424B5
Table of Contents

Filed Pursuant to Rule 424(b)(5)
Registration No. 333-234343

Prospectus Supplement

(To prospectus dated November 7, 2019)

$68,000,000

8.00% Senior Unsecured Notes due 2024

 

 

LOGO

 

 

We entered into an At Market Issuance Sales Agreement (the “Sales Agreement”) with B. Riley FBR, Inc. (“B. Riley” or the “Agent”) on November 27, 2019, under which we may offer and sell, from time to time, our 8.00% Senior Unsecured Notes due 2024 (the “Notes”). Interest on the Notes will accrue from November 19, 2019, and thereafter, from the last date on which interest has been paid and will be paid quarterly in arrears on the last day of February, May, August and November of each year, commencing on February 29, 2020, and at maturity. The Notes will mature on December 31, 2024. We may redeem the Notes for cash, in whole or in part, at any time at our option (i) on or after December 31, 2021 and prior to December 31, 2022, at a price equal to 102% of the principal amount to be redeemed, (ii) on or after December 31, 2022 and prior to December 31, 2023, at a price equal to 101% of the principal amount to be redeemed, and (iii) on or after December 31, 2023 and prior to maturity, at a price equal to 100% of the principal amount to be redeemed, in each case, plus accrued and unpaid interest to, but excluding, the date of redemption, as described under “Description of the Notes—Optional Redemption.” In addition, we may redeem the Notes, in whole, but not in part, at any time prior to December 31, 2021, at our option, at a redemption price of 104% of the principal amount being redeemed, plus accrued and unpaid interest to, but excluding, the date of redemption, upon the occurrence of certain change of control events, as described under “Description of the Notes—Optional Redemption in Case of Change of Control.” The Notes will be our senior unsecured obligations and will rank equal in right of payment with all of our existing and future senior unsecured and unsubordinated indebtedness. The Notes will be effectively subordinated in right of payment to our existing and future secured indebtedness, to the extent of the value of the assets securing such indebtedness, and will be structurally subordinated to all existing and future indebtedness and other liabilities (including trade payables) of our subsidiaries. The Notes will be issued in minimum denominations of $25.00 and integral multiples of $25.00 in excess thereof.

The Notes that we may offer and sell under this prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus constitute a further issuance of and are fungible with the $31.625 million aggregate principal amount of 8.00% Senior Unsecured Notes due 2024 that we have issued to date (the “Initial Notes”), and form a single series of debt securities with the Initial Notes. Unless the context otherwise requires, references to the “Notes” will not include the Initial Notes. The Notes will have terms identical to the Initial Notes and will have the same CUSIP number as, and will be fungible and vote together with, the Initial Notes, immediately upon issuance.

The Initial Notes are, and the Notes (when issued) will be, listed on the New York Stock Exchange (the “NYSE”) under the symbol “GSLD.” On November 27, 2019, the last reported sale price per Note was $25.59.

Sales of the Notes, if any, under this prospectus supplement and accompanying prospectus may be made in transactions that are deemed to be “at the market offerings” as defined in Rule 415 under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”). The Agent is not required to sell any specific number of the Notes, but the Agent will make all sales using commercially reasonable efforts consistent with its normal trading and sales practices on mutually agreed terms between the Agent and us. See “Plan of Distribution (Conflicts of Interest)” for further information.

The Notes to which this prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus relate will be offered and sold through the Agent over a period of time and from time to time. Under the Sales Agreement, the Agent will be entitled to compensation equal to 2.5% of the gross proceeds from each sale of the Notes sold through it as our agent. In connection with the sale of the Securities on our behalf, the Agent will be deemed to be an “underwriter” within the meaning of the Securities Act, and the compensation of the Agent will be deemed to be underwriting commissions or discounts. There is no arrangement to place proceeds of the offering in escrow, trust or similar arrangement.

 

 

An investment in the Notes involves a high degree of risk. Before you make an investment in the Notes, you should carefully consider the section entitled “Risk Factors” beginning on page S-10 of this prospectus supplement, and other risk factors contained in the documents incorporated by reference into this prospectus supplement and the accompanying base prospectus.

Neither the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission nor any state securities commission has approved or disapproved of these securities or determined if this prospectus is truthful or complete. Any representation to the contrary is a criminal offense.

Delivery of the Notes in book-entry form only through the Depository Trust Company will be made on or about the second trading date following the date of purchase.

 

 

B. Riley FBR

The date of this prospectus supplement is November 27, 2019.


