SEACOR Marine Holdings Inc. - Annual Report: 2018 (Form 10-K)

Table of Contents

United States

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

FORM 10-K

ANNUAL REPORT

PURSUANT TO SECTIONS 13 OR 15(d) OF THE

SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934

For the fiscal year ended December 31, 2018

For the transition period from              to             

Commission file number 1-37966

SEACOR Marine Holdings Inc.

(Exact name of Registrant as Specified in Its Charter)

Registrant's telephone number, including area code (346) 980-1700

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

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

Indicate by check mark 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 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     ☐   No

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant has submitted electronically every Interactive Data File required to be submitted pursuant to Rule 405 of Regulation S-T (§ 232.405 of this chapter) during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to submit such files). ☒   Yes     ☐   No

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 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. ☐

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 definitions of "large accelerated filer," "accelerated filer," "smaller reporting company" and "emerging growth company" in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act. (Check one):

If an emerging growth company, indicate by check mark if the registrant has elected not to use the extended transition period for complying with any new or revised financial accounting standards provided pursuant to Section 13(a) of the Exchange Act. ☒

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

The aggregate market value of the voting stock of the registrant held by non-affiliates as of June 29, 2018 was approximately $437,851,121 based on the closing price on the New York Stock Exchange on such date. The total number of shares of Common Stock outstanding as of March 1, 2019 was 21,043,080.

DOCUMENTS INCORPORATED BY REFERENCE

Portions of the Registrant's definitive proxy statement for its 2019 Annual Meeting of Stockholders to be filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the "Commission") pursuant to Regulation 14A within 120 days after the end of the Registrant's last fiscal year is incorporated by reference into Part III of this Annual Report on Form 10-K.

SEACOR MARINE HOLDINGS INC.

FORM 10-K

TABLE OF CONTENTS

FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS

Certain statements discussed in Item 1. (Business), Item 1A. (Risk Factors), Item 3. (Legal Proceedings), Item 7. (Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations), Item 7A. (Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosures About Market Risk) and elsewhere in this Annual Report on Form 10-K as well as in other materials and oral statements that the Company releases from time to time to the public constitute "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Such forward-looking statements concern management's expectations, strategic objectives, business prospects, anticipated economic performance and financial condition and other similar matters and involve significant known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other important factors that could cause the actual results, performance or achievements of results to differ materially from any future results, performance or achievements discussed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Certain of these risks, uncertainties and other important factors are discussed in Item 1A. (Risk Factors) and Item 7. (Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations). However, it should be understood that it is not possible to identify or predict all such risks, uncertainties and factors, and others may arise from time to time. All of these forward-looking statements constitute the Company's cautionary statements under the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. The words "anticipate," "estimate," "expect," "project," "intend," "believe," "plan," "target," "forecast" and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements speak only as of the date of the document in which they are made. The Company disclaims any obligation or undertaking to provide any updates or revisions to any forward-looking statement to reflect any change in the Company's expectations or any change in events, conditions or circumstances on which the forward-looking statement is based. It is advisable, however, to consult any further disclosures the Company makes on related subjects in its Annual Reports on Form 10-K, Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q and Current Reports on Form 8-K filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

PART I

General

Unless the context indicates otherwise, the terms "we," "our," "ours," "us," "its" and the "Company" refer to SEACOR Marine Holdings Inc. and its consolidated subsidiaries. "SEACOR Marine" refers to SEACOR Marine Holdings Inc., incorporated in 2014 in Delaware, without its subsidiaries. "Common Stock" refers to the common stock, par value $.01 per share, of SEACOR Marine. The Company's fiscal year ends on December 31 of each year.

SEACOR Marine's principal executive office is located at 12121 Wickchester Lane, Suite 500, Houston, Texas 77079, and its telephone number is (346) 980-1700. SEACOR Marine's website address is www.seacormarine.com. Any reference to SEACOR Marine's website is not intended to incorporate the information on the website into this Annual Report on Form 10-K.

The Company's corporate governance documents, including the Board of Directors' Audit Committee, Compensation Committee and Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee charters are available, free of charge, on SEACOR Marine's website or in print for stockholders.

All of the Company's periodic reports filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC") pursuant to Section 13(a), 14 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, are available, free of charge, on SEACOR Marine's website, including its Annual Reports on Form 10-K, Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q, Current Reports on Form 8-K, Proxy Statements and any amendments to those reports. These reports and amendments are available on SEACOR Marine's website as soon as reasonably practicable after the Company electronically files the reports or amendments with the SEC. They are also available at the SEC's Public Reference Room at 100 F Street, N.E., Washington, D.C. 20549. Information as to the operation of the SEC's Public Reference Room can be obtained by calling the SEC at 1-800-SEC-0330. The SEC maintains a website (www.sec.gov) that contains these reports, proxy and information statements and other information.

Business

The Company provides global marine and support transportation services to offshore oil, natural gas and windfarm facilities worldwide. The Company and its joint ventures operate and manage a diverse fleet of offshore support and specialty vessels that (i) deliver cargo and personnel to offshore installations, (ii) handle anchors and mooring equipment required to tether rigs to the seabed, (iii) tow rigs and assist in placing them on location and moving them between regions, (iv) provide construction, well work-over and decommissioning support and (v) carry and launch equipment used underwater in drilling and well installation, maintenance, inspection and repair. Additionally, the Company's vessels provide accommodations for technicians and specialists, safety support and emergency response services.

For a discussion of risk and economic factors that may impact the Company's financial position and its results of operations, see "Item 1A. Risk Factors" and "Item 7. Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations."

Equipment and Services

The following tables identify the types of vessels that comprise the Company's fleet as of December 31 for the indicated years. "Owned" are majority owned and controlled by the Company. "Joint-Ventured" are owned or operated by entities in which the Company does not have a controlling interest. "Leased-in" may either be vessels contracted from leasing companies to which the Company may have sold such vessels or vessels chartered-in from other third-party owners. "Managed" are owned by entities not affiliated with the Company but operated by the Company for a fee. A description of vessel classes follows this table.

Anchor handling towing supply ("AHTS") vessels are used primarily to support offshore drilling activities by towing, positioning and mooring drilling rigs and other marine equipment. AHTS vessels are also used to carry and launch equipment such as remote operated vehicles ("ROVs") used underwater in drilling and well installation, maintenance, and repair and transport supplies and equipment from shore bases to offshore drilling rigs, platforms and other installations, including windfarm installations. The defining characteristics of AHTS vessels are: (i) horsepower ("bhp"); (ii) bollard pull, which is the pulling capacity of the AHTS vessel and is important for towing and positioning rigs; (iii) size of winch in terms of "line pull;" and (iv) wire storage capacity. The Company's fleet of AHTS vessels has varying capabilities and supports offshore mooring activities in water depths ranging from 300 to 8,000 feet. Most modern AHTS vessels are equipped with DP systems and can also carry drilling fluids and cement below-deck. As of December 31, 2018, 10 of the 12 owned and leased-in AHTS vessels were equipped with DP-2 and two were equipped with DP-1.

Fast support vessels ("FSVs") are lightweight, aluminum hull vessels used primarily to move cargo and personnel to and from offshore drilling rigs, platforms and other installations at greater speeds than traditional steel hull support vessels. FSVs can be catamaran or mono-hull vessels ranging from 130 to 210 feet in length and capable of speeds between 20 to 45 knots with capacities to carry special cargo, support both drilling operations and production services and transport passengers. FSVs built within the last ten years are sometimes equipped with DP-2 systems, firefighting equipment and ride control systems for greater comfort and performance. As of December 31, 2018, 22 of the 33 owned and leased-in FSVs were equipped with DP-2, five were equipped with DP-1, and two were equipped with DP-3. The Company's FSV fleet includes vessels that have a passenger capacity of 36 to 150 and, on certain newer FSVs, include reclining seating, ambient lighting and other features to enhance comfort and marketability for passenger transport.

Supply vessels generally range from 190 to more than 300 feet in length and are primarily used to deliver cargo such as drilling fluids, liquid mud, methanol, diesel fuel and water to rigs and platforms where drilling and work-over activity is underway. These vessels are capable of being modified for a wide variety of other uses and missions, including, but not limited to, construction support typically when fitted with a crane, standby, security, firefighting, accommodation, and limited towing and anchor handling when fitted with a winch. Relevant differentiating features of supply vessels are total carrying capacity (expressed as deadweight: "dwt"), available area of clear deck space, below-deck capacity for storage of mud and cement used in the drilling process, tank storage for water and fuel oil, fuel efficiency and accommodation capacity. Additional factors in the commercial marketability of supply vessels are operating draft because certain markets are limited in the size of vessel that can work safely, local flag preference, cabotage requirements and regulations. To improve station keeping ability, many modern supply vessels have DP systems capabilities. As of December 31, 2018, six of the seven owned supply vessels were equipped with DP-2.

Standby safety vessels typically remain on location proximate to offshore rigs and production facilities to respond to emergencies. These vessels carry special equipment to rescue personnel and are equipped to provide first aid and shelter. These vessels sometimes perform a dual role, also functioning as supply vessels.

Specialty vessels include anchor handling tugs, accommodation, line handling and other vessels. These vessels generally have specialized features adapting them to specific applications including offshore maintenance and construction services, freight hauling services and accommodation services.

Liftboats provide a self-propelled, stable platform to perform production platform construction, inspection, maintenance and removal, well intervention and work-over, well production enhancement, well plug and abandonment, pipeline installation and maintenance and diving operations. The length of jacking legs (200 feet to 335 feet for the Company's liftboats) determines the water depth in which these vessels can work. Other differentiating features are crane lifting capacity and reach, clear deck area, electrical generating power and accommodation capacity. Liftboats are used primarily in domestic and international markets including the U.S. Gulf of Mexico, West Africa, Mexico and the Middle East. As of December 31, 2018, three of the 19 owned and leased-in liftboats were equipped with DP-2 and one liftboat with DP-1.

Crew transfer vessels (referred to as windfarm utility vessels in the Company's prior public filings) are used primarily to move personnel and supplies to offshore wind farms. There are two main types of the Company's vessels; Windcats and Windspeeds. The Windcat series feature a catamaran hull with flush foredeck, providing a stable platform from which personnel can safely transfer to turbine towers, and are capable of speeds between 25 and 31 knots. The Windspeed series are rapid response vessels with a maximum speed of 38 knots, which are used for light work during the construction and operational periods of offshore wind farms. All of the Company's crew transfer vessels have been built since 2005.

In addition to its existing fleet, the Company has new construction projects in progress, as of December 31, 2018, for 12 offshore support vessels, including

The Company's new U.S.-built equipment will meet the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency ("EPA") Tier III environmental regulations with respect to nitrous oxide ("NOx") emissions from marine diesel engines. Vessels whose keel was laid after January 1, 2016 will have to meet EPA Tier IV environmental regulations, which the Company believes will add significant expense to the new construction of offshore support vessels and may possibly be beyond current design capabilities.

Markets

The Company operates its fleet in five principal geographic regions: the United States, primarily in the Gulf of Mexico; Africa, primarily in West Africa; the Middle East and Asia; Brazil, Mexico, Central and South America; and Europe, primarily in the North Sea. The Company's vessels are highly mobile and regularly and routinely move between countries within a geographic region. In addition, the Company's vessels are redeployed among its geographic regions, subject to flag restrictions, as changes in market conditions dictate.

The table below sets forth vessel types by geographic market as of December 31 for the indicated years. The Company sometimes participates in joint venture arrangements in certain geographical locations in order to enhance marketing capabilities and facilitate operations in certain foreign markets allowing for the expansion of its fleet and operations while diversifying risks and reducing capital outlays associated with such expansion.

United States, primarily U.S. Gulf of Mexico. As of December 31, 2018, 35 vessels were located in the U.S. Gulf of Mexico, including 25 owned, five leased-in, three joint-ventured and two managed. The Company's vessels in this market support deepwater anchor handling, fast cargo transport, general cargo transport, well intervention, work-over, decommissioning and diving operations.

Africa, primarily West Africa. As of December 31, 2018, 18 vessels were located in West Africa, including 13 owned, two leased-in, two joint-ventured and one managed. The Company's vessels in this area generally support projects for major oil companies, primarily in Angola. 

Middle East and Asia. As of December 31, 2018, 30 vessels were located in the Middle East and Asia, including 22 owned, four joint-ventured and four managed. The Company's vessels in this area generally support exploration, personnel transport and seasonal construction activities in Egypt, Israel, Malaysia, Vietnam, Thailand and countries along the Arabian Gulf and Arabian Sea, such as Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Qatar.

Brazil, Mexico, Central and South America. As of December 31, 2018, 34 vessels were located in this region, including seven owned and 27 joint-ventured through the Company's 49% noncontrolling interest in Mantenimiento Express Maritimo, S.A.P.I. de C.V. ("MexMar") and through a subsidiary of the Company's 49% noncontrolling interest in MEXMAR Offshore International LLC ("MEXMAR Offshore"). These vessels, consisting of a fleet of FSVs, supply, specialty and liftboat vessels, provide support for exploration and production activities in Mexico, Brazil and Guyana. From time to time, the Company's vessels work in Trinidad and Tobago, Colombia and Venezuela.

Europe, primarily North Sea. As of December 31, 2018, 22 non-wind farm related vessels were located in Europe providing standby safety and supply services, including 18 owned and four joint-ventured. Demand for standby services developed in 1991 after the United Kingdom passed legislation requiring offshore operators to maintain higher specification standby safety vessels. The legislation requires a vessel to "stand by" to provide a means of evacuation and rescue for platform and rig personnel in the event of an emergency at an offshore installation. In addition, 40 vessels were located in this region supporting the construction and maintenance of offshore wind turbines, including 36 owned and four joint ventured. 

Seasonality

The demand for the Company's fleet can fluctuate with weather conditions because maintenance, construction and decommissioning activities are planned during times of the year with more favorable weather conditions. Seasonality is most pronounced for the liftboat fleet in the U.S. Gulf of Mexico, offshore support vessels in the Middle East and crew transfer vessels in the North Sea, with peak demand normally occurring during the summer months. As a consequence of this seasonality, the Company typically schedules drydockings or other repair and maintenance activity during the winter months.

Customers and Contractual Arrangements

The Company's principal customers are major integrated national and international oil companies, independent oil and natural gas exploration and production companies, as well as wind farm operations and installation and maintenance companies. Consolidation of oil and natural gas companies through mergers and acquisitions over the past several years has reduced the Company's customer base. This, together with the depressed oil and gas price environment that began in 2014 has negatively affected exploration, field development and production activity as consolidated companies generally focus, at least initially, on increasing efficiency and reducing costs and delay or abandon exploration activity and facilities with less promise. During the year ended December 31, 2018, one customer, Perenco UK Limited, was responsible for 10% or more of the Company's consolidated operating revenues. The Company's ten largest customers accounted for approximately 47% of its operating revenues in 2018. The loss of one or more of these customers could have a material adverse effect on the Company's business, financial position, results of operations and cash flows.

The Company earns revenues primarily from the time charter and bareboat charter of vessels to customers based upon daily rates of hire. Therefore, vessel revenues are recognized on a daily basis throughout the contract period. Under a time charter, the Company provides a vessel to a customer and is responsible for all operating expenses, typically excluding fuel. Under a bareboat charter, the Company provides a vessel to a customer and the customer assumes responsibility for all operating expenses and all risk of operation. In the U.S. Gulf of Mexico, time charter durations and rates are typically established in the context of master service agreements that govern the terms and conditions of the charter. From time to time, the Company may also participate in pooling arrangements whereby the time charter revenues of certain of the Company's vessels are shared with the time charter revenues of certain vessels of similar type owned by non-affiliated vessel owners based upon an agreed formula.

Contract or charter durations may range from several days to several years. Longer duration charters are more common where equipment is not as readily available or specific equipment is required. In the North Sea, multi-year charters have been more common and constitute a significant portion of that market. Time charters in Asia have historically been less common and generally contracts or charters have terms of less than two years. In the Company's other operating areas, charters vary in length from short-term to multi-year periods, many with cancellation clauses and no early termination penalty. As a result of options and frequent renewals, the stated duration of charters may have little correlation with the length of time the vessel is actually contracted to provide services to a particular customer.

Competitive Conditions

The market for offshore marine services is highly fragmented and competitive depending upon the region of operation. The most important competitive factors are pricing, availability and specifications of equipment to fit customer requirements. Other important factors include service, reputation, flag preference, local marine operating conditions, the ability to provide and maintain logistical support given the complexity of a project and the cost of moving equipment from one geographic region to another.

The Company has numerous competitors in each of the geographic regions in which it operates, ranging from international companies that operate in many regions to smaller local companies that typically concentrate their activities in one specific region.

Risks of Foreign Operations

For the years ended December 31, 2018, 2017, and 2016, 79%, 87% and 85%, respectively, of the Company's operating revenues and $(1.3) million, $1.9 million, and $(4.2) million, respectively, of the Company's equity in earnings (losses) from 50% or less owned companies, net of tax, were derived from its foreign operations.

Foreign operations are subject to inherent risks, which, if they materialize, could have a material adverse effect on the Company's business, financial position, results of operations, cash flows or growth prospects. See the risk factors regarding international operations in "Item 1A. Risk Factors."

Government Regulation

The Company's ownership, operation, construction and staffing of vessels is subject to significant regulation under various international, federal, state and local laws and regulations and pursuant to international conventions, including international conventions and ship registry laws of the nations under which the Company's vessels are flagged, especially with respect to regulatory matters, health, safety and environmental protection and vessel and port security.

Regulatory Matters

Domestically registered vessels are subject to the jurisdiction of the United States Coast Guard ("USCG"), the National Transportation Safety Board ("NTSB"), the U.S. Customs and Border Protection ("CBP"), EPA and the U.S. Maritime Administration, as well as in certain instances applicable state and local laws. The Company's operations may, from time to time, also fall under the jurisdiction of the U.S. Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement ("BSEE") and its Safety and Environmental Management System regulations, and the Company must also periodically certify that its maritime operations adhere to those regulations. These agencies and organizations establish safety requirements and standards and are authorized to investigate vessels and accidents and to recommend improved maritime safety standards.

