Limited and Mellon Investor Services LLC, as Rights Agent (4)
     
           
10.1
 
Registration Rights Agreement (5)
     
           
10.2
 
2005 Equity Incentive Plan, as amended and restated effective December 31, 2005 (6)
     
           
10.3
 
Time Charter Party Between Lauritzen Bulkers A/S and Genco Explorer Limited (1)
     
           
10.4
 
Time Charter Party Between Lauritzen Bulkers A/S and Genco Pioneer Limited (1)
     
           
10.5
 
Time Charter Party Between Lauritzen Bulkers A/S and Genco Progress Limited (1)
     
           
10.6
 
Time Charter Party Between Lauritzen Bulkers A/S and Genco Reliance Limited (1)
     
           
10.7
 
Time Charter Party Between Lauritzen Bulkers A/S and Genco Sugar Limited (1)
     
           
10.8
 
Restricted Stock Grant Agreement dated October 31, 2005 between Genco Shipping & Trading Limited and Robert Gerald Buchanan (7)
     
           
10.9
 
Restricted Stock Grant Agreement dated October 31, 2005 between Genco Shipping & Trading Limited and John C. Wobensmith (7)
     
           
10.10
 
Restricted Stock Grant Agreement dated December 21, 2005 between Genco Shipping & Trading Limited and Robert Gerald Buchanan (7)
     
           
10.17
 
Restricted Stock Grant Agreement dated December 21, 2005 between Genco Shipping & Trading Limited and John C. Wobensmith (7)
     
           
10.18
 
Restricted Stock Grant Agreement dated December 22, 2006 between Genco Shipping & Trading Limited and Robert Gerald Buchanan (8)
     
           
10.19
 
Restricted Stock Grant Agreement dated December 22, 2006 between Genco Shipping & Trading Limited and John C. Wobensmith (8)
     
                  
1010.20
 
Restricted Stock Grant Agreement dated December 21, 2007 between Genco Shipping & Trading Limited and Robert Gerald Buchanan (9)
   
         
1010.21
 
Restricted Stock Grant Agreement dated December 21, 2007 between Genco Shipping & Trading Limited and John C. Wobensmith (9)
   
         
1010.22
 
Restricted Stock Grant Agreement dated January 10, 2008 between Genco Shipping & Trading Limited and Peter C. Georgiopoulos (9)
   
 
 
83

 
 
 
1010.23
 
Restricted Stock Grant Agreement dated December 24, 2008 between Genco Shipping & Trading Limited and Robert Gerald Buchanan (*)
   
         
1010.24
 
Restricted Stock Grant Agreement dated December 24, 2008 between Genco Shipping & Trading Limited and John C. Wobensmith (*)
   
         
1010.25
 
Restricted Stock Grant Agreement dated December 24, 2008 between Genco Shipping & Trading Limited and Peter C. Georgiopoulos (*)
   
         
1010.26
 
Form of Director Restricted Stock Grant Agreement dated as of February 13, 2008 (9)
   
         
1010.27
 
Form of Director Restricted Stock Grant Agreement dated as of July 24, 2008 (10)
   
         
1010.28
 
Master Agreement by and between Genco Shipping & Trading Limited and Metrostar Management Corporation (11)
   
         
1010.29
 
Form of Memorandum of Agreement dated as of August 8, 2007 by and between Subsidiaries of Genco Shipping & Trading Limited and affiliates of Evalend Shipping Co. S.A. (12)
   
         
1010.30
 
Memorandum of Agreement dated as of May 7, 2008 by and among Genco Cavalier LLC, Bocimar International N.V., and Delphis N.V. (10)
 
   
1010.31
 
Form of Memorandum of Agreement dated as of May 7, 2008 by and between subsidiaries of Genco Shipping & Trading Limited and Bocimar International N.V. (10)
   
         
1010.32
 
Form of Memorandum of Agreement dated as of June 13, 2008 for acquisition of vessels from Lambert Navigation Ltd., Northville Navigation Ltd., Providence Navigation Ltd., and Prime Bulk Navigation Ltd. (10)
   
         
1010.33
 
Credit Agreement, dated as of July 20, 2007, among Genco Shipping & Trading Limited, Various Lenders, DnB NOR Bank ASA, New York Branch, as Administrative Agent and Collateral Agent, and DnB NOR Bank ASA, New York Branch, as Mandated Lead Arranger and Bookrunner (13)
   