The Company is subject to regulation under the Jones Act and related U.S. cabotage laws, which restrict ownership and operation of vessels in the U.S. coastwise trade (i.e., trade between points in the United States), including the transportation of cargo. Subject to limited exceptions, the Jones Act requires that vessels engaged in U.S. coastwise trade be built in the United States, registered under the U.S.-flag, manned by predominantly U.S. crews, and be owned and operated by U.S. citizens within the meaning of the Jones Act. Violation of the Jones Act could prohibit operation of vessels in the U.S. coastwise trade during the period of such non-compliance, result in material fines and subject Company vessels to seizure and forfeiture.

To facilitate compliance with the Jones Act, the Company's Second Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation and Second Amended and Restated By-Laws: (i) limit the aggregate percentage ownership by non-U.S. citizens of any class of the Company's capital stock (including Common Stock) to 22.5% of the outstanding shares of each such class to ensure that ownership by non-U.S. citizens will not exceed the maximum percentage permitted by applicable maritime law (presently 25%) but authorize the Company's Board of Directors, under certain circumstances, to increase the foregoing percentage to 24%; (ii) require institution of a dual stock certification system to help determine such ownership; (iii) provide that any issuance or transfer of shares in excess of such permitted percentage shall be ineffective as against the Company and that neither the Company nor its transfer agent shall register such purported issuance or transfer of shares or be required to recognize the purported transferee or owner as a stockholder of the Company for any purpose whatsoever except to exercise its remedies; (iv) provide that any such excess shares shall not have any voting or dividend rights; (v) permit the Company to redeem any such excess shares; and (vi) permit the Board of Directors to make such reasonable determinations as may be necessary to ascertain such ownership and implement such limitations. In addition, the Company's Second Amended and Restated By-Laws limit the number of non-U.S. citizens that may serve as directors and restrict any non-U.S. citizen officer from acting in the absence or disability of the Chairman of the Board of Directors, the Chief Executive Officer or the President.  For more information, see the Company’s Second Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation and Second Amended and Restated By-Laws.

The Company operates vessels that are registered in the United States as well as in a number of foreign jurisdictions. Vessels are subject to the laws of the applicable jurisdiction as to ownership, registration, manning, environmental protection and safety. Vessels operated as standby safety vessels in the North Sea are subject to the requirements of the Department of Transport of the United Kingdom pursuant to the United Kingdom Safety Act. In addition, the Company's vessels are subject to the requirements of a number of international conventions, as amended, that are applicable to vessels depending on their jurisdiction of registration. Among the more significant of these conventions are: (i) the International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships, 1973, as modified by the Protocol of 1978 relating thereto ("MARPOL"); (ii) the International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea, 1974 and 1978 Protocols ("SOLAS"); and (iii) the International Convention on Standards of Training, Certification and Watchkeeping for Seafarers ("STCW").

The Maritime Labour Convention, 2006 (the "MLC") establishes comprehensive minimum requirements for working conditions of seafarers including, among other things, conditions of employment, hours of work and rest, grievance and complaints procedures, accommodations, recreational facilities, food and catering, health protection, medical care, welfare, and social security protection. The MLC defines seafarer to include all persons engaged in work on a vessel in addition to the vessel's crew. Under this MLC definition, the Company may be responsible for proving that customer and contractor personnel aboard its vessels have contracts of employment that comply with the MLC requirements. The Company could also be responsible for salaries and/or benefits of third-parties that may board one of its vessels. The MLC requires certain vessels that engage in international trade to maintain a valid Maritime Labour Certificate issued by their flag administration. Although the United States is not a party to the MLC, U.S.-flag vessels operating internationally must comply with the MLC when visiting a port in a country that is a party to the MLC. The Company has developed and implemented a fleetwide plan designed to comply with the MLC to the extent applicable to its vessels.

The hull and machinery of most commercial vessels are classed by an international classification society authorized by its country of registry and subject to survey and inspection by shipping regulatory bodies. The international classification society certifies that a vessel is maintained in accordance with the applicable rules and regulations of the country of registry of the vessel and the United Nations Safety of Life at Sea Conventions. Certain of the Company's vessels are subject to the periodic inspection, survey, drydocking and maintenance requirements of the USCG, the American Bureau of Shipping and other marine classification societies.

Under the Merchant Marine Act of 1936, the Company's U.S.-flagged vessels will be subject to repositioning by the U.S. Government under certain terms and conditions during a national emergency as described further in the risk factor under the heading "The Company's U.S.-flag vessels are subject to requisition for ownership or use by the United States in case of national emergency or national defense need" under Item 1A of this Annual Report on Form 10-K.

In addition to the USCG, the EPA, the U.S. Department of Transportation's Office of Pipeline Safety, the BSEE and certain individual U.S. states regulate vessels and other structures in accordance with the requirements of the Oil Pollution Act of 1990 ("OPA 90") or analogous state law. There is currently little uniformity among the regulations issued by these agencies, which increases the Company's compliance costs and risk of non-compliance.

Although the Company faces some risk when responding to third-party oil spills, a responder engaged in emergency and crisis activities has immunity from liability under U.S. federal law and all U.S. coastal state laws for any spills arising from its response efforts, except in the event of death or personal injury or as a result of its gross negligence or willful misconduct. The Company may also have derivative immunity when working under the orders of a Federal On Scene Coordinator. 

Environmental Compliance

The Company is subject to extensive federal, state, local and international environmental and safety laws and regulations and to comprehensive international conventions, including laws and regulations related to the discharge of oil and pollutants into waters regulated thereunder. Violations of these laws may result in civil and criminal penalties, fines, injunctions, or other sanctions.

The Company does not expect that it will be required to make capital expenditures in the near future to comply with environmental laws and regulations that would have a material adverse effect on its financial position, results of operations, cash flows or growth prospects; however, because such laws and regulations frequently change and may impose increasingly strict requirements, the Company cannot predict the ultimate cost of complying with these laws and regulations.

OPA 90 establishes a regulatory and liability regime for the protection of the environment from oil spills. OPA 90 applies to owners and operators of facilities operating near navigable waters of the United States and owners, operators and bareboat charterers of vessels operating in U.S. waters, which include the navigable waters of the United States and the 200-mile exclusive economic zone around the United States (the "EEZ"). For purposes of its liability limits and financial responsibility and response planning requirements, OPA 90 differentiates between tank vessels (such as chemical and petroleum product vessels and liquid tank barges) and "other vessels" (such as the Company's offshore support vessels).

Under OPA 90, owners and operators of regulated facilities and owners and operators or bareboat charterers of vessels are "responsible parties" and may be jointly, severally and strictly liable for removal costs and damages arising from facility and vessel oil spills or threatened spills up to certain limits of liability as discussed below. Damages are defined broadly to include: (i) injury to natural resources and the costs of remediation thereof; (ii) injury to, or economic losses resulting from, the destruction of real and personal property; (iii) net loss by various governmental bodies, of taxes, royalties, rents, fees and profits; (iv) lost profits or impairment of earning capacity due to property or natural resources damage; (v) net costs of providing increased or additional public services necessitated by a spill response, such as protection from fire or other hazards or taking additional safety precautions; and (vi) loss of subsistence use of available natural resources.

OPA 90 limits liability for responsible parties for non-tank vessels, such as the Company's, to the greater of $1,100 per gross ton or $939,800. These liability limits do not apply (a) if an incident is caused by the responsible party's violation of federal safety, construction or operating regulations or by the responsible party's gross negligence or willful misconduct, (b) if the responsible party fails to report the incident or to provide reasonable cooperation and assistance in connection with oil removal activities as required by a responsible official or (c) if the responsible party fails to comply with an order issued under OPA 90.

OPA 90 requires vessel owners and operators to establish and maintain with the USCG evidence of insurance or qualification as a self-insurer or other evidence of financial responsibility sufficient to meet their potential liabilities under OPA 90. The Company has satisfied USCG regulations by providing evidence of financial responsibility demonstrated by commercial insurance and self-insurance. OPA 90 regulations also implement the financial responsibility requirements of the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act ("CERCLA"), which imposes liability for any discharge of hazardous substances, similar to OPA 90, and provides compensation for cleanup, removal and natural resource damages. Liability per vessel under CERCLA is limited to the greater of $300 per gross ton or $5 million, unless the incident is caused by gross negligence, willful misconduct, or a violation of certain regulations, in which case liability is unlimited.

Under the Nontank Vessel Response Plan Final Rule, owners and operators of nontank vessels are required to prepare Nontank Vessel Response Plans. The Company expects its current pollution liability insurance to cover spill removal costs, subject to coverage deductibles and limitations, including a cap of $1.0 billion. There could be a material adverse effect on the Company's business, financial position, results of operations, cash flows or growth prospects if the Company incurs spill liability under circumstances in which the insurance carrier fails or refuses to provide coverage or the loss exceeds the Company's coverage limitations.

MARPOL is the main international convention covering prevention of pollution of the marine environment by vessels from operational or accidental discharges. It is implemented in the United States pursuant to the Act to Prevent Pollution from Ships. Since the 1990s, the Department of Justice ("DOJ") has been aggressively enforcing U.S. criminal laws against vessel owners, operators, managers, crew members, shore side personnel, and corporate officers related to violations of MARPOL. Violations have related to pollution prevention devices, such as the oily-water separator, and include falsifying records, obstructing justice, and making false statements. In certain cases, responsible shipboard officers and shoreside officials have been sentenced to prison. In addition, the DOJ has required most defendants to implement a comprehensive environmental compliance plan ("ECP") or risk losing the ability to trade in U.S. waters. If the Company is subjected to a DOJ prosecution, it could suffer significant adverse effects, including substantial criminal penalties and defense costs, reputation damages and costs associated with the implementation of an ECP.

The Clean Water Act ("CWA") prohibits the discharge of "pollutants" into the navigable waters of the United States. The CWA also prohibits the discharge of oil or hazardous substances, into navigable waters of the United States and the EEZ around the United States and imposes civil and criminal penalties for unauthorized discharges, thereby exposing the Company to liability that is in addition to liability arising under OPA 90 and CERCLA.

The CWA also established the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System ("NPDES") permitting program, which governs discharges of pollutants into navigable waters of the United States. Pursuant to the NPDES permitting program, the EPA has issued Vessel General Permits covering discharges incidental to normal vessel operations. The EPA issued the 2013 Vessel General Permit (“2013 VGP”) on April 12, 2013 with an effective five-year period of December 19, 2013 to December 18, 2018.  In light of the legislation described below, the 2013 VGP continues to apply to U.S.-flag and foreign-flag commercial vessels that are at least 79 feet in length and operate within the three-mile territorial sea of the United States. The 2013 VGP requires vessel owners and operators to adhere to "best management practices" to manage the covered discharges that occur normally in the operation of a vessel, including ballast water, and implements various training, inspection, monitoring, record keeping, and reporting requirements, as well as corrective actions upon identification of deficiencies. The Company has filed a Notice of Intent to be covered by the 2013 VGP for each of its ships that operate in U.S. waters.

On December 4, 2018, the Vessel Incidental Discharge Act (“VIDA”) was enacted, establishing a new framework for the regulation of discharges incidental to the normal operations of vessels.  VIDA requires the EPA to develop performance standards for such discharges within two years of its enactment and requires the USCG to develop implementation, compliance, and enforcement regulations within two years of EPA’s promulgation of standards. VIDA extends the 2013 VGP’s provisions, leaving them in effect until new regulations are final and enforceable.  Non-military, non-recreational vessels greater than 79 feet in length must continue to comply with the requirements of the 2013 VGP, including submission of annual reports. The Company can provide no assurance as to when the new regulations and performance standards will be issued, nor can it predict what additional costs it may incur to comply with any such new regulations and performance standards.

Many countries have ratified and are thus subject to the liability scheme adopted by the International Maritime Organization (the "IMO") and set out in the International Convention on Civil Liability for Oil Pollution Damage of 1969 (the "1969 Convention"). Some of these countries have also adopted the 1992 Protocol to the 1969 Convention (the "1992 Protocol"). Under both the 1969 Convention and the 1992 Protocol, 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 from ships carrying oil in bulk as cargo, subject to certain complete defenses. These conventions also limit the liability of the shipowner under certain circumstances, provided the discharge was not caused by the shipowner's actual fault or intentional or reckless misconduct.

Vessels trading to countries that are parties to these conventions must provide evidence of insurance covering the liability of the owner. The Company believes that its Protection and Indemnity ("P&I") insurance will cover any liability under these conventions, subject to applicable policy deductibles, exclusions and limitations.

The United States is not a party to the 1969 Convention or the 1992 Protocol, and thus OPA 90, CERCLA, CWA and other federal and state laws apply in the United States as discussed above. In other jurisdictions where the 1969 Convention has not been adopted, various legislative and regulatory schemes or common law govern, and liability is imposed either on the basis of fault or in a manner similar to that convention.

The International Convention on Civil Liability for Bunker Oil Pollution Damage, 2001, was adopted to ensure that adequate, prompt and effective compensation is available to persons who suffer damage caused by spills of oil when used as fuel by vessels. The convention applies to damage caused to the territory, including the territorial sea, and in the EEZs, of the countries that are party to it. Although the United States has not ratified this convention, U.S.-flag vessels operating internationally would be subject to it if they sail within the territories of those countries that have implemented its provisions. The Company believes that its vessels comply with these requirements.

The National Invasive Species Act ("NISA") was enacted in the United States in 1996 in response to growing reports of harmful organisms being released into U.S. waters through ballast water taken on by vessels in foreign ports. The USCG adopted regulations under NISA that impose mandatory ballast water management practices for all vessels equipped with ballast water tanks entering U.S. waters. All new vessels constructed on or after December 1, 2013, regardless of ballast water capacity, must comply with these requirements on delivery from the shipyard absent an extension from the USCG. For non-exempt vessels, ballast water treatment equipment may be required to be used on the vessel. In response to these requirements, the Company's ships operating in the United States waters currently use water from U.S. public systems. Some U.S. states have enacted legislation or regulations to address the introduction of invasive species through ballast water and hull cleaning management, and permitting requirements, which in many cases have also become part of the state's 2013 VGP certification. Other states may proceed with the enactment of similar requirements that could increase the Company's costs of operating in state waters.

The IMO ratified the International Convention for the Control and Management of Ships' Ballast Water and Sediments, otherwise known as the Ballast Water Management Convention (the "BWM Convention"), which entered into force on September 8, 2017. Under the BWM Convention, all ships in international traffic are required to manage their ballast water and sediments under a ship-specific ballast water management plan. The United States is not a party to the BWM Convention, but vessels that undertake international voyages may have to install an IMO approved ballast water treatment system or use one of the other management options under the BWM Convention to achieve compliance. In response to these requirements, the Company currently uses a BWM Convention-compliant ballast water management method of chemical disinfectant on its vessels operating outside the United States.

The Endangered Species Act, related regulations and comparable state laws protect species threatened with possible extinction. Protection may include restrictions on the speed of vessels in certain ocean waters and may require the Company to change the routes of vessels during particular periods.

The Clean Air Act (as amended, the "CAA") requires the EPA to promulgate standards applicable to emissions of volatile organic compounds and other air contaminants. The CAA also requires states to submit State Implementation Plans ("SIPs"), which are designed to attain national health-based air quality standards throughout the United States, including major metropolitan and/or industrial areas. Several SIPs regulate emissions resulting from vessel loading and unloading operations by requiring the installation of vapor control equipment. The EPA and some U.S. states have each proposed more stringent regulations of air emissions from propulsion and auxiliary engines on oceangoing vessels.

MARPOL also addresses air emissions, including emissions of sulfur and nitrous oxide ("NOx"), from vessels, including a requirement to use low sulfur fuels worldwide in both auxiliary and main propulsion diesel engines on vessels. Vessels worldwide are currently required to use fuel with a sulfur content no greater than 3.5%, which the IMO decided in October 2016 to reduce to 0.5% beginning in January 2020. As a result of this reduction, fuel costs for vessel operators could rise dramatically beginning in 2020, which could have a material adverse effect on the Company's business, financial position, results of operations, cash flows and growth prospects. MARPOL also imposes NOx emissions standards on installed marine diesel engines of over 130 kW output power other than those used solely for emergency purposes irrespective of the tonnage of the vessel into which such an engine is installed. The actual NOx limit is determined by a variety of factors, including the vessel's construction date, the rated speed of the vessel's engine, and the area in which the vessel is operating.

More stringent sulfur and NOx requirements apply in certain designated Emission Control Areas (“ECAs”). There are currently four ECAs worldwide: the Baltic Sea ECA, North Sea ECA, North American ECA, and U.S. Caribbean ECA. As of January 1, 2015, vessels operating in an ECA must burn fuel with a sulfur content no greater than 0.1%. Further, marine diesel engines on vessels constructed on or after January 1, 2016 that are operated in an ECA must meet the stringent NOx standards described above.

The Company's operations occasionally generate and require the transportation, treatment and disposal of both hazardous and non-hazardous solid wastes that are subject in the United States to the requirements of the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act ("RCRA") or comparable U.S. state, local or foreign requirements. From time to time the Company arranges for the disposal of hazardous waste or hazardous substances at offsite disposal facilities. The EPA has a longstanding policy that RCRA only applies after wastes are "purposely removed" from a vessel. As a general matter, with certain exceptions, vessel owners and operators are required to determine if their wastes are hazardous, obtain a generator identification number, comply with certain standards for the proper management of hazardous wastes, and use hazardous waste manifests for shipments to disposal facilities. Moreover, vessel owners and operators may be subject to more stringent U.S. state hazardous waste requirements. If such materials are improperly disposed of by third-parties with which the Company contracts, the Company may still be held liable for cleanup costs under applicable laws.

MARPOL also governs the discharge of garbage from ships. MARPOL defines certain sea areas, such as the "wider Caribbean region" as "special areas" requiring a higher level of protection than other areas of the sea.

Applicable MARPOL regulations provide for strict garbage management procedures and documentation requirements for all vessels and fixed and floating platforms. These regulations impose a general prohibition on the discharge of all garbage unless the discharge is expressly provided for under the regulations. The regulations have greatly reduced the amount of garbage that vessels are allowed to dispose of at sea and have increased the Company's costs of disposing garbage remaining on board vessels at their port calls.

Various international conventions and federal, state and local laws and regulations have been considered or implemented to address the environmental effects of emissions of greenhouse gases, such as carbon dioxide and methane. The U.S. Congress has considered, but not adopted, legislation designed to reduce emission of greenhouse gases. At United Nations climate change conferences over the past few decades, various countries have agreed to specific international accords or protocols to establish limitations on greenhouse gas emissions. In December 1997, the Kyoto Protocol was adopted pursuant to which member parties agreed to implement national programs to reduce emissions of greenhouse gases. At the 2015 United Nations climate change conference in Paris, various countries adopted the Paris Agreement, which seeks to reduce emissions in an effort to slow global warming. While the United States signed the Paris Agreement in 2016, it has subsequently taken steps to withdraw from the agreement. The Paris Agreement does not specifically mention shipping.

The IMO has announced its intention to develop limits on greenhouse gases from international shipping and is working on proposed mandatory technical and operational measures to achieve these limits. The first step toward this goal occurred in October 2016, when the IMO adopted a system for collecting data on ships' fuel-oil consumption, which will be mandatory and apply globally.

In June 2013, the European Commission proposed legislation and established a strategy for progressively integrating maritime emissions into the European Union's (the "E.U.") policy for reducing domestic greenhouse emissions. As of January 1, 2015, E.U. Member States have to ensure that ships in the Baltic, the North Sea and the English Channel are using fuels with a sulfur content of no more than 0.10%. In addition, the European Parliament and E.U. Council have adopted a series of regulations beginning with Regulation 2015/757, which became effective on July 1, 2015, that establish a system for monitoring, reporting and verifying emissions from vessels of 5,000 or more gross tons calling at E.U. ports. The first reporting period began on January 1, 2018.

In the United States, pursuant to an April 2007 decision of the U.S. Supreme Court, the EPA was required to consider whether carbon dioxide should be considered a pollutant that endangers public health and welfare, and thus subject to regulation under the CAA. In October 2007, the California Attorney General and a coalition of environmental groups petitioned the EPA to regulate greenhouse gas emissions from oceangoing vessels under the CAA. On December 1, 2009, the EPA issued an "endangerment finding" regarding greenhouse gases under the CAA. To date, the regulations proposed and enacted by the EPA regarding carbon dioxide have not involved oceangoing vessels. Under MARPOL, vessels operating in designated ECAs are required to meet fuel sulfur limits and NOx emission limits, including the use of engines that meet the EPA standards for NOx emissions, as discussed above.

Any future adoption of climate control treaties, legislation or other regulatory measures by the United Nations, IMO, EU, United States or other countries where the Company operates that restrict emissions of greenhouse gases could result in financial and operational impacts on the Company's business (including potential capital expenditures to reduce such emissions) that the Company cannot predict with certainty at this time. In addition, there may be significant physical effects of climate change from such emissions that have the potential to negatively impact the Company's customers, personnel, and physical assets, any of which could adversely impact cargo levels, the demand for the Company's services, or the Company's ability to recruit personnel.

The Company manages exposure to losses from the above-described laws through its development of appropriate risk management programs, including compliance programs, safety management systems and insurance programs. Although the Company believes these programs mitigate its legal risk, there can be no assurance that any future regulations or requirements or any discharge or emission of pollutants by the Company will not have a material adverse effect on its business, financial position, results of operations, cash flows or growth prospects.

Security

In recent years, the USCG, the IMO, states and local ports have adopted heightened security procedures related to ports and vessels.

Specifically, on November 25, 2002, the U.S. Maritime Transportation Security Act of 2002 ("MTSA") was signed into law. To implement certain portions of MTSA, in July 2003, the USCG 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, the IMO adopted amendments to SOLAS, known as the International Ship and Port Facility Security Code (the "ISPS Code"), creating a new chapter dealing specifically with maritime security. The chapter imposes various detailed security obligations on vessels and port authorities. Included in the various requirements under MTSA and/or the ISPS Code are the following:

The USCG regulations, which are intended to align with international maritime security standards, generally deem foreign-flag vessels to be in compliance with MTSA vessel security measures provided such vessels have onboard a valid International Ship Security Certificate that attests to the vessel's compliance with SOLAS security requirements and the ISPS Code. However, U.S.-flag vessels that are engaged in international trade must comply with all of the security measures required by MTSA, as well as SOLAS and the ISPS Code.

In response to these new security programs, the Company has implemented security plans and procedures for each of its U.S.-flag vessels pursuant to rules implementing MTSA that have been issued by the USCG.

The International Safety Management Code ("ISM Code"), adopted by the IMO as an amendment to SOLAS, provides international standards for the safe management and operation of ships and for the prevention of marine pollution from ships. The United States enforces the ISM Code for all U.S.-flag vessels and those foreign-flag vessels that call at U.S. ports. All of the Company's vessels that are 500 or more gross tons are required to be certified under the standards set forth in the ISM Code's safety and pollution protocols. The Company also voluntarily complies with these protocols for some vessels that are under the mandatory 500-gross ton threshold. Under the ISM Code, vessel operators are required to develop an extensive safety management system ("SMS") that includes, among other things, the adoption of a written system of safety and environmental protection policies setting forth instructions and procedures for operating their vessels subject to the ISM Code and describing procedures for responding to emergencies. The Company has developed such a safety management system. These SMS policies apply to both the vessel and shore-side personnel and are vessel specific. The ISM Code also requires a Document of Compliance ("DOC") to be obtained for the vessel manager and a Safety Management Certificate ("SMC") to be obtained for each vessel subject to the ISM Code that it operates or manages. The Company has obtained DOCs for its shore side offices that have responsibility for vessel management and SMCs for each of the vessels that such offices operate or manage.

Noncompliance with the ISM Code and other IMO regulations may subject the shipowner or 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. For example, the USCG authorities have indicated that vessels not in compliance with the ISM Code will be prohibited from utilizing U.S. ports.

Industry Hazards and Insurance

Vessel operations involve inherent risks associated with carrying large volumes of cargo and rendering services in a marine environment. Hazards include adverse weather conditions, collisions, fire and mechanical failures, which may result in death or injury to personnel, damage to equipment, loss of operating revenues, contamination of cargo, pollution and other environmental damages and increased costs. The Company maintains hull, liability and war risk, general liability, workers compensation and other customary insurance subject to various deductions, exclusions and coverage caps. The Company also conducts training and safety programs to promote a safe working environment and minimize hazards.

Employees

As of December 31, 2018, the Company employed 2,105 individuals directly and indirectly (through crewing or manning agreements), including 649 seafarers in the North Sea, 540 of whom are members of a union under the terms of an ongoing agreement.

Management considers relations with its employees to be satisfactory.

ITEM 1A. RISK FACTORS

Risks, Uncertainties and Other Factors That May Affect Future Results

The Company's business, financial position, results of operations, cash flows and growth prospects may be materially adversely affected by numerous risks. Carefully consider the risks described below, which represent some of the more material risk factors that affect the Company, as well as the other information that has been provided in this Annual Report on Form 10-K. The risks described below include all known material risks faced by the Company. Additional risks not presently known may also impair the Company's business operations.

Risk Factors Related to the Company's Business and Industry

The Company is exposed to fluctuating prices of oil and decreased demand for oil.

The market for the Company's offshore support services is impacted by the comparative price for exploring, developing, and producing oil and natural gas and by the corresponding supply and demand for oil and natural gas, both globally and regionally. Among other factors, the increased supply of oil and natural gas from the development of new oil and natural gas supply sources and technologies to improve recovery from current sources, particularly shale, have reduced the price of oil and natural gas as well as demand and prices charged for offshore support services globally. The advent of electric cars, development of alternative sources of energy to hydrocarbons, such as solar and wind power, could also diminish the demand for oil and natural gas. Such diminution of demand could place continued or additional pressure on the price of oil and therefore demand for the Company's services, as developing offshore oil fields, particularly in deep waters, is one of the most expensive sources of hydrocarbons. Other factors that influence the supply and demand and the relative price of oil include operational issues, natural disasters, weather, political instability, conflicts, civil unrest, the worldwide political and military environment, acts of terrorism, foreign exchange rates, economic conditions and actions by major oil-producing countries. The price of oil and the relative cost to extract, proximity to market and political imperatives of countries with offshore deposits affect the willingness to commit investment for contract drilling rigs and offshore support vessels used for offshore exploration, field development and production activities, which in turn affects the Company's results of operations. Prolonged periods of low oil and natural gas prices or rising costs result in lower demand for the Company's services and can give rise to impairments of the Company's assets.

The Company's operations depend on the level of spending by oil and gas companies for exploration, development and production, maintenance and decommissioning activities. Both short-term and long-term trends in oil and natural gas prices affect these activity levels. Oil and natural gas prices, as well as the level of drilling, exploration and production activity, have been highly volatile over the past few years and are expected to continue to be volatile for the foreseeable future. For example, oil prices were as high as $107 per barrel during 2014 and reached a near ten-year low of $26 per barrel in February 2016. Oil prices began to stabilize during 2017 and steadily increased throughout much of 2018. However, during the fourth quarter of 2018, oil prices declined dramatically to a low of $44 after hitting a four-year high of $77 during October 2018. Declines in oil prices are primarily caused by, among other things, an excess of supply of crude oil in relation to demand. When the Company's customers experience low commodity prices or come to believe that they will be low in the future, they generally reduce their capital spending for offshore drilling, exploration and field development. The significant decrease in oil and natural gas prices that began in the second half of 2014 caused a reduction in many of the Company's customers' exploratory, drilling, completion and other production activities and, as a result, related spending on the Company's services. As such, the Company's overall fleet utilization for the years ended December 31, 2018, 2017, and 2016, was 62%, 54% and 54%, respectively. The prolonged reduction in the overall level of exploration and development activities, whether resulting from changes in oil and natural gas prices or otherwise, has materially and adversely affected the Company by negatively impacting its fleet utilization, which in turn has negatively affected its revenues, cash flows, profitability and the fair market value of the Company's vessels. During the three years ended December 31, 2018, 2017 and 2016, the Company took an aggregate of $14.6 million, $27.5 million and $119.7 million, respectively, of impairment charges primarily as a result of the low utilization rate of its fleet, coupled with the low rates per day worked over such two years. It could also affect the collectability of the Company's receivables and its ability to retain skilled personnel. Periods of low activity intensify price competition in the industry, which erodes operating margin, and can lead to the Company's vessels being idle for long periods of time.

If difficult market conditions persist and an anticipated recovery is delayed beyond the Company's expectation, further deterioration in the fair value of vessels already impaired or revisions to its forecasts may result in the Company recording additional impairment charges related to its fleet in future periods.

Demand for many of the Company's services is impacted by the level of activity in the offshore oil and natural gas exploration, development and production industry.

The level of offshore oil and natural gas exploration, development and production activity has historically been volatile. This volatility is likely to continue. The level of activity is subject to large fluctuations in response to relatively minor changes in a variety of factors that are beyond the Company's control, including:

The prolonged material downturn in oil and natural gas prices has caused a substantial decline in expenditures for exploration, development and production activity, which has resulted in a decline in demand and lower rates for the Company's offshore energy support services and, in turn, lower utilization levels over the last four years. The continuation or worsening of such decrease in activity is likely to further reduce the Company's day rates and its utilization, which may in turn have a material adverse effect on the Company's business, financial position, results of operations, cash flows and growth prospects. In addition, an increase in commodity demand and prices will not necessarily result in an immediate increase in offshore drilling activity since project development lead and planning times, reserve replacement needs, expectations of future commodity demand, prices and supply of available competing vessels all combine to affect demand for the Company's vessels.

Moreover, for the years ended December 31, 2018, 2017 and 2016, approximately 21%, 13%, and 15%, respectively, of the Company's operating revenues were earned in the U.S. Gulf of Mexico. Historically, the Company has been and continues to be dependent on levels of activity in that region, which may differ from levels of activity in other regions of the world due to more localized factors. The Company has some ability to shift the location of its assets between regions depending upon local regulation and cost of doing business, among many other factors, and, while it has repositioned some assets from the U.S. Gulf of Mexico to other regions and may continue to do so in the future, such efforts may not be sufficient to counter the localized downturn in the region.

Unconventional crude oil and natural gas sources and improved economics of producing natural gas and oil from such sources has and will likely continue to exert downward pricing pressures on the price of crude oil and natural gas.

The rise in production of crude oil and natural gas from shale in North America and the commissioning of a number of new large Liquefied Natural Gas export facilities around the world are, at least to date, the primary contributors to an over-supplied natural gas market and a similar environment for the crude oil market. While production of crude oil and natural gas from unconventional sources is still a relatively small portion of the worldwide crude oil and natural gas production, improved drilling efficiencies are lowering the costs of extraction from these sources. The rise in production of natural gas and oil from these sources not only affects the price of oil but can also result in a reduction of capital invested in offshore oil and natural gas exploration. Because the Company provides vessels servicing offshore oil and natural gas exploration, a significant reduction in investments in offshore exploration and development in favor of investments in these unconventional resources could have a material adverse effect on the Company's business, financial position, results of operations, cash flows and growth prospects.

Difficult economic conditions and volatility in the capital markets could materially adversely affect the Company.

The success of the Company's business is both directly and indirectly dependent upon conditions in the global financial markets and economic conditions throughout the world that are outside the Company's control and difficult to predict. Factors such as commodity prices and demand for commodities, interest rates, availability of credit, inflation rates, changes in laws (including laws relating to taxation), trade barriers, currency exchange rates and controls, and national and international political circumstances (including wars, terrorist acts or security operations) can have a material negative impact on the Company's business and investments, which could reduce its revenues and profitability. Uncertainty about global economic conditions may lead or require businesses to postpone capital spending in response to tighter credit and reductions in income or asset values and to cancel or renegotiate existing contracts because their access to capital is impeded. This would in turn affect the Company's profitability or results of operations. These factors may also adversely affect the Company's liquidity and financial condition and the liquidity and financial conditions of its customers. Volatility in the conditions of the global economic markets can also affect the Company's ability to raise capital at attractive prices. The Company's ongoing exposure to credit risks on its accounts receivable balances are heightened during periods when economic conditions worsen. The Company has procedures that are designed to monitor and limit exposure to credit risk on its receivables; however, there can be no assurance that such procedures will effectively limit the Company's credit risk and avoid losses that could have a material adverse effect on the Company's business, financial position, results of operations, cash flows and growth prospects. Unstable economic conditions may also increase the volatility of the Company's stock price.

The Company may record additional losses or impairment charges related to sold or idle vessels

During 2018, 2017, and 2016, the Company recognized impairment charges of $14.6 million, $27.5 million, and $119.7 million, respectively, related to tangible assets. Prolonged periods of low utilization or low day or charter rates, the sale of assets below their then carrying value or the decline in market value of the Company's assets may cause the Company to experience further losses. If there are indications that the carrying value of any of the Company's vessels may not be recoverable or if the Company sells assets for less than their then carrying value, the Company may recognize additional impairment charges on its fleet.

Failure to maintain an acceptable safety record may have an adverse impact on the Company's ability to retain customers.

The Company's customers consider safety and reliability a primary concern in selecting a service provider. The Company must maintain a record of safety and reliability that is acceptable to its customers. Should this not be achieved, the ability to retain current customers and attract new customers may be adversely affected, which in turn could have a material adverse effect on the Company's business, financial position, results of operations, cash flows and growth prospects.

There is a high level of competition in the offshore marine service industry.

The Company operates in a highly fragmented and competitive industry, and the competitive nature of its industry and excess supply of equipment is currently depressing charter and utilization rates. A prolonged period of depressed rates could adversely affect the Company's financial performance. The Company competes for business on the basis of price, reputation for excellent service, quality, suitability and technical capabilities of its vessels, availability of vessels, safety and efficiency, cost of mobilizing vessels from one market to a different market, and national flag preference. Further, competition has intensified as lower activity in the offshore oil and natural gas market has led to lower utilization and additional capacity. In addition, the Company's ability to compete in international markets may be adversely affected by regulations requiring, among other things, local construction, flagging, ownership or control of vessels, the awarding of contracts to local contractors, the employment of local citizens and/or the purchase of supplies from local vendors. Furthermore, the Company competes with companies that have undergone significant restructuring which has substantially reduced their debt levels thereby vastly improving their balance sheets.

The process of obtaining new charter agreements is highly competitive and generally involves an intensive screening and a competitive bidding process, which, in certain cases, may extend for several months. The Company’s existing and potential competitors may have significantly greater financial resources than the Company. In addition, competitors with greater resources may have larger fleets, or could operate larger fleets through consolidations, acquisitions, new buildings or pooling of their vessels with other companies, and, therefore, may be able to offer a more competitive service than the Company, including better charter rates. The Company expects competition from a number of experienced companies providing contracts to potential customers, including state-sponsored entities and major energy companies affiliated with the projects requiring offshore vessel services. As a result, the Company may be unable to expand its relationships with existing customers or to obtain new customers on a profitable basis, if at all. If the Company is unable to successfully compete, it could have a materially adverse effect on the Company’s business, financial position, results of operations, cash flows and growth prospects.

An increase in the supply of vessels or equipment that serve offshore oil and natural gas operations could have an adverse impact on the charter rates earned by the Company's vessels and equipment.

The Company's industry is highly competitive, with oversupply of vessel capacity and intense price competition. Expansion of the supply of vessels and equipment that serve offshore oil and natural gas operations has increased competition in the markets in which the Company operates and affected prices charged by operators. Further, the refurbishment of disused or "mothballed" vessels, conversion of vessels from uses other than oil and natural gas exploration and production support and related activities or construction of new vessels and equipment have all added vessel and equipment capacity to current worldwide levels. The current oversupply of vessels and equipment capacity in the offshore marine market could lower charter rates and result in lower operating revenues, which in turn could have a material adverse effect on the Company's business, financial position, results of operations, cash flows and growth prospects.