         
1010.34
 
Pledge and Security Agreement, dated as of July 20, 2007, by Genco Augustus Limited, Genco Claudius Limited, Genco Commodus Limited, Genco Constantine Limited, Genco Hadrian Limited, Genco London Limited, Genco Maximus Limited, Genco Tiberius Limited and Genco Titus Limited, as pledgors, to DnB NOR Bank, ASA, New York Branch, as Collateral Agent, for the benefit of the Secured Creditors and Nordea Bank Finland PLC, New York Branch, as Deposit Account Bank (13)
   
         
1010.35
 
Guaranty, dated as of July 20, 2007, by Genco Augustus Limited, Genco Claudius Limited, Genco Commodus Limited, Genco Constantine Limited, Genco Hadrian Limited, Genco London Limited, Genco Maximus Limited, Genco Tiberius Limited and Genco Titus Limited, as guarantors, for the benefit of the Secured Creditors (13)
   
         
10.36
 
Amendment and Supplement No. 1 to Senior Secured Credit Agreement, dated as of September 21, 2007, among Genco Shipping & Trading Limited, the lenders party thereto, and DNB NOR Bank ASA, New York Branch, as Administrative Agent.  (14)
   
         
1010.37
 
Amendment and Supplement No. 2 to Senior Secured Credit Agreement, dated as of February 13, 2008, among Genco Shipping & Trading Limited, the lenders party thereto, and DNB NOR Bank ASA, New York Branch, as Administrative Agent (9)
   
           
10.38
 
Amendment and Supplement No. 3 to Senior Secured Credit Agreement, dated as of June 18, 2008, by and among Genco Shipping & Trading Limited, the lenders signatory thereto, and DnB NOR BANK ASA, New York Branch, as Administrative Agent, Collateral Agent, Mandated Lead Arranger and Bookrunner.  (10)
 
 
 
 
 
84

 
 
 
 
10.39
 
Amendment and Supplement No. 4 to Senior Secured Credit Agreement, dated as of January 26, 2009, among Genco Shipping & Trading Limited, the lenders party thereto, DNB NOR Bank ASA, New York Branch, as Administrative Agent, mandated lead arranger, bookrunner, security trustee and collateral agent, and Bank of Scotland PLC, as mandated lead arranger.  (**)
     
           
10.40
 
Letter Agreement, dated September 21, 2007, between Genco Shipping & Trading Limited and John C. Wobensmith.  (14)
     
           
14.1
 
Code of Ethics (9)
     
           
21.1
 
Subsidiaries of Genco Shipping & Trading Limited (*)
     
           
23.1
 
Consent of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm (*)
     
           
31.1
 
Certification of President pursuant to Rule 13(a)-14(a) and 15(d)-14(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (*)
     
           
31.2
 
Certification of Chief Financial Officer pursuant to Rule 13(a)-14(a) and 15(d)-14(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (*)
     
           
32.1
 
Certification of President pursuant to 18 U.S.C. Section 1350 (*)
     
           
32.2
 
Certification of Chief Financial Officer pursuant to 18 U.S.C. Section 1350 (*)
     



(*)
 
Filed herewith.
(**)   Filed herewith to reflect a minor correction to Section 6 of the copy filed as an exhibit to Genco Shipping & Trading Limited's Report on Form 8-K filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on January 26, 2009.
(1)
 
Incorporated by reference to Genco Shipping & Trading Limited's Registration Statement on Form S-1/A, filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on July 6, 2005.
(2)
 
Incorporated by reference to Genco Shipping & Trading Limited's Registration Statement on Form S-1/A, filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on July 21, 2005.
(3)
 
Incorporated by reference to Genco Shipping & Trading Limited's Report on Form 8-K, filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on May 18, 2006.
(4)
 
Incorporated by reference to Genco Shipping & Trading Limited's Report on Form 8-K, filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on April 9, 2007.
(5)
 
Incorporated by reference to Genco Shipping & Trading Limited's Registration Statement on Form S-1/A, filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on July 18, 2005.
(6)
 
Incorporated by reference to Genco Shipping & Trading Limited's Report on Form 8-K, filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on November 4, 2005.
(7)
 
Incorporated by reference to Genco Shipping & Trading Limited's Annual Report on Form 10-K, filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on February 27, 2006.
(8)
 
Incorporated by reference to Genco Shipping & Trading Limited's Annual Report on Form 10-K, filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on February 9, 2007.
(9)
 
Incorporated by reference to Genco Shipping & Trading Limited's Annual Report on Form 10-K, filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on February 29, 2008.
(10)
 
Incorporated by reference to Genco Shipping & Trading Limited's Report on Form 10-Q, filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on August 8, 2008.
(11)
 
Incorporated by reference to Genco Shipping & Trading Limited's Report on Form 8-K, filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on July 18, 2007.
(12)
 
Incorporated by reference to Genco Shipping & Trading Limited's Report on Form 10-Q, filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on November 9, 2007.
(13)
 
Incorporated by reference to Genco Shipping & Trading Limited's Report on Form 8-K, filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on July 26, 2007.