As part of the Company's ongoing management of its fleet and personnel, the Company may need to improve its operations and financial systems and recruit additional staff and crew; if the Company cannot improve these systems or recruit suitable employees, the Company’s business and results of operations may be adversely affected.

The Company has and may continue to need to invest in upgrading its operating and financial systems. In addition, the Company may have to recruit additional well‑qualified seafarers and shoreside administrative and management personnel. The Company may not be able to hire suitable employees. For example, the Company’s vessels require technically skilled staff with specialized training. If the Company is unable to employ such technically skilled staff, they may not be able to adequately staff the Company’s vessels. If the Company is unable to operate its financial and operations systems effectively or is unable to recruit suitable employees, the Company’s results of operation and its ability to manage and expand its fleet may be adversely affected.

The Company relies on several customers for a significant share of its revenues, the loss of any of which could adversely affect the Company's business and operating results.

The Company derives a significant portion of its revenues from a limited number of oil and natural gas exploration, development and production companies. During the years ended December 31, 2018, 2017, and 2016, the Company's ten largest customers accounted for approximately 47%, 59%, and 58% of its operating revenues. During the year ended December 31, 2018, one customer, Perenco, was responsible for 10% or more of the Company's operating revenues. In addition, one or more of the Company's joint ventures rely primarily on a single customer for their revenues. The portion of the Company's revenues or any of its joint ventures' revenues attributable to any single customer may change over time, depending on the level of activity by any such customer, the Company's ability to meet the customer's needs and other factors, many of which are beyond the Company's control. In addition, most of the Company's contracts with its oil and natural gas customers can be canceled on relatively short notice and do not commit its customers to acquire specific amounts of services or require the payment of significant liquidated damages upon cancellation. The loss of business from any of the Company's significant customers could have a material adverse effect on the Company's business, financial condition, liquidity and results of operations. Further, to the extent any of the Company's customers experience an extended period of operating difficulty, it may have a material adverse effect on the Company's business, financial position, results of operation, cash flows and growth prospects.

Consolidation of the Company's customer base could adversely affect demand for its services and reduce its revenues.

In recent years, oil and natural gas companies, energy companies, drilling contractors and other offshore service providers have undergone substantial consolidation and additional consolidation is possible, especially as the depressed oil price environment has caused many of these companies to restructure their operations and capital structure, including substantially reducing their debt levels. Consolidation results in fewer companies to charter or contract for the Company's services. Also, merger activity among both major and independent oil and natural gas companies affects exploration, development and production activity as the consolidated companies integrate operations to increase efficiency and reduce costs. Less promising exploration and development projects of a combined company may be dropped or delayed. Such activity may result in an exploration and development budget for a combined company that is lower than the total budget of both companies before consolidation, which could adversely affect demand for the Company's vessels thereby reducing its revenues.

The Company may be unable to maintain or replace its offshore support vessels as they age.

As of December 31, 2018, the average age of the Company's owned vessels, excluding its standby safety and crew transfer vessels, was approximately 11 years. The Company believes that after a vessel has been in service for approximately 20 years, the expense (which typically increases with age) necessary to satisfy required marine certification standards may not be economically justifiable. In addition, the Company must maintain its vessels to remain attractive to its customers and comply with regulations; however, the Company may be unable to carry out drydockings of its vessels or may be limited by insufficient shipyard capacity, which could adversely affect its ability to maintain its vessels. In addition, market conditions may not justify these expenditures or enable the Company to operate its older vessels profitably during the remainder of their economic lives. There can be no assurance that the Company will be able to maintain its fleet by extending the economic life of existing vessels, or that its financial resources will be sufficient to enable it to make expenditures necessary for these purposes or to acquire or build replacement vessels, all of which could have a material adverse effect on the Company's business, financial position, results of operations, cash flows and growth prospects.

The failure to successfully complete construction or conversion of the Company's vessels, repairs, maintenance or routine drydockings on schedule and on budget could have a material adverse effect on the Company's business, financial position, results of operations, cash flows and growth prospects.

From time to time, the Company may have a number of vessels under conversion and may plan to construct or convert other vessels in response to current and future market conditions. The Company also routinely engages shipyards to drydock vessels for regulatory compliance and to provide repair and maintenance. Construction and conversion projects and drydockings are subject to risks of delay and cost overruns, resulting from shortages of equipment, lack of shipyard availability, unforeseen engineering problems, work stoppages, weather interference, unanticipated cost increases, inability to obtain necessary certifications and approvals and shortages of materials or skilled labor. A significant delay in either construction or drydockings could have a material adverse effect on contract commitments and revenues with respect to vessels under construction, conversion or undergoing drydockings. Significant cost overruns or delays for vessels under construction, conversion or retrofit could have a material adverse effect on the Company's business, financial position, results of operations, cash flows and growth prospects.

The operations of the Company's fleet may be subject to seasonal factors.

Demand for the Company's offshore support services is directly affected by the levels of offshore drilling and production activity of its oil and gas customers, and construction and maintenance activity for its windfarm customers. Budgets of many of the Company's customers are based upon a calendar year, and demand for the Company's services has historically been stronger in the second and third calendar quarters when allocated budgets are expended by its customers and weather conditions are more favorable for offshore activities. In particular, the demand for the Company's liftboat fleet in the U.S. Gulf of Mexico and offshore support vessels in the Middle East are seasonal with peak demand normally occurring during the summer months. Adverse events relating to the Company's vessels or business operations during peak demand periods could have a significant adverse effect on the Company's financial position and results of operations. In addition, the Company's crew transfer vessels are dependent on the activity levels of wind farms which rely upon weather conditions that fluctuate over time. As a result, the demand for the Company's crew transfer vessels may vary throughout the year. Furthermore, seasonal volatility can create unpredictability in activity and utilization rates, which could have a material adverse effect on the Company's business, financial position, results of operations, cash flows and growth prospects.

The Company has high levels of fixed costs that will be incurred regardless of its level of business activity.

The Company's business has high fixed costs. Downtime or low productivity due to reduced demand, as is currently being experienced, can have a significant negative effect on the Company's operating results and financial condition. Some of the Company's fixed costs will not decline during periods of reduced revenue or activity. During times of reduced utilization, the Company may not be able to reduce its costs immediately as it may incur additional costs associated with preparing vessels for cold stacking. Moreover, the Company may not be able to fully reduce the cost of its support operations in a particular geographic region due to the need to support the remaining vessels in that region. A decline in revenue due to lower day rates and/or utilization may not be offset by a corresponding decrease in the Company's fixed costs and could have a material adverse effect on the Company's business, financial position, results of operations, cash flows and growth prospects.

As the markets recover or the Company changes its marketing strategies or for other reasons, the Company may be required to incur higher than expected costs to return previously cold-stacked vessels to class.

In response to the decrease in demand stemming from lower oil and natural gas prices, the Company has cold-stacked a number of offshore support vessels. As of December 31, 2018, 21 of its 128 owned and leased-in offshore support vessels were cold-stacked worldwide. No assurance can be given that the Company will be able to quickly bring these cold-stacked offshore support vessels back into service or that the cost of doing so would not be significant. Cold-stacked vessels do not receive the same level of maintenance as active vessels. As a result and depending on the length of time the vessels are cold-stacked, the Company could incur deferred drydocking costs for regulatory recertification to return these vessels to active service and may incur costs to hire and train mariners to operate such vessels. These costs are difficult to estimate and could be substantial. Delay in reactivating cold stacked offshore support vessels and the costs and other expenses related to the reactivation of cold-stacked offshore support vessels could have a material adverse effect on the Company's business, financial position, results of operations, cash flows and growth prospects.

The Company may not be able to renew or replace expiring contracts for its vessels.

The Company's ability to renew or replace expiring contracts or obtain new contracts, and the terms of any such contracts, will depend on various factors, including market conditions and the specific needs of its customers. Given the highly competitive and historically cyclical nature of the industry, the Company may not be able to renew or replace expiring contracts or it may be required to renew or replace expiring contracts or obtain new contracts at rates that are below, and potentially substantially below, existing day rates, or that have terms that are less favorable to the Company than its existing contracts, or it may be unable to secure contracts for these vessels. This could have a material adverse effect on the Company's business, financial position, results of operations, cash flows and growth prospects.

The early termination of contracts on the Company's vessels could have a material adverse effect on its operations.

Most of the long-term contracts for the Company's vessels contain early termination options in favor of the customer. Although some of such contracts have early termination remedies or other provisions designed to discourage the customer from exercising such options, the Company cannot assure investors that its customers would not choose to exercise their termination rights in spite of such remedies or the threat of litigation with the Company. Until replacement of such business with other customers, any termination could temporarily disrupt the Company's business or otherwise adversely affect its financial condition and results of operations. The Company might not be able to replace such business on economically equivalent terms. In addition, during the current and prior downturns, the Company has experienced customers requesting contractual concessions even though such concessions were contrary to existing contractual terms. While the Company may not be legally required to give concessions, commercial considerations may dictate that it do so. If the Company is unable to collect amounts owed to it or long-term contracts for its vessels are terminated and its vessels are not sufficiently utilized, this could have a material adverse effect on the Company's business, financial position, results of operations, cash flows and growth prospects.

Increased domestic and international laws and regulations may materially adversely impact the Company, and the Company may become subject to additional international laws and regulations in the event of high-profile incidents, such as the Deepwater Horizon drilling rig incident and resulting oil spill.

Changes in laws or regulations regarding offshore oil and natural gas exploration and development activities and technical and operational measures, whether or not in connection with specific incidents, may increase the Company's costs and the costs of its customers' operations. For instance, in response to fatalities and environmental damages caused by a 2010 explosion on the Deepwater Horizon, a drilling rig operating in the Gulf of Mexico, the regulatory agencies with jurisdiction over oil and natural gas exploration, including the U.S. Department of the Interior and its relevant sub-agencies, imposed temporary moratoria on drilling operations, by requiring operators to reapply for exploration plans and drilling permits that had previously been approved, and by adopting numerous new regulations and new interpretations of existing regulations regarding offshore operations that are applicable to the Company's customers and with which their new applications for exploration plans and drilling permits must prove compliant. Compliance with these new regulations and new interpretations of existing regulations have materially increased the cost of drilling operations in the U.S. Gulf of Mexico. New or additional government regulations or laws concerning drilling operations in the U.S. Gulf of Mexico and other regions have in the past and could in the future materially increase the cost of drilling operations in the U.S. Gulf of Mexico and/or cause additional moratoria on drilling activities. These changes may influence decisions by customers or other industry participants that could reduce the demand for the Company's services, which could have a material adverse effect on the Company's business, financial position, results of operations, cash flows and growth prospects.

The Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act, as amended, provides the federal government with broad discretion in regulating the leasing of offshore resources for the production of oil and natural gas.

The Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act provides the federal government with broad discretion in regulating the release or continued use of offshore resources for oil and natural gas production. The current extent of permitted offshore leasing is uncertain. The President issued an Executive order in April 2017 encouraging offshore drilling. In addition, the Interior Department announced in January 2018 that it would lift a moratorium to allow new offshore oil and gas drilling in nearly all U.S. coastal waters. However, the decision to lift the moratorium is subject to pending legal challenge, the scope and timing of future offshore lease sales is unclear, several states have taken action to oppose offshore exploration and production in state waters and further legal challenge is likely. Because the Company's operations rely on offshore oil and gas exploration and production, the government's exercise of authority under the provisions of the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act to restrict the availability of offshore oil and natural gas leases (for example, due to a serious incident of pollution) could have a material adverse effect on the Company's business, financial position, results of operations, cash flows and growth prospects.

The Company is subject to complex laws and regulations, including environmental laws and regulations that can adversely affect the cost, manner or feasibility of doing business.

Increasingly stringent federal, state, local and international laws and regulations governing worker safety and health and the staffing, construction and operation of vessels significantly affect the Company's operations. Many aspects of the marine industry are subject to extensive governmental regulation and oversight, including by the USCG, Occupational Safety and Health Administration ("OSHA"), the NTSB, the EPA, the IMO, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, the U.S. Maritime Administration, the UCBP, the BSEE, and state environmental protection agencies for those jurisdictions in which the Company operates, and to regulation by states and classification societies (such as the American Bureau of Shipping). The Company is also subject to regulation under international treaties, such as (i) MARPOL; (ii) SOLAS, (iii) Maritime Labour Convention, (iv) International Ballast Water Convention, and (v) International Convention on Standards of Training, Certification and Watchkeeping for Seafarers (“STCW”). These agencies, organizations, regulations and treaties establish safety requirements and standards and are authorized to investigate vessels and accidents and to recommend improved safety standards. The CBP and USCG are authorized to inspect vessels at will. The Company has and will continue to spend significant funds to comply with these regulations and treaties. Failure to comply with these regulations and treaties may cause the Company to incur significant liabilities or restrictions on its operations, any of which could have a material adverse effect on the Company's business, financial position, results of operations, cash flows and growth prospects.

The Company's business and operations are also subject to federal, state, local and international laws and regulations relating to environmental protection and occupational safety and health, including laws and regulations that govern the discharge of oil and pollutants into waters regulated thereunder. Violations of these laws may result in civil and criminal penalties, fines, injunctions, or other sanctions, or the suspension or termination of the Company's operations. Compliance with such laws and regulations frequently require installation of costly equipment, increased staffing, increased fuel costs, specific training, or operational changes. Some environmental laws impose strict and, under certain circumstances, joint and several liability for remediation of spills and releases of oil and hazardous materials and damage to natural resources, which could subject the Company to liability without regard to whether it is negligent or at fault. Under the OPA 90, owners, operators and bareboat charterers are jointly and severally strictly liable for the removal costs and damages resulting from the discharge of oil within the navigable waters of the United States and the EEZ. In addition, an oil spill could result in significant liability, including fines, penalties, criminal liability and costs for natural resource and other damages under other federal and state laws and civil actions. Liability for a catastrophic spill could exceed the Company's available insurance coverage and result in it having to liquidate assets to pay claims. These laws and regulations may expose the Company to liability for the conduct of or conditions caused by others, including charterers. Because such laws and regulations frequently change and may impose increasingly strict requirements, the Company cannot predict the ongoing cost of complying with these laws and regulations. Additionally, reduced enforcement of existing safety and other laws or regulations may result in a decline in the demand for the Company's offshore support services that are provided in connection with compliance with such laws or regulations. The Company cannot be certain that existing laws, regulations or standards (and the enforcement thereof), as currently interpreted or reinterpreted in the future, or future laws and regulations and standards will not have a material adverse effect on the Company's business, financial position, results of operations, cash flows and growth prospects. Regulation of the offshore marine services industry will likely continue to become more stringent and more expensive for the Company. In addition, a serious marine incident that results in significant pollution or injury could result in additional regulation and lead to strict governmental enforcement or other legal challenges. The variability and uncertainty of current and future shipping regulations could hamper the ability of the Company and its customers to plan for the future or establish long-term strategies. Additional environmental and other requirements, as well as more stringent enforcement policies, may be adopted that could limit the Company's ability to operate, require the Company to incur substantial additional costs or otherwise have a material adverse effect on the Company's business, financial position, results of operations, cash flows and growth prospects. For more information, see "Business-Governmental Regulations-Environmental Compliance."

The Company is required by various governmental and quasi-governmental agencies to obtain, maintain and periodically renew certain permits, licenses and certificates with respect to its operations or vessels. In certain instances, the failure to obtain, maintain or renew these authorizations could have a material adverse effect on the Company's business, financial position, results of operations, cash flows and growth prospects.

There are risks associated with climate change and environmental regulations.

Governments and supranational groups around the world have, in recent years, placed increasing attention on matters affecting the environment and this could lead to new laws or regulations pertaining to climate change, carbon emissions or energy use that in turn could result in a reduction in demand for hydrocarbon-based fuel. In fact, a number of countries and organizations have adopted, or are considering the adoption of, regulatory frameworks to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. These regulatory measures or international treaties may include, among others, adoption of cap and trade regimes, carbon taxes, increased efficiency standards, and incentives or mandates for renewable energy and could include specific restrictions on shipping emissions.

Governments could also pass laws or regulations encouraging or mandating the use of alternative energy sources such as wind power and solar energy. These requirements could reduce demand for oil and natural gas and therefore the services provided by the Company. Alternatively, changes in U.S. law permitting additional drilling on federal lands could divert capital from offshore exploration. In addition, new environmental or emissions control laws or regulations may require an increase in the Company's operating costs and/or in its capital spending for additional equipment or personnel to comply with such requirements and could also result in a reduction in revenues due to downtime required for the installation of such equipment. Such initiatives could have a material adverse effect on the Company's business, financial position, results of operations, cash flows and growth prospects.

A violation of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act of 1977 ("FCPA") or similar worldwide anti-bribery laws may adversely affect the Company's business and operations.

In order to effectively compete in certain foreign jurisdictions, the Company seeks to establish joint ventures with local operators or strategic partners. As a U.S. corporation, the Company is subject to the regulations imposed by the FCPA, which generally prohibits U.S. companies and their intermediaries from making improper payments to foreign officials for the purpose of obtaining or maintaining business. The Company has stringent policies and procedures in place to enforce compliance with the FCPA. Nevertheless, the Company does business and may do additional business in the future in countries and regions where strict compliance with anti-bribery laws may not be customary and the Company may be held liable for actions taken by its strategic or local partners even though these partners may not be subject to the FCPA. The Company's personnel and intermediaries, including its local operators and strategic partners, may face, directly or indirectly, corrupt demands by government officials, political parties and officials, tribal or insurgent organizations, or private entities in the countries in which it operates or may operate in the future. As a result, the Company faces the risk that an unauthorized payment or offer of payment could be made by one of its employees or intermediaries, even if such parties are not always subject to the Company's control or are not themselves subject to the FCPA or other similar laws to which the Company may be subject. Any allegation or determination that the Company has violated the FCPA (or any other applicable anti-bribery laws in countries in which the Company does business, including the U.K. Bribery Act 2010) could have a material adverse effect on the Company's business, financial position, results of operations, cash flows and growth prospects.

The Company has significant international operations, which subjects it to risks. Unstable political, military and economic conditions in foreign countries where a significant proportion of the Company's operations is conducted could materially adversely impact its business.

The Company operates vessels and transacts other business worldwide. For the years ended December 31, 2018, 2017 and 2016, 79%, 87%, and 85%, respectively, of the Company's operating revenues and $(1.3) million, $1.9 million, and $(4.2) million respectively, of its equity in earnings (losses) from 50% or less owned companies, net of tax, were derived from its foreign operations. These operations are subject to risks, including potential vessel seizure, terrorist acts, piracy, kidnapping, nationalization of assets, currency restrictions, import or export quotas, tariffs and other forms of public and government regulation, all of which are beyond the Company's control. Economic sanctions or an oil embargo, for example, could have significant impact on activity in the oil and natural gas industry and, correspondingly, on the Company should it operate vessels in a country subject to any sanctions or embargo, or in the surrounding region to the extent any sanctions or embargo disrupts its operations.

In addition, the Company's ability to compete in international markets may be adversely affected by foreign government regulations that favor or require the awarding of contracts to local competitors, or that require foreign persons to employ citizens of, or purchase supplies from, a particular jurisdiction. Further, the Company's foreign subsidiaries may face governmentally imposed restrictions on their ability to transfer funds to their parent company.

Activity outside the United States involves additional risks, including the possibility of:

On June 23, 2016, the citizens of the United Kingdom voted to leave the European Union. In March 2017, the British government invoked Article 50 of the Treaty on European Union, which formally triggered a negotiation process with the European Union. In March 2018, the parties agreed to a transition period of 21 months - from March 29, 2019 until the end of 2020 - before the United Kingdom leaves the European Union completely, assuming approval of the negotiated withdrawal agreement. Withdrawal from the European Union is politically controversial in the United Kingdom notwithstanding the 2016 vote. The British government and the European Union have now negotiated a withdrawal agreement and the European Union has approved that agreement, but the British Parliament has not yet approved it. As a result, there remains considerable uncertainty around the withdrawal. Failure to obtain British parliamentary approval of the negotiated withdrawal agreement would mean that the United Kingdom would leave the European Union on March 29, 2019, likely without any agreement with the European Union (a so-called “hard Brexit”). The consequences for the economies of the European Union members of the United Kingdom exiting the European Union are unknown and unpredictable, especially in the case of a hard Brexit. These uncertainties could increase volatility in the market and could have a material adverse effect on the Company’s business, financial condition, results of operations and cash flows.

The uncertainty surrounding the results of the Brexit referendum may cause disruptions to and create uncertainty surrounding the Company’s business, including affecting the Company’s relationships with its existing and future customers, suppliers and employees in its North Sea fleet and crew transfer operations. The effects of Brexit will depend on any agreements the U.K. makes to retain access to European Union markets either during a transitional period or more permanently. In addition, the exit of the U.K. from the E.U. could lead to legal and regulatory uncertainty and potentially divergent treaties, laws and regulations as the U.K. determines which E.U. treaties, laws and regulations to replace or replicate, including those governing maritime, labor, environmental, competition and other matters applicable to the provision of support vessel services. These developments may have a material adverse effect on global economic conditions and the stability of global financial markets and may significantly reduce global market liquidity and restrict the ability of key market participants to operate in certain financial markets. The impact on the Company's business of any treaties, laws and regulations with and in the U.K. that replace the existing E.U. counterparts cannot be predicted. Any of these effects, and others the Company cannot anticipate, could have a material adverse effect on the Company's business, financial position, results of operations, cash flows and growth prospects.

The Company's results could be impacted by U.S. social, political, regulatory and economic conditions as well as by changes in tariffs, trade agreements or other trade restrictions imposed by the U.S. government.

Changes in U.S. political, regulatory and economic conditions or in laws and policies governing foreign trade (including the U.S. trade agreements and U.S. tariff policies), travel to and from the United States, immigration, manufacturing, development and investment in the territories and countries in which the Company operates, and any negative sentiments or retaliatory actions towards the United States as a result of such changes, could adversely affect the global marine and support transportation services industry. Recent changes in U.S. foreign policy have created significant uncertainty about the future relationship between the United States and China, as well as with other countries, including with respect to the trade policies, treaties, government regulations and tariffs that could apply to trade between the United States and other nations. Changes in these policies may have a material adverse effect on the Company's business, financial position, results of operations, cash flows and growth prospects.

Adverse results of legal proceedings could materially adversely affect the Company.

The Company is subject to and may in the future be subject to a variety of legal proceedings and claims that arise out of the ordinary conduct of its business. Results of legal proceedings cannot be predicted with certainty. Irrespective of its merits, litigation may be both lengthy and disruptive to the Company's operations and may cause significant expenditure and diversion of management attention. The Company may be faced with significant monetary damages or injunctive relief against it that which could have a material adverse effect on the Company's business, financial position, results of operations, cash flows and growth prospects should it fail to prevail in certain matters.

There are risks associated with the Company's debt structure.

As of December 31, 2018, the Company has $404.7 million of outstanding indebtedness, including the Convertible Senior Notes and obligations under secured notes and credit facilities secured by mortgages on various vessels. This includes the $130.0 million loan facility Seacor Marine Foreign Holdings Inc. (“SMFH”), a wholly owned subsidiary of the Company, entered into with a syndicate of lenders on September 26, 2018.

The Company's ability to meet its debt service obligations and refinance its current indebtedness, as well as any future debt that it may incur, will depend upon its ability to generate cash in the future from operations, financings or asset sales, which are subject to general economic conditions, the Company's results of operations, industry cycles, seasonality and financial, business, the general state of the capital markets at the time it seeks to refinance its debt and other factors, some of which may be beyond the Company's control. If the Company cannot repay or refinance its debt as it becomes due, the Company may be forced to sell assets or take other disadvantageous actions, including undertaking alternative financing plans, which may have onerous terms or may be unavailable, dedicating an unsustainable level of the Company's cash flow from operations to the payment of principal and interest on its indebtedness and/or reducing the amount of liquidity available for working capital, capital expenditures and general corporate purposes. The Company's failure to pay or refinance its current or future debt under a credit facility when it becomes due could lead to the acceleration of all amounts due under such facility and potentially trigger a default or acceleration of the Company's other debt facilities. In addition, certain of the Company's debt facilities contain, and its future debt facilities may contain, restrictive and/or financial maintenance covenants, including requirements to maintain a minimum level of liquidity which could also affect cash available for working capital, capital expenditures and general corporate purposes. Failure to comply with these covenants could result in the lenders accelerating all amounts due under the facility and potentially trigger a default or acceleration of the Company's other debt facilities. The Company's obligations to repay indebtedness and comply with restrictive and/or financial maintenance covenants could also impair its ability to rapidly respond to changes in its business or industry and withstand competitive pressures. See "Management's Discussion and Analysis of Results of Operations and Financial Condition - Liquidity and Capital Resources" for additional information. The Company's overall debt level and/or market conditions could limit its ability to issue additional debt in amounts and/or on terms that it considers reasonable.

The Company is subject to hazards customary for the operation of vessels that could disrupt operations and expose it to liability.

The operation of offshore support and related vessels is subject to various risks, including catastrophic disaster, adverse weather, mechanical failure and collision. For instance, the Company's operations in the U.S. Gulf of Mexico may be adversely affected by weather. The Atlantic hurricane season runs from June through November. Tropical storms and hurricanes may limit the Company's ability to operate vessels in the proximity of storms, reduce oil and natural gas exploration, development and production activity, and could result in the Company incurring additional expenses to secure equipment and facilities. They may also require the Company to evacuate its vessels, personnel and equipment out of the path of a storm. Additional risks to vessels include adverse sea conditions, capsizing, grounding, oil and hazardous substance spills and navigation errors. These risks could endanger the safety of the Company's personnel, equipment, cargo and other property, as well as the environment. If any of these events were to occur, the Company could be held liable for resulting damages, including loss of revenues from or termination of charter contracts, higher insurance rates, increased operating costs, increased governmental regulation and reporting and damage to the Company's reputation and customer relationships. Any such events would likely result in negative publicity for the Company and adversely affect its safety record, which would affect demand for its services in a competitive industry. In addition, the affected vessels could be removed from service and would then not be available to generate revenues.

The Company's insurance coverage may be inadequate to protect it from the liabilities that could arise in its business.

Although the Company maintains insurance coverage against the risks related to its business, risks may arise for which it may not be insured. Claims covered by insurance are subject to deductibles, the aggregate amount of which could be material, and certain policies impose caps on coverage. Insurance policies are also subject to compliance with certain conditions, the failure of which could lead to a denial of coverage as to a particular claim or the voiding of a particular insurance policy. There also can be no assurance that existing insurance coverage can be renewed at commercially reasonable rates or that available coverage will be adequate to cover future claims. If a loss occurs that is partially or completely uninsured, or the carrier is unable or unwilling to cover the claim, the Company could be exposed to substantial liability. Further, to the extent the proceeds from insurance are not sufficient to repair or replace a damaged asset, the Company would be required to expend funds to supplement the insurance and in certain circumstances may decide that such expenditures are not justified, which, in either case, could adversely affect the Company's liquidity and ability to grow.

The Company may undertake one or more significant corporate transactions that may not achieve their intended results, may adversely affect its financial condition and its results of operations, and may result in additional risks to its business.

The Company continuously evaluates the acquisition and disposition of assets relevant to participants in the offshore energy industry and may in the future undertake significant transactions. Any such transaction could be material to the Company's business and could take any number of forms, including mergers, joint ventures, investments in new lines of business and the purchase of equity interests or assets. The form of consideration associated with such transactions may include, among other things, cash, Common Stock, securities convertible into Common Stock or other securities (privately or through a public offering), equity interests in the Company's subsidiaries, or other assets of the Company. The Company also evaluates the disposition of its assets, in whole or in part, which could take the form of asset sales, mergers or sales of equity interests in its subsidiaries (privately or through a public offering).

These types of significant transactions may present material risks and uncertainties, including distraction of management from current operations, insufficient revenue to offset liabilities assumed, potential loss of significant revenue and income streams, unexpected expenses, inadequate return of capital, potential acceleration of taxes currently deferred, regulatory or compliance issues, the triggering of certain covenants in the Company's debt instruments (including accelerated repayment) and other unidentified issues not discovered in due diligence. If the Company was to complete such an acquisition, disposition, investment or other strategic transaction, it may require additional debt or equity financing that could result in a significant increase in the amount of debt the Company has or the number of outstanding shares of its Common Stock. As a result of the risks inherent in such transactions, the Company cannot guarantee that any such transaction will ultimately result in the realization of the anticipated benefits of the transaction or that significant transactions will not have a material adverse impact on the Company's business, financial positions, results of operations, cash flows and growth prospects.

If the Company does not restrict the amount of ownership of its Common Stock by non-U.S. citizens, it could be prohibited from operating offshore support vessels in the United States, which would adversely impact the Company's business and operating results.

The Company is subject to the Jones Act, which governs, among other things, the ownership and operation of vessels used to carry passengers and cargo between points in the United States. Subject to limited exceptions, the Jones Act requires that vessels engaged in the U.S. coastwise trade be built in the United States, registered under the U.S. flag, manned by predominantly U.S. crews and be owned and operated by "U.S. citizens" within the meaning of the Jones Act. Compliance with the Jones Act requires that non-U.S. citizens own no more than 25% in the entities that directly or indirectly own or operate the vessels that the Company operates in U.S. coastwise trade. Although the Company's second amended and restated certificate of incorporation and second amended and restated by-laws contain provisions intended to assure compliance with these provisions of the Jones Act, a failure to maintain compliance could have a material adverse effect on the Company's business, financial position, results of operations, cash flows and growth prospects and could temporarily or permanently prohibit the Company from operating vessels in the U.S. coastwise trade. In addition, the Company could be subject to fines and its vessels could be subject to seizure and forfeiture for violations of the Jones Act and the related U. S. vessel documentation laws.

Repeal, amendment, suspension or non-enforcement of the Jones Act would result in additional competition for the Company and could have a material adverse effect on the Company's business.

Substantial portions of the Company's operations are conducted in the U.S. coastwise trade and thus subject to the provisions of the Jones Act (discussed above). For years, there have been attempts to repeal or amend such provisions, and such attempts are expected to continue in the future.

For example, in a 2017 congressional review of Puerto Rico's financial situation following Hurricane Maria, several proponents of repealing the Jones Act offered bills to exempt the island from the Jones Act. Although the proposals were limited in scope and failed, there is a risk that similar legislation could be reintroduced whether or not related to the occurrence of similar future events, which could lead to broader legislation affecting other aspects of the Jones Act.

Repeal, substantial amendment or waiver of provisions of the Jones Act could significantly adversely affect the Company by, among other things, resulting in additional competition from competitors with lower operating costs, because of their ability to use vessels built in lower-cost foreign shipyards, owned and manned by foreign nationals with promotional foreign tax incentives and with lower wages and benefits than U.S. citizens. In addition, the Company's advantage as a U.S.-citizen operator of Jones Act vessels could be eroded by periodic efforts and attempts by foreign interests to circumvent certain aspects of the Jones Act. If maritime cabotage services were included in the General Agreement on Trade in Services, the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (“USMCA”) or other international trade agreements, or if the restrictions contained in the Jones Act were otherwise altered, the shipping of maritime cargo between covered U.S. points could be opened to foreign-flag or foreign-built vessels. Because foreign vessels may have lower construction costs and operate at significantly lower costs than companies operating in the U.S. coastwise trade, such a change could significantly increase competition in the U.S. coastwise trade, which could have a material adverse effect on the Company's business, financial position, results of operations, cash flows and growth prospects.

Restrictions on non-U.S. citizen ownership of the Company's vessels could limit its ability to sell off any portion of its business or result in the forfeiture of its vessels.

As noted above, compliance with the Jones Act requires that non-U.S. citizens own no more than 25% in the entities that directly or indirectly own or operate the vessels that the Company operates in the U.S. coastwise trade. If the Company was to seek to sell any portion of its business that owns any of these vessels, it would have fewer potential purchasers, since some potential purchasers might be unable or unwilling to satisfy the U.S. citizenship restrictions described above. As a result, the sales price for that portion of the Company's business may not attain the amount that could be obtained through unconstrained bidding. Furthermore, if at any point the Company or any of the entities that directly or indirectly own its vessels cease to satisfy the requirements to be a U.S. citizen within the meaning of the Jones Act, the Company would become ineligible to operate in the U.S. coastwise trade and may become subject to penalties and risk forfeiture of its vessels.

The Company's second amended and restated certificate of incorporation and its second amended and restated by-laws limit the ownership of Common Stock by individuals and entities that are not U.S. citizens within the meaning of the Jones Act. These restrictions may affect the liquidity of the Company's Common Stock and may result in non-U.S. citizens being required to sell their shares at a loss or relinquish their voting, dividend and distribution rights.

Under the Jones Act, at least 75% of the outstanding shares of each class or series of the Company's capital stock must be owned and controlled by U.S. citizens within the meaning of the Jones Act. Certain provisions of the Company's second amended and restated certificate of incorporation and its second amended and restated by-laws are intended to facilitate compliance with this requirement and may have an adverse effect on holders of shares of the Company's Common Stock.

Under the provisions of the Company's second amended and restated certificate of incorporation, the aggregate percentage of ownership by non-U.S. citizens of any class or series of the Company's capital stock is limited to 22.5% of the outstanding shares of each such class or series to ensure that such ownership by non-U.S. citizens will not exceed the maximum percentage permitted by the Jones Act, which is presently 25%. The Company's second amended and restated certificate of incorporation also restricts ownership of shares of any class or series of its capital stock by a single non-U.S. citizen (and any other non-U.S. citizen whose ownership position would be aggregated with such non-U.S. citizen for purposes of the Jones Act) to not more than 4.9% of the outstanding shares of each such class or series. The Company refers to such percentage limitations on ownership by persons who are not U.S. citizens within the meaning of the Jones Act as the "applicable permitted percentage."

The Company's second amended and restated certificate of incorporation provides that any transfer or purported transfer of any shares of any class or series of its capital stock that would otherwise result in ownership (of record or beneficially) by non-U.S. citizens of shares of such class or series in excess of the applicable permitted percentage will be void and ineffective, and neither the Company nor its transfer agent will register any such transfer or purported transfer in the Company records or recognize any such transferee or purported transferee as a stockholder of the Company for any purpose (including for purposes of voting and dividends) except to the extent necessary to effect the remedies available to the Company under its second amended and restated certificate of incorporation.

In the event such transfer restriction would be ineffective for any reason, the Company's second amended and restated certificate of incorporation provides that if any transfer would otherwise result in ownership (of record or beneficially) by non-U.S. citizens of shares of such class or series in excess of the applicable permitted percentage, such transfer will cause such excess shares to be automatically transferred to a trust for the exclusive benefit of one or more charitable beneficiaries that are U.S. citizens within the meaning of the Jones Act. The proposed transferee will have no rights in the shares transferred to the trust, and the trustee, who will be a U.S. citizen chosen by the Company and unaffiliated with the Company or the proposed transferee, will have all voting, dividend and distribution rights associated with the shares held in the trust. The trustee will sell such excess shares to a U.S. citizen within 20 days of receiving notice from the Company (or as soon thereafter as a sale may be effected in compliance with all applicable securities laws) and distribute to the proposed transferee the lesser of the price that the proposed transferee paid for such shares and the amount received from the sale, and any gain from the sale will be paid to the charitable beneficiary of the trust.

These trust transfer provisions also apply to situations where ownership of a class or series of the Company's capital stock by non-U.S. citizens in excess of the applicable permitted percentage would result from a change in the status of a record or beneficial owner thereof from a U.S. citizen to a non-U.S. citizen or from a repurchase or redemption by the Company of shares of its capital stock, in which case such person will receive the lesser of the market price of the shares on the date of such status change or such share repurchase or redemption and the amount received from the sale. As part of the foregoing trust transfer provisions, the trustee will be deemed to have offered the excess shares in the trust to the Company at a price per share equal to the lesser of (i) the market price on the date the Company accepts the offer and (ii) the price per share in the purported transfer or original issuance of shares, as described in the preceding paragraph, or the market price per share on the date of the status change or share repurchase or redemption, that resulted in the transfer to the trust.