85 
 

 
 
 
(14)                       Incorporated by reference to Genco Shipping & Trading Limited's Report on Form 8-K, filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on September 21, 2007.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
86


 
SIGNATURES

Pursuant to the requirements of Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized on March 2, 2009.


 
GENCO SHIPPING & TRADING LIMITED
 
       
 
By:
/s/ Robert Gerald Buchanan
 
   
Name: Robert Gerald Buchanan
 
   
Title:   President and Principal Executive Officer
 

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, this report has been signed by the following persons on behalf of the registrant and in the capacity and on March 2, 2009.
 
SIGNATURE
 
TITLE
     
     
 
/s/ Robert Gerald Buchanan 
 
PRESIDENT
 
Robert Gerald Buchanan
 
(PRINCIPAL EXECUTIVE OFFICER)
     
     
 
/s/ John C. Wobensmith 
 
CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER, SECRETARY AND TREASURER
   John C. Wobensmith
 
(PRINCIPAL FINANCIAL AND ACCOUNTING OFFICER)
     
     
 
/s/ Peter C. Georgiopoulos
 
CHAIRMAN OF THE BOARD AND DIRECTOR
   Peter C. Georgiopoulos
   
     
     
 
/s/ Stephen A. Kaplan
 
DIRECTOR
 
Stephen A. Kaplan
   
     
     
 
/s/ Nathaniel C. A. Kramer
 
DIRECTOR
 
Nathaniel C. A. Kramer
   
     
     
 
/s/ Harry A. Perrin
 
DIRECTOR
 
Harry A. Perrin
   
     
     
 
/s/ Mark F. Polzin
 
DIRECTOR
 
Mark F. Polzin
   
     
     
 
/s/ Robert C. North
 
DIRECTOR
 
Rear Admiral Robert C. North, USCG (ret.)
   
     
     
 
/s/ Basil G. Mavroleon
 
DIRECTOR
 
Basil G. Mavroleon
   


87 
 

 

EXHIBIT INDEX

Exhibit                 Document
3.1
 
Amended and Restated Articles of Incorporation of Genco Shipping & Trading Limited (1)
     
           
3.2
 
Articles of Amendment of Articles of Incorporation of Genco Shipping & Trading Limited as adopted July 21, 2005 (2)
     
           
3.3
 
Articles of Amendment of Articles of Incorporation of Genco Shipping & Trading Limited as adopted May 18, 2006 (3)
     
         
3. 3.4
 
Certificate of Designations of Series A Preferred Stock (4)
   
           
3.5
 
Amended and Restated By-Laws of Genco Shipping & Trading Limited, dated as of April 9, 2007 (4)
     
           
4.1
 
Form of Share Certificate of the Company (5)
     
           
4.2
 
Shareholder Rights Agreement, dated as of April 11, 2007, between Genco Shipping & Trading Limited and Mellon Investor Services LLC, as Rights Agent (4)
     
           
10.1
 
Registration Rights Agreement (5)
     
           
10.2
 
2005 Equity Incentive Plan, as amended and restated effective December 31, 2005 (6)
     
           
10.3
 
Time Charter Party Between Lauritzen Bulkers A/S and Genco Explorer Limited (1)
     
           
10.4
 
Time Charter Party Between Lauritzen Bulkers A/S and Genco Pioneer Limited (1)
     
           
10.5
 
Time Charter Party Between Lauritzen Bulkers A/S and Genco Progress Limited (1)
     
           
10.6
 
Time Charter Party Between Lauritzen Bulkers A/S and Genco Reliance Limited (1)
     
           
10.7
 
Time Charter Party Between Lauritzen Bulkers A/S and Genco Sugar Limited (1)
     
           
10.8
 
Restricted Stock Grant Agreement dated October 31, 2005 between Genco Shipping & Trading Limited and Robert Gerald Buchanan (7)
     
           
10.9
 
Restricted Stock Grant Agreement dated October 31, 2005 between Genco Shipping & Trading Limited and John C. Wobensmith (7)
     
           
10.10
 
Restricted Stock Grant Agreement dated December 21, 2005 between Genco Shipping & Trading Limited and Robert Gerald Buchanan (7)
     