As a result of the above trust transfer provisions, a proposed transferee that is a non-U.S. citizen, or a record or beneficial owner whose citizenship status change results in excess shares, or whose shares become excess shares as a result of a repurchase or redemption by the Company of its capital stock may not receive any return on its investment in shares it purportedly purchases or owns, as the case may be, and it may sustain a loss.

To the extent that the above trust transfer provisions would be ineffective for any reason to prevent ownership (of record or beneficially) by non-U.S. citizens of the shares of any class or series of the Company's capital stock in excess of the applicable permitted percentage, the Company's second amended and restated certificate of incorporation provides that the Company, in its sole discretion, shall be entitled to redeem all or any portion of such excess shares most recently acquired (as determined by the Company in accordance with guidelines that are set forth in its second amended and restated certificate of incorporation), by non-U.S. citizens, or owned (of record or beneficially) by non-U.S. citizens as a result of a change in citizenship status or a repurchase or redemption by the Company of shares of its capital stock, at a redemption price based on a fair market value formula that is set forth in the Company's second amended and restated certificate of incorporation. The per share redemption price may be paid, as determined by the Company's Board of Directors, by cash, promissory notes, warrants or a combination thereof. Such excess shares shall not be accorded any voting, dividend or distribution rights until they have ceased to be excess shares, provided that they have not been already redeemed by the Company. As a result of the above provisions, a proposed transferee or owner of the Company's Common Stock that is a non-U.S. citizen may not receive any return on its investment in shares it purportedly purchases or owns, as the case may be, and it may sustain a loss. Further, the Company may have to incur additional indebtedness, or use available cash (if any), to fund all or a portion of such redemption, in which case its financial condition may be materially weakened.

So that the Company may ensure its compliance with the Jones Act, its second amended and restated certificate of incorporation permits the Company to require that any record or beneficial owner of any shares of its capital stock provide the Company with certain documentation concerning such owner's citizenship. These provisions include a requirement that every person acquiring, directly or indirectly, five percent (5%) or more of the shares of any class or series of the Company's capital stock must provide the Company with specified citizenship documentation. In the event that any person does not submit such requested or required documentation to the Company, the Company's second amended and restated certificate of incorporation provides it with certain remedies, including the suspension of the voting rights of such person's shares of the Company's capital stock and the payment of dividends and distributions with respect to those shares into an escrow account. As a result of non-compliance with these provisions, a record or beneficial owner of the shares of Common Stock may lose significant rights associated with those shares.

In addition to the risks described above, the foregoing restrictions on ownership by non-U.S. citizens could delay, defer or prevent a transaction or change in control that might involve a premium price for the Company's Common Stock or otherwise be in the best interest of its stockholders.

If non-U.S. citizens own more than 22.5% of the Company's Common Stock, the Company may not have the funds or the ability to redeem any excess shares and it could be forced to suspend its operations in the U.S. coastwise trade.

The Company's second amended and restated certificate of incorporation and its second amended and restated by-laws contain provisions prohibiting ownership of its Common Stock by persons who are not U.S. citizens within the meaning of the Jones Act, in the aggregate, in excess of 22.5% of such shares, in order to ensure that such ownership by non-U.S. citizens will not exceed the maximum percentage permitted by the Jones Act, which is presently 25%. The Company's second amended and restated certificate of incorporation and its second amended and restated by-laws permit the Company to redeem such excess shares in the event that the transfer of such excess shares to a trust for sale would be ineffective. The per share redemption price may be paid, as determined by the Company's board of directors, by cash, promissory notes or warrants. However, the Company may not be able to redeem such excess shares for cash because its operations may not have generated sufficient excess cash flow to fund such redemption. If, for any reason, the Company is unable to effect such a redemption when such ownership of shares by non-U.S. citizens is in excess of 25% of the Common Stock, or otherwise prevent non-U.S. citizens in the aggregate from owning shares in excess of 25% of any such class or series of its capital stock, or fail to exercise its redemption rights because it is unaware that such ownership exceeds such percentage, the Company will likely be unable to comply with the Jones Act and will likely be required by the applicable governmental authorities to suspend its operations in the U.S. coastwise trade. Any such actions by governmental authorities would likely have a material adverse effect on the Company's business, financial position, results of operations, cash flows and growth prospects.

The Company's U.S.-flag vessels are subject to requisition for ownership or use by the United States in case of national emergency or national defense need.

The Merchant Marine Act of 1936 provides that, during a national emergency declared by presidential proclamation or a period for which the President has proclaimed that the security of the national defense makes it advisable, the Secretary of Transportation may requisition the ownership or use of any vessel owned by U.S. citizens (which includes the Company) and any vessel under construction in the United States. If any of the Company's vessels were purchased or chartered by the federal government under this law, the Company would be entitled to just compensation, which is generally the fair market value of the vessel in the case of a purchase or, in the case of a charter, the fair market value of charter hire, but the Company would not be entitled to compensation for any consequential damages it may suffer. The purchase or charter for an extended period of time by the federal government of one or more of the Company's vessels under this law could have a material adverse effect on the Company's business, financial position, results of operations, cash flows and growth prospects.

The Company may not be fully indemnified by its customers for damage to their property or the property of their other contractors.

The Company's contracts are individually negotiated, and the levels of indemnity and allocation of liabilities in them can vary from contract to contract depending on market conditions, particular customer requirements and other factors existing at the time a contract is negotiated. Additionally, the enforceability of indemnification provisions in the Company's contracts may be limited or prohibited by applicable law or may not be enforced by courts having jurisdiction, and the Company could be held liable for substantial losses or damages and for fines and penalties imposed by regulatory authorities. The indemnification provisions of the Company's contracts may be subject to differing interpretations, and the laws or courts of certain jurisdictions may enforce such provisions while other laws or courts may find them to be unenforceable, void or limited by public policy considerations, including when the cause of the underlying loss or damage is the Company's gross negligence or willful misconduct, when punitive damages are attributable to the Company or when fines or penalties are imposed directly against the Company. The law with respect to the enforceability of indemnities varies from jurisdiction to jurisdiction. Current or future litigation in particular jurisdictions, whether or not the Company is a party, may impact the interpretation and enforceability of indemnification provisions in the Company's contracts. There can be no assurance that the Company's contracts with its customers, suppliers and subcontractors will fully protect the Company against all hazards and risks inherent in its operations. There can also be no assurance that those parties with contractual obligations to indemnify the Company will be financially able to do so or will otherwise honor their contractual obligations.

The Company may not be able to sell vessels to improve its cash flow and liquidity because it may be unable to locate buyers with access to financing or to complete any sales on acceptable terms or within a reasonable time frame.

The Company may seek to sell some of its vessels to provide liquidity and cash flow. However, given the current downturn in the oil and natural gas industry, there may not be sufficient activity in the market to sell the Company's vessels and the Company may not be able to identify buyers with access to financing or to complete any such sales. Even if the Company is able to locate appropriate buyers for its vessels, any sales may occur on less favorable terms than the terms that might be available in a more liquid market or at other times in the business cycle. In addition, the terms of the Company's current and future indebtedness may limit its ability to sell assets, including vessels, or require that it use the proceeds from any such sale in specified manner.

The Company may be unable to collect amounts owed to it by its customers.

The Company typically grants its customers credit on a short-term basis. Related credit risks are inherent as the Company does not typically collateralize receivables due from customers. In addition, many of its international customers are state controlled and, as a result, the Company's receivables may be subject to local political priorities, which are out of the Company's control. The Company provides estimates for uncollectible accounts based primarily on its judgment using historical losses, current economic conditions and individual evaluations of each customer as evidence supporting the receivables valuations stated on the Company's financial statements. However, the Company's receivables valuation estimates may not be accurate and receivables due from customers reflected in its financial statements may not be collectible. The Company's inability to perform under its contractual obligations, or its customers' inability or unwillingness to fulfill their contractual commitments to the Company, may have a material adverse effect on the Company's business, financial position, results of operations, cash flows and growth prospects.

The Company participates in joint ventures, and its investments in joint ventures could be adversely affected by its lack of sole decision-making authority and disputes between its partners and itself.

The Company participates in domestic and international joint ventures to further expand its capabilities, share risks and gain access to local markets. Due to the nature of joint venture arrangements, the Company does not unilaterally control the operating, strategic and financial policies of these business ventures. Decisions are often made on a collective basis, including the purchase and sale of assets, charter arrangements with customers and cash distributions to partners. In addition, joint ventures can often require unanimous approval of the parties to the joint venture or their representatives for certain fundamental decisions, which means that each joint venture party may have a veto right with respect to such decisions, which could lead to deadlock in the operations of the joint venture or partnership. Decisions made by the managers or the boards of these entities may not always be the decision that is most beneficial to the Company as one of the equity holders of the entity and may be contrary to the Company's objectives and may limit the Company's ability to transfer its interests. Investments in joint ventures involve risks that would not be present were a third-party not involved, including the possibility that the Company's co-ventures might become bankrupt or fail to fund their share of required capital contributions. Any failure of such other companies to meet their obligations to the Company or to third-parties, or any disputes with respect to the parties' respective rights and obligations, could have a material adverse effect on the joint ventures or their properties and, in turn, could have a material adverse effect on the Company's business, financial position, results of operations, cash flows and growth prospects.

The Company's participation in industry-wide, multi-employer, defined benefit pension plans expose it to potential future losses.

Certain of the Company's subsidiaries are participating employers in two industry-wide, multi-employer defined benefit pension plans in the U.K., the U.K. Merchant Navy Officers Pension Fund ("MNOPF") and the U.K. Merchant Navy Ratings Pension Fund ("MNRPF"). Among other risks associated with multi-employer plans, contributions and unfunded obligations of the multi-employer plan are shared by the plan participants. As a result, the Company may inherit unfunded obligations if other plan participants withdraw from the plan or cease to participate, and in the event that the Company withdraws from participation in one or both of these plans, it may be required to pay the plan an amount based on its allocable share of the underfunded status of the plan. Depending on the results of future actuarial valuations, it is possible that the plans could experience further deficits that will require funding from the Company, which would negatively impact its financial position, results of operations and cash flows.

Negative publicity may adversely impact the Company.

Media coverage and public statements that insinuate improper actions by the Company, regardless of their factual accuracy or truthfulness, may result in negative publicity, litigation or governmental investigations by regulators. Addressing negative publicity and any resulting litigation or investigations may distract management, increase costs and divert resources. Negative publicity may have an adverse impact on the Company's reputation and the morale of its employees, which could materially adversely affect its business, financial position, results of operations, cash flows and growth prospects.

The Company's operations are subject to certain foreign currency, interest rate, fixed-income, equity and commodity price risks.

The Company is exposed to certain foreign currency, interest rate, fixed-income, equity and commodity price risks and, although some of these risks may be hedged, fluctuations could impact its financial position and its results of operations. The Company has, and anticipates that it will continue to have, contracts denominated in foreign currencies. It is often not practicable for the Company to effectively hedge the entire risk of significant changes in currency rates during a contract period. The Company's financial position, results of operations and cash flows have been negatively impacted for certain periods and positively impacted for other periods, and may continue to be affected to a material extent by the impact of foreign currency exchange rate fluctuations. For example, strengthening of the U.S. dollar could give rise to reduced prices from shipyards and incentivize additional investment in new equipment notwithstanding the current state of such market. The Company's financial position, results of operations and cash flows may also be affected by the cost of hedging activities that it undertakes. Volatility in the financial markets and overall economic uncertainty also increase the risk that the actual amounts realized in the future on the Company's debt and equity instruments could differ significantly from the fair values currently assigned to them. In addition, changes in interest rates may have a material adverse effect on the Company's business, financial position, results of operations, cash flows and growth prospects. Specifically, rising interest rates, including a potential rapid rise in interest rates, could increase the Company's cost of capital.

The Company's customers that operate wind farms rely on tax and other government incentives, the loss of which could adversely affect their business and liquidity, and in turn the Company's operations that support these customers.

The Company's customers in the North Sea and elsewhere that operate wind farms may rely on government policies that support renewable energy and enhance the economic feasibility of wind farms, as well as other renewable energy projects. These policies may provide tax and other incentives to owners and operators of these projects. These tax incentives may have a significant impact on various customers' revenues and budgets each year, and therefore on their ability to operate their business, expand their operations or hire offshore service providers. Should any such tax or other incentives be modified, amended or repealed to minimize or eliminate the current levels of benefits offered, it may decrease the need for offshore service providers, which could adversely affect the Company's business, financial position, results of operations, cash flows and growth prospects.

The Company engages in hedging activities which exposes it to risks.

For corporate purposes and also as part of its trading activities, the Company has in the past and may in the future use futures and swaps to hedge risks, such as escalation in fuel costs and movements in foreign exchange rates and interest rates. Such activities can themselves result in losses when a position is purchased in a declining market or a position is sold in a rising market. The Company may also purchase inventory in larger than usual levels to lock in costs when it believes there may be large increases in the price of raw materials or other material used in its business. Such purchases expose the Company to risks of meeting margin calls and drawing on its capital, counter-party risk due to failure of an exchange or institution with which it has entered into a swap, incurring higher costs than competitors or similar businesses that do not engage in such strategies, and losses on its investment portfolio. Such strategies can also cause earnings to be volatile. If the Company fails to offset such volatility, this could have a material adverse effect on the Company's business, financial position, results of operations, cash flows and growth prospects.

The final impacts of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act could be materially different from the Company's current estimates.

On December 22, 2017, the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act was signed into law (the "Tax Act"). The Tax Act introduced significant changes to the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended. The Company continues to examine the impact the Tax Act may have on its business. Notwithstanding the reduction in the federal corporate income tax rate from 35% to 21% as a result of Tax Act, the estimated impact of the new law is based on management's current knowledge and assumptions and recognized impacts could be materially different from current estimates based upon the Company's further analysis of the new law.

As of December 31, 2017, the Company’s net operating loss carryforwards excluded potential tax benefits of $3.9 million as a result of uncertainty regarding interpretation of the Tax Act.  Subsequent guidance has confirmed that the Company should recognize the tax benefits of $3.9 million and therefore, for the year ending December 31, 2018, the Company removed the valuation allowance previously established against the net operating loss carryforwards. 

During the preparation of the 2017 federal income tax return, the Company’s management had overestimated the available foreign taxes that could be credited against the 2017 transition tax.  This resulted in an additional tax liability of $3.4 million on its 2017 federal income tax return. This additional liability was recorded as a return-to-provision adjustment to tax expense during the year ended December 31, 2018.

The Company's inability to attract and retain qualified personnel and crew its vessels could have an adverse effect on its business.

Attracting and retaining skilled personnel is an important factor in the Company's future success. In addition, the success of the Company is dependent upon its ability to adequately crew its vessels. The market for qualified personnel is highly competitive and the Company cannot be certain that it will be successful in attracting and retaining qualified personnel and crewing its vessels in the future. If the Company fails to retain key personnel and hire, train and retain qualified employees, the Company may not be able to compete effectively, which could have a material adverse effect on the Company's business, financial position, results of operations, cash flows and growth prospects.

The Company's success depends on key members of its management, the loss of whom could disrupt its business operations.

The Company depends to a large extent on the efforts and continued employment of its executive officers and key management personnel. It does not maintain key-man insurance. The loss of services of one or more of its executive officers or key management personnel could have a material adverse effect on the Company's business, financial position, results of operations, cash flows and growth prospects.

The Company's employees are covered by federal laws that may subject it to job-related claims in addition to those provided by state laws.

Some of the Company's employees are covered by provisions of the Jones Act, the Death on the High Seas Act and general maritime law. These laws preempt state workers' compensation laws and permit these employees and their representatives to pursue actions against employers for job-related incidents in federal courts based on tort theories. Because the Company is not generally protected by the damage limits imposed by state workers' compensation statutes for these types of claims, it may have greater exposure for any claims made by these employees.

The Company relies on information technology, and if it is unable to protect against service interruptions, data corruption, cyber-based attacks or network security breaches, its operations could be disrupted and its business could be negatively affected.

The Company relies on information technology networks and systems, including the Internet and cloud services, to process, transmit and store electronic and financial information, manage a variety of business processes and activities, and comply with regulatory, legal and tax requirements. The Company also depends on its information technology infrastructure to capture knowledge of its business including its vessel operation systems containing information about vessel positioning and scheduling; to monitor its vessel maintenance and engine systems; to coordinate its business across its bases of operation including cargo delivery and equipment tracking; and to communicate within its organization and with customers, suppliers, partners and other third-parties. The Company's ability to service customers and operate vessels is dependent on the continued operation of these systems. While the company takes various precautions and has enhanced controls around its systems, its technology systems are susceptible to damage, disruptions or shutdowns, hardware or software failures, power outages, computer viruses, telecommunication failures, user errors, catastrophic events, or cyber-attacks including malware, other malicious software, phishing email attacks, attempts to gain unauthorized access to its data, the unauthorized release, corruption or loss of its data, loss or damage to its data delivery systems and other electronic security breaches.

The Company's information technology systems are in some cases integrated, so damage, disruption or shutdown to the system could result in a more widespread impact. If the Company's information technology systems suffer severe damage, disruption or shutdown, and its business continuity plans do not effectively resolve the issues in a timely manner, the Company's operations could be disrupted and its business could be negatively affected. In addition, cyber-attacks could lead to potential unauthorized access and disclosure of confidential information, data loss and corruption. There is no assurance that the Company will not experience these service interruptions or cyber-attacks in the future. Recent action by the IMO's Maritime Safety Committee and United States agencies indicate that cybersecurity regulations for the maritime industry are likely to be further developed in the near future in an attempt to combat cybersecurity threats. The Company is unable to predict the impact of such regulations at this time. Further, as the methods of cyber-attacks continue to evolve, the Company may be required to expend additional resources to continue to modify or enhance its protective measures or to investigate and remediate any vulnerabilities to cyber-attacks.