           
10.17
 
Restricted Stock Grant Agreement dated December 21, 2005 between Genco Shipping & Trading Limited and John C. Wobensmith (7)
     
           
10.18
 
Restricted Stock Grant Agreement dated December 22, 2006 between Genco Shipping & Trading Limited and Robert Gerald Buchanan (8)
     
           
10.19
 
Restricted Stock Grant Agreement dated December 22, 2006 between Genco Shipping & Trading Limited and John C. Wobensmith (8)
     
         
1010.20
 
Restricted Stock Grant Agreement dated December 21, 2007 between Genco Shipping & Trading Limited and Robert Gerald Buchanan (9)
   
 
 
88

 
 
     
1010.21
 
Restricted Stock Grant Agreement dated December 21, 2007 between Genco Shipping & Trading Limited and John C. Wobensmith (9)
   
     
1010.22
 
Restricted Stock Grant Agreement dated January 10, 2008 between Genco Shipping & Trading Limited and Peter C. Georgiopoulos (9)
   
         
1010.23
 
Restricted Stock Grant Agreement dated December 24, 2008 between Genco Shipping & Trading Limited and Robert Gerald Buchanan (*)
   
         
1010.24
 
Restricted Stock Grant Agreement dated December 24, 2008 between Genco Shipping & Trading Limited and John C. Wobensmith (*)
   
         
1010.25
 
Restricted Stock Grant Agreement dated December 24, 2008 between Genco Shipping & Trading Limited and Peter C. Georgiopoulos (*)
   
         
1010.26
 
Form of Director Restricted Stock Grant Agreement dated as of February 13, 2008 (9)
   
         
1010.27
 
Form of Director Restricted Stock Grant Agreement dated as of July 24, 2008 (10)
   
         
1010.28
 
Master Agreement by and between Genco Shipping & Trading Limited and Metrostar Management Corporation (11)
   
         
1010.29
 
Form of Memorandum of Agreement dated as of August 8, 2007 by and between Subsidiaries of Genco Shipping & Trading Limited and affiliates of Evalend Shipping Co. S.A.  (12)
   
         
1010.30
 
Memorandum of Agreement dated as of May 7, 2008 by and among Genco Cavalier LLC, Bocimar International N.V., and Delphis N.V.  (10)
 
   
1010.31
 
Form of Memorandum of Agreement dated as of May 7, 2008 by and between subsidiaries of Genco Shipping & Trading Limited and Bocimar International N.V.  (10)
   
         
1010.32
 
Form of Memorandum of Agreement dated as of June 13, 2008 for acquisition of vessels from Lambert Navigation Ltd., Northville Navigation Ltd., Providence Navigation Ltd., and Prime Bulk Navigation Ltd.  (10)
   
         
1010.33
 
Credit Agreement, dated as of July 20, 2007, among Genco Shipping & Trading Limited, Various Lenders, DnB NOR Bank ASA, New York Branch, as Administrative Agent and Collateral Agent, and DnB NOR Bank ASA, New York Branch, as Mandated Lead Arranger and Bookrunner (13)
   
         
1010.34
 
Pledge and Security Agreement, dated as of July 20, 2007, by Genco Augustus Limited, Genco Claudius Limited, Genco Commodus Limited, Genco Constantine Limited, Genco Hadrian Limited, Genco London Limited, Genco Maximus Limited, Genco Tiberius Limited and Genco Titus Limited, as pledgors, to DnB NOR Bank, ASA, New York Branch, as Collateral Agent, for the benefit of the Secured Creditors and Nordea Bank Finland PLC, New York Branch, as Deposit Account Bank (13)
   
         
1010.35
 
Guaranty, dated as of July 20, 2007, by Genco Augustus Limited, Genco Claudius Limited, Genco Commodus Limited, Genco Constantine Limited, Genco Hadrian Limited, Genco London Limited, Genco Maximus Limited, Genco Tiberius Limited and Genco Titus Limited, as guarantors, for the benefit of the Secured Creditors (13)
   
         
10.36
 
Amendment and Supplement No. 1 to Senior Secured Credit Agreement, dated as of September 21, 2007, among Genco Shipping & Trading Limited, the lenders party thereto, and DNB NOR Bank ASA, New York Branch, as Administrative Agent.  (14)
   
         
1010.37
 
Amendment and Supplement No. 2 to Senior Secured Credit Agreement, dated as of February 13, 2008, among Genco Shipping & Trading Limited, the lenders party thereto, and DNB NOR Bank ASA, New York Branch, as Administrative Agent (9)
   