Further, data protection laws apply to the Company in certain countries in which the Company does business. Specifically, the EU General Data Protection Regulation, or GDPR, which is applicable beginning May 2018, increases penalties up to a maximum of 4% of global annual turnover for breach of the regulation. The GDPR requires mandatory breach notification, the standard for which is also followed outside the EU (particularly in Asia). Non-compliance with data protection laws could expose the Company to regulatory investigations, which could result in fines and penalties. In addition to imposing fines, regulators may also issue orders to stop processing personal data, which could disrupt operations. The Company could also be subject to litigation from persons or corporations allegedly affected by data protection violations. Violation of data protection laws is a criminal offence in some countries, and individuals can be imprisoned or fined. Any violation of these laws or harm to the Company’s reputation could have a material adverse effect on the Company’s business, financial condition, results of operations and cash flows.

In order to comply with new ballast water treatment requirements, the Company will have to install expensive ballast water treatment systems and modify its vessels to accommodate such systems.

The International Convention for the Control and Management of Ships’ Ballast Water and Sediments (the “BWM Convention”), adopted by the UN International Maritime Organization in February 2004, calls for the prevention, reduction or elimination of the transfer of harmful aquatic organisms and pathogens through the control and management of ships' ballast water and sediments. The BWM Convention entered into force on September 8, 2017, with all vessels having to comply by 2024. In order to comply with these living organism limits, vessel owners will have to install expensive ballast water treatment systems and modify existing vessels to accommodate those systems or make port facility disposal arrangements, which may have a material impact on the Company’s business, financial condition and results of operations, depending on the cost of available ballast water treatment systems and the extent to which existing vessels or vessels under construction must be modified to accommodate such systems.

Risk Factors Related to the Company's Spin-off

SEACOR Marine was previously a subsidiary of SEACOR Holdings Inc. (along with its consolidated subsidiaries, other than SEACOR Marine, collectively referred to as "SEACOR Holdings").  On June 1, 2017, SEACOR Holdings completed a spin-off of SEACOR Marine by way of a pro rata dividend of SEACOR Marine's Common Stock, all of which was then held by SEACOR Holdings, to SEACOR Holdings' shareholders of record as of May 22, 2017 (the "Spin-off").

The Company relies on SEACOR Holdings' performance under various agreements and the Company will continue to be dependent on SEACOR Holdings to provide it with support services for its business. In addition, SEACOR Holdings will rely on the Company's performance under various agreements.

The Company has entered into various agreements with SEACOR Holdings in connection with the Spin-off, including two Transition Services Agreements, a Distribution Agreement, a Tax Matters Agreement and an Employee Matters Agreement. These agreements govern the Company's relationship with SEACOR Holdings subsequent to the Spin-off including administrative and similar services that each company will provide to the other under the Transition Services Agreements. It is possible that if SEACOR Holdings were to fail to fulfill its obligations under these agreements the Company could suffer operational difficulties or significant losses.

If the Company is required to indemnify SEACOR Holdings for certain liabilities and related losses arising in connection with any of these agreements, the Company may be subject to substantial liabilities, which could materially adversely affect its financial position. Specifically, pursuant to the Distribution Agreement, the Company and SEACOR Holdings are required to use their commercially reasonable efforts to cause SEACOR Holdings to be released from any guarantees it has given to third-parties on the Company's behalf or on behalf of the Company's 50% or less owned companies. If SEACOR Holdings is not released under any of these guarantees, the Company is required to indemnify SEACOR Holdings for any liabilities incurred as a guarantor. As of December 31, 2018, the aggregate amount of obligations that SEACOR Holdings has guaranteed on the Company's behalf was $40.6 million. Under the Distribution Agreement, the Company must pay SEACOR Holdings a fee of 0.5% per annum of the aggregate amount of guaranteed by SEACOR Holdings.

Under the terms of the Transition Services Agreements, the Company and SEACOR Holdings provide each other with certain support services on an interim basis following the Spin-off. The Company expects these services to be provided for varying durations but no greater than two years following the Spin-off.

Although SEACOR Holdings is contractually obligated to provide the Company with services during the term of the agreement, the Company cannot assure investors that the services will be performed as efficiently or proficiently after the expiration of the agreement, or that the Company will be able to replace these services in a timely manner or on comparable terms. They also contain provisions that may be more favorable than terms and provisions the Company might have obtained in arms-length negotiations with unaffiliated third-parties. When SEACOR Holdings ceases to provide services pursuant to the agreement, the Company's costs of procuring those services from third-parties may increase. In addition, the Company may not be able to replace these services or enter into appropriate third-party agreements on terms and conditions, including cost, comparable to those under the SEACOR Holdings Transition Services Agreement. Although the Company intends to replace some of the services provided by SEACOR Holdings under the SEACOR Holdings Transition Services Agreement, the Company may encounter difficulties replacing certain services or be unable to negotiate pricing or other terms as favorable as those it currently has in effect. To the extent that the Company may require additional support from SEACOR Holdings not addressed in the SEACOR Holdings Transition Services Agreement, the Company would need to negotiate the terms of receiving such support in future agreements. Further, if the Company fails to perform under the SEACOR Marine Transition Services Agreement, depending upon the circumstance surrounding the failure, it may become liable to SEACOR Holdings for damages.

If there is a determination that the Spin-off was taxable for U.S. federal income tax purposes because the facts, assumptions, representations or undertakings underlying the tax opinion were incorrect or for any other reason, then SEACOR Holdings, its stockholders that are subject to U.S. federal income tax and SEACOR Marine could incur significant U.S. federal income tax liabilities.

In connection with the Spin-off, SEACOR Holdings received an opinion of its counsel, Milbank LLP (f/k/a Milbank, Tweed, Hadley & McCloy LLP), substantially to the effect that the Spin-off qualifies as a transaction that is described in Section 355 of the Code. The opinion relied on certain facts, assumptions, representations and undertakings from SEACOR Holdings and the Company regarding the past and future conduct of the companies' respective businesses and other matters. If any of these facts, assumptions, representations or undertakings were incorrect, SEACOR Holdings and its stockholders may not be able to rely on the opinion of counsel and could be subject to significant tax liabilities. Notwithstanding the opinion of counsel, the IRS could determine on audit that the Spin-off was taxable if it determines that any of these facts, assumptions, representations or undertakings were not correct or had been violated or if it disagrees with the conclusions in the opinion, or for other reasons, including as a result of certain significant changes in the stock ownership of SEACOR Holdings or SEACOR Marine after the Spin-off. If the Spin-off is determined to be taxable, SEACOR Holdings, its stockholders that are subject to U.S. federal income tax and the Company could incur significant U.S. federal income tax liabilities.

Prior to the Spin-off, the Company and SEACOR Holdings entered into the Tax Matters Agreement that governs the parties' respective rights, responsibilities and obligations with respect to taxes, tax attributes, the preparation and filing of tax returns, the control of audits and other tax proceedings and assistance and cooperation in respect of tax matters. Taxes relating to or arising out of the failure of the Spin-off to qualify as a tax-free transaction for U.S. federal income tax purposes are the responsibility of SEACOR Holdings, except, in general, if such failure is attributable to the Company's action or inaction or SEACOR Holdings' action or inaction.

The Company's obligations under a Tax Matters Agreement are not limited in amount or subject to any cap. Further, even if the Company is not responsible for tax liabilities of SEACOR Holdings and its subsidiaries under the Tax Matters Agreement, the Company nonetheless could be liable under applicable tax law for such liabilities if SEACOR Holdings were to fail to pay them. If the Company is required to pay any liabilities under the circumstances set forth in the Tax Matters Agreement or pursuant to applicable tax law, the amounts may be significant.

The Company may not be able to engage in certain corporate transactions for a period of time after the Spin-off.

To preserve the tax-free treatment to SEACOR Holdings of the Spin-off, under the Tax Matters Agreement with SEACOR Holdings, the Company may not take any action that would jeopardize the favorable tax treatment of the distribution. These restrictions may limit the Company's ability to pursue certain strategic transactions or engage in other transactions that might increase the value of its business for the two-year period following the Spin-off.

The Spin-off may expose the Company to potential liabilities arising out of state and federal fraudulent conveyance laws and legal dividend requirements.

The Spin-off is subject to review under various state and federal fraudulent conveyance laws. Fraudulent conveyance laws generally provide that an entity engages in a constructive fraudulent conveyance when (i) the entity transfers assets and does not receive fair consideration or reasonably equivalent value in return, and (ii) the entity (a) is insolvent at the time of the transfer or is rendered insolvent by the transfer, (b) has unreasonably small capital with which to carry on the Company's business, or (c) intends to incur or believes it will incur debts beyond its ability to repay its debts as they mature. An unpaid creditor or an entity acting on behalf of a creditor (including without limitation a trustee or debtor-in-possession in a bankruptcy by the Company or SEACOR Holdings or any of the Company's respective subsidiaries) may bring an action alleging that the distribution or any of the related transactions constituted a constructive fraudulent conveyance. If a court accepts these allegations, it could impose a number of remedies, including without limitation, voiding the Company's claims against SEACOR Holdings, requiring the Company's shareholders to return to SEACOR Holdings some or all of the shares of the Company's Common Stock issued in the distribution, or providing SEACOR Holdings with a claim for money damages against the Company in an amount equal to the difference between the consideration received by SEACOR Holdings and the fair market value of the Company at the time of the distribution.

The measure of insolvency for purposes of the fraudulent conveyance laws will vary depending on which jurisdiction's law is applied. Generally, an entity would be considered insolvent if (i) the present fair saleable value of its assets is less than the amount of its liabilities (including contingent liabilities); (ii) the present fair saleable value of its assets is less than its probable liabilities on its debts as such debts become absolute and matured; (iii) it cannot pay its debts and other liabilities (including contingent liabilities and other commitments) as they mature; or (iv) it has unreasonably small capital for the business in which it is engaged. The Company cannot assure investors what standard a court would apply to determine insolvency or that a court would determine that the Company, SEACOR Holdings or any of the Company's respective subsidiaries were solvent at the time of or after giving effect to the distribution.

The distribution of SEACOR Marine Common Stock is also subject to review under state corporate distribution statutes. Under the Delaware General Corporation Law (the "DGCL"), a corporation may only pay dividends to its shareholders either (i) out of its surplus (net assets minus capital) or (ii) if there is no such surplus, out of its net profits for the fiscal year in which the dividend is declared and/or the preceding fiscal year. Although SEACOR Holdings intended to make the distribution of SEACOR Marine Common Stock entirely from surplus, the Company cannot assure investors that a court will not later determine that some or all of the distribution to SEACOR Holdings shareholders was unlawful.

As a condition to the distribution, the SEACOR Holdings board of directors obtained, prior to the distribution, an opinion from a nationally recognized provider of such opinions that SEACOR Holdings and the Company would each be solvent and adequately capitalized immediately after the Spin-off. The Company cannot assure investors, however, that a court would reach the same conclusions set forth in the opinion in determining whether SEACOR Holdings or the Company were insolvent at the time of, or whether lawful funds were available for the Spin-off and the distribution to SEACOR Holdings shareholders.

Risk Factors Related to the Company's Common Stock

The Company's stock price may fluctuate significantly, and investors may not be able to sell their shares at an attractive price.

The trading price of the Company's Common Stock may be volatile and subject to wide price fluctuations in response to various factors including:

These and other factors may cause the market price and demand for the Company's Common Stock to fluctuate substantially, which may limit or prevent investors from readily selling their shares of the Company's Common Stock and may otherwise negatively affect the liquidity of the Company's Common Stock. In addition, in the past, when the market price of a stock has been volatile, holders of that stock have sometimes instituted securities class action litigation against the company that issued the stock. If any of the Company's stockholders were to bring a lawsuit against it, the Company could incur substantial costs defending the lawsuit. Such a lawsuit could also divert the time and attention of the Company's management from its business.

An investor's percentage of ownership in the Company may be diluted in the future.

As with any publicly traded company, an investor's percentage ownership in the Company may be diluted in the future because of equity issuances for acquisitions, capital market transactions or otherwise, including equity awards that the Company has and will continue to grant to its directors, officers and employees. For instance, in April 2018, the Company issued 2,168,586 shares of common stock, and warrants to purchase 674,164 shares of common stock at a purchase price of $0.01 per share, in a private placement for cash. In addition, an investor's percentage ownership in the Company will be diluted if any of the holders of the Convertible Senior Notes exercise their right to convert the principal amount of their outstanding notes, in whole or in part, into shares of the Company's Common Stock. Holders of the Convertible Senior Notes are entitled to convert the principal amount of their outstanding notes into shares of the Company's Common Stock at an initial conversion rate of 23.26 shares of the Company's Common Stock per $1,000 principal amount of the Convertible Senior Notes through November 29, 2022. The Company has granted the holders of the Convertible Senior Notes certain registration rights to assist them with the sale of Common Stock issuable upon conversion of such notes. Any substantial issuance of the Company's Common Stock, including Common Stock issuable upon the conversion of the Convertible Senior Notes, could significantly affect the trading price of the Company's Common Stock.

If securities or industry analysts do not publish research or reports about the Company's business, if they adversely change their recommendations regarding the Company's stock or if the Company's results of operations do not meet their expectations, the Company's stock price and trading volume could decline.

The trading market for the Company's Common Stock is influenced by the research and reports that industry or securities analysts publish about the Company or its business. If one or more of these analysts cease coverage of the Company or fail to publish reports on the Company regularly, the Company could lose visibility in the financial markets, which in turn could cause its stock price or trading volume to decline. Moreover, if one or more of the analysts who cover the Company downgrade recommendations regarding the Company's stock, or if the Company's results of operations do not meet their expectations, the Company's stock price could decline and such decline could be material.

For as long as the Company is an "Emerging Growth Company," it will be exempt from certain reporting requirements, including those relating to accounting standards and disclosure about its executive compensation, that apply to other public companies.

In April 2012, the JOBS Act was signed into law. The JOBS Act contains provisions that, among other things, relax certain reporting requirements for "Emerging Growth Companies," including certain requirements relating to accounting standards and compensation disclosure. The Company is classified as an "Emerging Growth Company," which is defined as a company with annual gross revenues of less than $1 billion, that has been a public reporting company for a period of less than five years, and that does not have a public float of $700 million or more in securities held by non-affiliated holders. For as long as the Company is an "Emerging Growth Company," which may be up to five full fiscal years, unlike other public companies, unless the Company elects not to take advantage of applicable JOBS Act provisions, it will not be required to (i) provide an auditor's attestation report on management's assessment of the effectiveness of its system of internal control over financial reporting pursuant to Section 404 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act, (ii) comply with any new or revised financial accounting standards applicable to public companies until such standards are also applicable to private companies under Section 102(b)(1) of the JOBS Act, (iii) comply with any new requirements adopted by the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (the "PCAOB"), such as requiring mandatory audit firm rotation or a supplement to the auditor's report in which the auditor would be required to provide additional information about the audit and the financial statements of the issuer, (iv) comply with any new audit rules adopted by the PCAOB after April 5, 2012 unless the SEC determines otherwise, (v) provide certain disclosure regarding executive compensation required of larger public companies or (vi) hold stockholder advisory and other votes on executive compensation. The Company cannot predict if investors will find its Common Stock less attractive if it chooses to rely on these exemptions. If some investors find the Company's Common Stock less attractive as a result of any choices to reduce future disclosure, there may be a less active trading market for the Company's Common Stock and its stock price may be more volatile.

As noted above, under the JOBS Act, "Emerging Growth Companies" can delay adopting new or revised accounting standards that have different effective dates for public and private companies until such time as those standards apply to private companies. The Company elected not to take advantage of such extended transition period, which election is irrevocable pursuant to Section 107 of the JOBS Act.

The Company is obligated to develop and maintain proper and effective internal control over financial reporting and is subject to other requirements that will be burdensome and costly.

The Company has historically operated its business as a segment of a public company. As a separate company, it is required to file with the SEC annual and quarterly information and other reports that are specified in Section 13 of the Exchange Act. The Company is also required to ensure that it has the ability to prepare financial statements that are fully compliant with all SEC reporting requirements on a timely basis. In addition, the Company is subject to other reporting and corporate governance requirements, including the requirements of the NYSE, and certain provisions of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act and the regulations promulgated thereunder, which impose significant compliance obligations upon the Company. As a public company, the Company is required to:

These changes require a significant commitment of additional resources, including increased auditing and legal fees and costs associated with hiring additional accounting and administrative staff. The Company may not be successful in fully and efficiently implementing these requirements and implementing them could materially adversely affect its business, financial position, results of operations, cash flows and growth prospects.

Failure to achieve and maintain effective internal controls over financial reporting in accordance with Section 404 could have a material adverse effect on the Company.

The Company's internal controls were initially developed when it was a subsidiary of SEACOR Holdings; however, Section 404 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act ("Section 404") requires the Company to establish effective internal controls over financial reporting and disclosure controls and procedures pursuant to Section 404 and to assess the effectiveness of such controls beginning with the fiscal year ended December 31, 2018.

If the Company is unable to maintain adequate internal control over financial reporting, it may be unable to report its financial information on a timely basis, may violate applicable stock exchange listing rules or suffer other adverse regulatory consequences and may breach the covenants under its credit facilities. There could also be a negative reaction in the price of the Company's Common Stock due to a loss of investor confidence in the Company and the reliability of its financial statements. It cannot be assumed that the Company will not have another material weakness in its internal controls over financial reporting in the future.

Moreover, the Company's internal control over financial reporting may not prevent or detect misstatements because of its inherent limitations, including the possibility of human error, the circumvention or overriding of controls or fraud. Even effective internal controls can provide only reasonable assurance with respect to the preparation and fair presentation of financial statements. The existence of a material weakness could result in errors in the Company's financial statements that could result in a restatement of financial statements, which could cause the Company to fail to meet its reporting obligations, lead to a loss of investor confidence and have a negative impact on the trading price of the Company's Common Stock.

Provisions in the Company's second amended and restated certificate of incorporation, second amended and restated by-laws, and Delaware law may discourage, delay or prevent a change of control of the Company or changes in the Company's management and, therefore, may depress the trading price of its Common Stock.

The Company's second amended and restated certificate of incorporation and second amended and restated by-laws include certain provisions that could have the effect of discouraging, delaying or preventing a change of control of the Company or changes in its management, including, among other things:

These provisions in the Company's second amended and restated certificate of incorporation and second amended and restated by-laws may discourage, delay or prevent a transaction involving a change in control of the Company that is in the best interest of its stockholders. Even in the absence of a takeover attempt, the existence of these provisions may adversely affect the prevailing market price of the Company's Common Stock if they are viewed as discouraging future takeover attempts.

The Company's second amended and restated by-laws provide that, unless the Company otherwise consents in writing to an alternative forum, the Court of Chancery located in the State of Delaware is the sole and exclusive forum for any derivative action or proceeding brought on behalf of the Company, any action asserting a claim of breach of a fiduciary duty owed by any director, officer or employee of the Company to itself or to its stockholders, any action asserting a claim arising pursuant to any provision of the DGCL, or any action asserting a claim governed by the internal affairs doctrine.

The Company's second amended and restated by-laws provide that, unless the Company otherwise consents in writing to an alternative forum, the Court of Chancery located in the State of Delaware is the sole and exclusive forum for any derivative action or proceeding brought on behalf of the Company, any action asserting a claim of breach of a fiduciary duty owed by any director, officer or employee of the Company to itself or to its stockholders, any action asserting a claim arising pursuant to any provision of the DGCL, or any action asserting a claim governed by the internal affairs doctrine. This provision may limit a stockholder's ability to bring a claim in a judicial forum that it finds favorable for disputes with the Company or its directors, officers, employees or other stockholders, which may discourage such lawsuits against the Company and its directors, officers, employees or other stockholders. Alternatively, if a court were to find this provision in the Company's second amended and restated by-laws to be inapplicable or unenforceable in an action, the Company may incur additional costs associated with resolving such action in other jurisdictions, which could adversely affect its business and financial condition.

The Company does not expect to pay dividends to holders of its Common Stock.

The Company currently intends to retain its future earnings, if any, for the foreseeable future, to repay indebtedness and to fund the development and growth of its business. The Company does not intend to pay any dividends to holders of its Common Stock. As a result, capital appreciation in the price of the Company's Common Stock, if any, will be investor's only source of gain or income on an investment in the Company's Common Stock.

None.

Offshore support vessels are the principal physical properties owned by the Company as more fully described in "Item 1. Business."

In the normal course of its business, the Company becomes involved in various other litigation matters including, among other things, claims by third-parties for alleged property damages and personal injuries. Management has used estimates in determining the Company's potential exposure to these matters and has recorded reserves in its financial statements related thereto where appropriate. It is possible that a change in the Company's estimates of that exposure could occur, but the Company does not expect such changes in estimated costs could have a material adverse effect on the Company's business, financial position, results of operations, cash flows and growth prospects.

Not applicable.

EXECUTIVE OFFICERS OF THE REGISTRANT

Officers of SEACOR Marine serve at the pleasure of the Board of Directors. The name, age and offices held by each of SEACOR Marine's current executive officers are as follows:

PART II

Market for the Company's Common Stock

SEACOR Marine's Common Stock began trading on the New York Stock Exchange ("NYSE") on June 2, 2017 under the trading symbol "SMHI." The last reported sales price on the Company's Common Stock on March 1, 2019 was $14.27.

As of March 1, 2019, there were 177 holders of record of Common Stock.

Dividend Policy

The Company currently does not intend on paying any such dividend for the foreseeable future. Any payment of future dividends will be at the discretion of SEACOR Marine's Board of Directors and will depend upon, among other factors, the Company's earnings, financial condition, current and anticipated capital requirements, plans for expansion, level of indebtedness and contractual restrictions, including the provisions of the Company's other then-existing indebtedness. The payment of future cash dividends, if any, would be made only from assets legally available.

Issuer Repurchases of Equity Securities

Performance Graph

Set forth in the graph below is a comparison of the cumulative total return that a hypothetical investor would have earned assuming the investment of $100 over the period commencing on June 2, 2017 in (i) the Common Stock of the Company, (ii) the Standard & Poor's 500 Stock Index ("S&P 500") and (iii) a peer issuer group comprised of publicly-traded companies participating in the offshore marine industry. The information set forth in the graph below shall be considered "furnished" but not "filed" for purposes of the Securities Act of 1933 and the Securities Exchange Act of 1934.

SELECTED HISTORICAL FINANCIAL INFORMATION.

The following table sets forth for the periods indicated (in thousands, except share data and statistics), selected historical consolidated and combined financial data and certain operating data for the Company. Such financial and operating data should be read in conjunction with "Item 7. Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations" and "Item 8. Financial Statements and Supplementary Data" included in Parts II and IV, respectively, of this Annual Report on Form 10-K.

Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations below presents the Company's operating results for each of the three years in the period ended December 31, 2018, and its financial condition as of December 31, 2018. Certain statements in this Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations constitute forward looking statements. See "Forward Looking Statements" included elsewhere in this Annual Report on Form 10-K.

Overview

The Company provides global marine and support transportation services to offshore oil, natural gas exploration and windfarm development and production facilities worldwide. As of December 31, 2018, the Company and its joint ventures operated a diverse fleet of 179 support and specialty vessels, of which 128 were owned or leased-in, 44 were joint-ventured, and seven were managed on behalf of unaffiliated third-parties. The primary users of the Company's services are major integrated oil companies, large independent oil and natural gas exploration and production companies and emerging independent companies, as well as windfarm operations and installation contractors.

The Company's fleet features offshore support and specialty vessels that deliver cargo and personnel to offshore installations; handle anchors and mooring equipment required to tether rigs to the seabed; tow rigs and assist in placing them on location and moving them between regions; provide construction, well workover and decommissioning support; carry and launch equipment used underwater in drilling and well installation, maintenance and repair; and provide windfarm installation, maintenance and repair support. Additionally, the Company's vessels provide accommodations for technicians and specialists, safety support and emergency response services. The Company's fleet also features crew transfer vessels used primarily in windfarm operations.

Recent Developments

On September 26, 2018, SMFH, entered into a $130.0 million loan facility with a syndicate of lenders administered by DNB Bank ASA (the “SMFH Loan Facility”).  SMFH's obligations pursuant to the SMFH Loan Facility were secured by mortgages on 20 vessels owned by the Company's subsidiaries as well as by an assignment of earnings from such subsidiaries. The obligations of SMFH under the SMFH Loan Facility are guaranteed by SEACOR Marine. The SMFH Loan Facility matures in 2023 and bears interest at a variable rate based on LIBOR (currently 6.5625%).  The proceeds from the SMFH Loan Facility were used to pay off other credit facilities of the Company’s subsidiaries (totaling $101.3 million), resulting in a net increase of term debt of $30.1 million. In October 2018, the Company entered into two interest rate swap agreements with an initial notional value of $65.0 million related to the debt incurred under the SMFH Loan Facility, effectively fixing the interest rate on this portion of the debt at 6.9%.

On December 20, 2018, the Company announced the acquisition of UP Offshore (Bahamas) Ltd. (“UP Offshore”), a leading provider of offshore support vessel services to the energy industry in Brazil, by MEXMAR Offshore, a new joint venture company that is 49% owned by SEACOR Marine International LLC (“SMI”), a wholly-owned subsidiary of SEACOR Marine, and 51% owned by a subsidiary of Proyectos Globales de Energía y Servicios CME, S.A. de C.V. (“CME”). Of UP Offshore's 14 vessel fleet, 12 vessels are located and registered in Brazil and two are located and registered in the United Kingdom. 11 of UP Offshore’s vessels are platform supply vessels ("PSVs"), two are remotely operated vehicle ("ROV") support vessels and one is an offshore terminal vessel. MEXMAR Offshore acquired UP Offshore for nominal consideration, and UP Offshore’s existing debt was refinanced with $95.0 million of new indebtedness composed of (i) a $70.0 million six-year debt facility provided by UP Offshore’s existing lenders that is non-recourse to SEACOR Marine, CME or any of their respective subsidiaries, (ii) a $15.0 million loan from MexMar to fund capital expenditures on two vessels in the UP Offshore fleet that have been awarded firm contract of employment in Brazil and, except under limited circumstances, such loan is senior to the new $70.0 million debt facility in right of payment, and (iii) a $10.0 million loan from MEXMAR Offshore to fund working capital requirements that is subordinate to the new $70.0 million debt facility and funded by an approximate $5.0 million capital contribution to MEXMAR Offshore by each of SMI and CME.

On December 28, 2018, the Company entered into an agreement to acquire three foreign-flag PSVs from COSCO Shipping Heavy Industry (Zhoushan) Co., Ltd. ("COSCO Zhoushan"), an affiliate of COSCO Shipping Group, the world's largest ship owner, scheduled for expected delivery between the third quarter of 2019 and the second quarter of 2020.  Aggregate consideration for the vessels is approximately $45.5 million, of which 30% will be paid in cash and 70% under a four-year deferred payment agreement between the Company and COSCO Zhoushan.  Half of the cash payment will be funded in the first quarter of 2019 with the balance per vessel to be paid upon physical delivery of each vessel.  

Trends Affecting the Offshore Marine Business

The market for offshore oil and natural gas drilling has historically been cyclical. Demand for offshore support vessels tends to be linked to the price of oil and natural gas as those prices significantly impact the Company's customers' exploration and drilling activity levels. Oil and natural gas prices tend to fluctuate based on many factors, including global economic activity, levels of reserves and production activity. Price levels for oil and natural gas have and will continue to in and of themselves influence demand for offshore marine services. In addition to the price of oil and natural gas, the availability of acreage, local tax incentives or disincentives, drilling moratoriums and other regulatory actions, and requirements for maintaining interests in leases affect activity in the offshore oil and natural gas industry. Factors that influence the level of offshore exploration and drilling activities include:

Offshore oil and natural gas market conditions deteriorated beginning in the second half of 2014 and continued to deteriorate when oil prices hit a thirteen-year low of less than $27 per barrel (on the New York Mercantile Exchange) in February 2016. While oil prices increased steadily throughout the beginning of 2018 reaching a high of $77 per barrel, they retreated in the fourth quarter and, as of December 31, 2018, the price was $44 per barrel. The Company has continued to experience difficult market conditions as these declines and continued volatility in oil and natural gas prices have led to a general decrease in exploration and production activities, and a particular decrease in offshore drilling associated activity. The Company's operating results have been negatively impacted as oil and gas producing companies focused on cost reduction and cut capital spending budgets.

Certain macro drivers somewhat independent of oil and natural gas prices have the ability to continue to support the Company's business, including: (i) underspending by oil and gas producers during the current industry downturn leading to pent up demand for maintenance and growth capital expenditures; and (ii) improved extraction technologies. While alternative forms of energy may gain a foothold in the long term, for the foreseeable future, the Company believes demand for gasoline and oil will be sustained, as well as demand for electricity from natural gas.

Low oil prices and the subsequent decline in offshore exploration have forced many operators in the industry to restructure or liquidate assets. The Company continues to closely monitor the delivery of newly built offshore support vessels to the industry-wide fleet, which is creating situations of oversupply, thereby further lowering the demand for the Company's existing offshore support vessel fleet. A continuation of (i) low customer exploration and drilling activity levels, and (ii) continued excess supply of offshore support vessels whether from laid up fleets or newly built vessels could, in isolation or together, have a material adverse effect on the Company's business, financial position, results of operations, cash flows and growth prospects.

The Company adheres to a strategy of cold-stacking vessels (removing from active service) during periods of weak utilization in order to reduce the daily running costs of operating the fleet, primarily personnel, repairs and maintenance costs, as well as to defer some drydocking costs into future periods. The Company considers various factors in determining which vessels to cold-stack, including upcoming dates for regulatory vessel inspections and related docking requirements. The Company may maintain class certification on certain cold-stacked vessels, thereby incurring some drydocking costs while cold-stacked. Cold-stacked vessels are returned to active service when market conditions improve, or management anticipates improvement, typically leading to increased costs for drydocking, personnel, repair and maintenance in the periods immediately preceding the vessels' return to active service. Depending on market conditions, vessels with similar characteristics and capabilities may be rotated between active service and cold-stack. On an ongoing basis, the Company reviews its cold-stacked vessels to determine if any should be designated as retired and removed from service based on the vessel's physical condition, the expected costs to reactivate and restore class certification, if any, and its viability to operate within current and projected market conditions. As of December 31, 2018, 21 of the Company's 128 owned and leased-in in-service vessels were cold-stacked worldwide, and an additional six owned vessels and one leased-in vessel were retired and removed from service.

Certain Components of Revenues and Expenses

The Company operates its fleet in five principal geographic regions: the United States, primarily in the Gulf of Mexico; Africa, primarily in West Africa; the Middle East and Asia; Brazil, Mexico, Central and South America; and Europe, primarily in the North Sea. The Company's vessels are highly mobile and regularly and routinely move between countries within a geographic region. In addition, the Company's vessels are also redeployed among the geographic regions, subject to flag restrictions, as changes in market conditions dictate. The number and type of vessels operated, their rates per day worked and their utilization levels are the key determinants of the Company's operating results and cash flows. Unless a vessel is cold-stacked, there is little reduction in daily running costs and, consequently, operating margins are most sensitive to changes in rates per day worked and utilization. The Company manages its fleet by utilizing a global network of shore side support, administrative and finance personnel.

Time charter statistics are the key performance indicators for the Company's time charter revenues. The rate per day worked is the ratio of total time charter revenues to the aggregate number of days worked. Utilization is the ratio of aggregate number of days worked to total available days for all vessels available for time charter. Unless vessels have been retired and removed from service, available days represents the total calendar days for which vessels available for time charter were owned or leased-in by the Company, whether marketed, under repair, cold-stacked or otherwise out-of-service.

Operating Revenues. The Company generates revenues by providing services to customers primarily pursuant to two different types of contractual arrangements: time charters and bareboat charters. Under a time charter, the Company provides a vessel to a customer and is responsible for all operating expenses, typically excluding fuel. Under a bareboat charter, the Company provides a vessel to a customer and the customer assumes responsibility for all operating expenses and all risks of operation. Vessel charters may range from several days to several years.

Direct Operating Expenses. The aggregate cost of operating the Company's fleet depends primarily on the size and asset mix of the fleet. The Company's direct operating costs and expenses, other than leased-in equipment expense, are grouped into the following categories:

The Company expenses drydocking, engine overhaul and vessel mobilization costs as incurred. If a disproportionate number of drydockings, overhauls or mobilizations are undertaken in a particular fiscal year or quarter, operating expenses may vary significantly when compared with the prior year or prior quarter.

Direct Vessel Profit. Direct vessel profit (defined as operating revenues less operating expenses excluding leased-in equipment, "DVP") is the Company's measure of segment profitability when applied to reportable segments and a non-GAAP measure when applied to individual vessels, fleet categories or the combined fleet. DVP is a critical financial measure used by the Company to analyze and compare the operating performance of its individual vessels, fleet categories, regions and combined fleet, without regard to financing decisions (depreciation for owned vessels vs. leased-in expense for leased-in vessels). DVP is also useful when comparing the Company's fleet's performance against those of its competitors who may have differing fleet financing structures. DVP has some limitations in that it does not take into account all expenses related to the operation of the fleet and, more significantly, the Company.

Leased-in Equipment. In addition to the Company's owned fleet, it operates leased-in vessels from lessors under bareboat charter arrangements that currently expire between 2019 and 2021. Certain of these vessels were previously owned and subject to sale and leaseback transactions with their lessors.

Impairments. As a result of the difficult conditions experienced in the offshore oil and natural gas markets beginning in the second half of 2014 and the corresponding reductions in utilization and rates per day worked of its fleet, the Company identified indicators of impairment and recognized impairment charges primarily associated with its AHTS fleet, its liftboat fleet, certain specialty vessels and vessels removed from service. When reviewing its fleet for impairment, the Company groups vessels with similar operating and marketing characteristics, including cold-stacked vessels expected to return to active service, into vessel classes. All other vessels, including vessels retired and removed from service, are evaluated for impairment on a vessel by vessel basis.

During 2018, the Company recorded impairment charges of $14.6 million primarily associated with its AHTS fleet (four owned and three leased vessels) and one specialty vessel. During 2017, the Company recorded impairment charges of $27.5 million primarily associated with its AHTS vessels, one leased-in supply vessel removed from service, one owned FSV removed from service and two owned in-service specialty vessels. During 2016, the Company recorded impairment charges of $119.7 million primarily associated with its AHTS fleet, its liftboat fleet and one specialty vessel. Estimated fair values for the Company's owned vessels were established by independent appraisers and other market data such as recent sales of similar vessels. For information regarding the Company's vessel fair value measurement determinations, see "Note 10. Fair Value Measurements" in the audited consolidated financial statements included elsewhere in this Annual Report on Form 10-K. If market conditions continue to decline from the presently depressed utilization and rates per day worked experienced over the last three years, fair values based on future appraisals could decline significantly.

The Company's other vessel classes and other individual vessels in active service and cold-stacked status, for which no impairment was deemed necessary, have generally experienced a less severe decline in utilization and rates per day worked based on specific market factors. The market factors include vessels with more general utility to a broad range of customers (e.g., FSVs), vessels required for customers to meet regulatory mandates and operating under multiple year contracts (e.g., standby safety vessels) or vessels that service customers outside of the offshore oil and natural gas market (e.g., crew transfer vessels).

For vessel classes and individual vessels with indicators of impairment, but which were not impaired as of December 31, 2018, the Company has estimated that their future undiscounted cash flows exceed their current carrying values by more than 40%. The Company's estimates of future undiscounted cash flows are highly subjective as utilization and rates per day worked are uncertain, including the timing of an estimated market recovery in the offshore oil and natural gas markets and the timing and cost of reactivating cold-stacked vessels. If market conditions decline further, changes in the Company's expectations on future cash flows may result in recognizing additional impairment charges related to its long-lived assets in future periods.

Consolidated Results of Operations

For the years ended December 31, the Company's consolidated results of operations were as follows (in thousands, except statistics):

The following tables summarize the operating results and property and equipment for the Company's reportable segments for the periods indicated (in thousands, except statistics):