 
 
 
89

 
 
 
10.38
 
Amendment and Supplement No. 3 to Senior Secured Credit Agreement, dated as of June 18, 2008, by and among Genco Shipping & Trading Limited, the lenders signatory thereto, and DnB NOR BANK ASA, New York Branch, as Administrative Agent, Collateral Agent, Mandated Lead Arranger and Bookrunner.  (10)
 
 
           
10.39
 
Amendment and Supplement No. 4 to Senior Secured Credit Agreement, dated as of January 26, 2009, among Genco Shipping & Trading Limited, the lenders party thereto, DNB NOR Bank ASA, New York Branch, as Administrative Agent, mandated lead arranger, bookrunner, security trustee and collateral agent, and Bank of Scotland PLC, as mandated lead arranger.  (**)
     
           
10.40
 
Letter Agreement, dated September 21, 2007, between Genco Shipping & Trading Limited and John C. Wobensmith.  (14)
     
           
14.1
 
Code of Ethics (9)
     
           
21.1
 
Subsidiaries of Genco Shipping & Trading Limited (*)
     
           
23.1
 
Consent of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm (*)
     
           
31.1
 
Certification of President pursuant to Rule 13(a)-14(a) and 15(d)-14(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (*)
     
           
31.2
 
Certification of Chief Financial Officer pursuant to Rule 13(a)-14(a) and 15(d)-14(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (*)
     
           
32.1
 
Certification of President pursuant to 18 U.S.C. Section 1350 (*)
     
           
32.2
 
Certification of Chief Financial Officer pursuant to 18 U.S.C. Section 1350 (*)
     



(*)
 
Filed herewith.
(**)    Filed herewith to reflect a minor correction to Section 6 of the copy filed as an exhibit to Genco Shipping & Trading Limited's Report on Form 8-K filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on January 26, 2009.
(1)
 
Incorporated by reference to Genco Shipping & Trading Limited's Registration Statement on Form S-1/A, filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on July 6, 2005.
(2)
 
Incorporated by reference to Genco Shipping & Trading Limited's Registration Statement on Form S-1/A, filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on July 21, 2005.
(3)
 
Incorporated by reference to Genco Shipping & Trading Limited's Report on Form 8-K, filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on May 18, 2006.
(4)
 
Incorporated by reference to Genco Shipping & Trading Limited's Report on Form 8-K, filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on April 9, 2007.
(5)
 
Incorporated by reference to Genco Shipping & Trading Limited's Registration Statement on Form S-1/A, filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on July 18, 2005.
(6)
 
Incorporated by reference to Genco Shipping & Trading Limited's Report on Form 8-K, filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on November 4, 2005.
(7)
 
Incorporated by reference to Genco Shipping & Trading Limited's Annual Report on Form 10-K, filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on February 27, 2006.
(8)
 
Incorporated by reference to Genco Shipping & Trading Limited's Annual Report on Form 10-K, filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on February 9, 2007.
(9)
 
Incorporated by reference to Genco Shipping & Trading Limited's Annual Report on Form 10-K, filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on February 29, 2008.
(10)
 
Incorporated by reference to Genco Shipping & Trading Limited's Report on Form 10-Q, filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on August 8, 2008.
(11)
 
Incorporated by reference to Genco Shipping & Trading Limited's Report on Form 8-K, filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on July 18, 2007.
(12)
 
Incorporated by reference to Genco Shipping & Trading Limited's Report on Form 10-Q, filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on November 9, 2007.
(13)
 
Incorporated by reference to Genco Shipping & Trading Limited's Report on Form 8-K, filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on July 26, 2007.
(14)
 
Incorporated by reference to Genco Shipping & Trading Limited's Report on Form 8-K, filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on September 21, 2007.
(15)
 
Incorporated by reference to Genco Shipping & Trading Limited's Report on Form 8-K, filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on January 26, 2009.

 
 
90

 
 
 
(11)        Incorporated by reference to Genco Shipping & Trading Limited's Report on Form 8-K, filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on July 18, 2007.
(12)        Incorporated by reference to Genco Shipping & Trading Limited's Report on Form 10-Q, filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on November 9, 2007.
(13)        Incorporated by reference to Genco Shipping & Trading Limited's Report on Form 8-K, filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on July 26, 2007.
(14)        Incorporated by reference to Genco Shipping & Trading Limited's Report on Form 8-K, filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on September 21, 2007.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
91