Table of Contents

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Prospectus Supplement

 

ABOUT THIS PROSPECTUS

     S-ii  

PROSPECTUS SUMMARY

     S-1  

CORPORATE INFORMATION

     S-5  

OTHER INFORMATION

     S-5  

THE OFFERING

     S-6  

CAUTIONARY STATEMENT REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS

     S-9  

RISK FACTORS

     S-10  

USE OF PROCEEDS

     S-14  

CAPITALIZATION

     S-15  

DESCRIPTION OF THE NOTES

     S-17  

TAX CONSIDERATIONS

     S-29  

MARSHALL ISLANDS TAX CONSIDERATIONS

     S-32  

PLAN OF DISTRIBUTION (CONFLICTS OF INTEREST)

     S-33  

EXPENSES

     S-35  

LEGAL MATTERS

     S-35  

EXPERTS

     S-35  

WHERE YOU CAN FIND ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

     S-36  

Base Prospectus

 

     Page  

ABOUT THIS PROSPECTUS

     ii  

PROSPECTUS SUMMARY

     1  

CORPORATE INFORMATION

     2  

OTHER INFORMATION

     2  

RISK FACTORS

     3  

CAUTIONARY STATEMENT REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS

     4  

USE OF PROCEEDS

     5  

CAPITALIZATION

     6  

ENFORCEMENT OF CIVIL LIABILITIES

     7  

PLAN OF DISTRIBUTION

     8  

DESCRIPTION OF CAPITAL STOCK

     10  

DESCRIPTION OF DEBT SECURITIES

     13  

DESCRIPTION OF WARRANTS

     20  

DESCRIPTION OF PURCHASE CONTRACTS

     21  

DESCRIPTION OF RIGHTS

     22  

DESCRIPTION OF UNITS

     23  

TAX CONSIDERATIONS

     24  

EXPENSES

     25  

LEGAL MATTERS

     25  

EXPERTS

     25  

WHERE YOU CAN FIND ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

     26  

 

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ABOUT THIS PROSPECTUS

This prospectus supplement and the accompanying base prospectus are part of a registration statement that we filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the “Commission”) using a “shelf” registration process. This document is in two parts. The first part is this prospectus supplement, which describes the specific terms of this offering of the Notes and also adds to and updates information contained in the accompanying base prospectus and the documents incorporated by reference therein. The second part, the base prospectus, gives more general information about securities we may offer from time to time, some of which does not apply to this offering. Generally, when we refer only to the prospectus, we are referring to both parts combined, and when we refer to the accompanying prospectus, we are referring to the base prospectus.

If the description of this offering varies between this prospectus supplement and the accompanying base prospectus, you should rely on the information in this prospectus supplement. This prospectus supplement, the accompanying base prospectus and the documents incorporated into each by reference include important information about us, the Notes being offered and other information you should know before investing. You should read this prospectus supplement and the accompanying base prospectus together with additional information described under the heading, “Where You Can Find Additional Information” before investing in the Notes.

We have authorized only the information contained or incorporated by reference in this prospectus supplement, the accompanying base prospectus and any free writing prospectus prepared by us or on our behalf or to which we have referred you. We have not, and the Agent has not, authorized anyone to provide you with information that is different. We and the Agent take no responsibility for, and can provide no assurance as to the reliability of, any information that others may give you. We are offering to sell, and seeking offers to buy, the Notes only in jurisdictions where offers and sales are permitted. The information contained in or incorporated by reference in this prospectus supplement and accompanying base prospectus is accurate only as of the date such information was issued, regardless of the time of delivery of this prospectus supplement or any sale of the Notes. Our business, financial condition and results of operations and prospects may have changed since those dates.

Unless the context otherwise requires, references to the “Company,” “we,” “us,” “our” or “Global Ship Lease” refer to Global Ship Lease, Inc., “CMA CGM” refers to CMA CGM S.A., currently our principal charterer, “Poseidon Containers” refers to Poseidon Containers Holdings LLC and K&T Marine LLC, collectively, with whom we completed a strategic combination on November 15, 2018, Technomar Shipping Inc. (“Technomar”) refers to our ship technical manager (“Technical Manager”) and ConChart Commercial Inc. (“Conchart”) refers to our commercial ship manager (“Commercial Manager”, and together with Technomar the “Managers”). Unless otherwise indicated, all references to “$” and “dollars” in this prospectus are to U.S. dollars. We use the term “TEU”, meaning twenty-foot equivalent unit, the international standard measure of container size, in describing volumes in world container trade and other measures, including the capacity of our containerships, which we also refer to as ships. Unless otherwise indicated, we calculate the average age of our ships on a weighted average basis, based on TEU capacity. References to our “2018 Annual Report” refer to our Annual Report on Form 20-F for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2018, that was filed with the Commission on March 29, 2019, which is incorporated herein by reference.

On March 25, 2019, we effected a one-for-eight reverse stock split of our Class A common shares. All share and per share amounts disclosed in this prospectus have been retroactively adjusted to reflect the reverse stock split.

Non-U.S. GAAP Financial Measures

To supplement our financial information presented in accordance with U.S. GAAP, we use certain “non-GAAP financial measures” as such term is defined in Regulation G promulgated by the Commission. Generally, a non-GAAP financial measure is a numerical measure of a company’s operating performance,

 

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financial position or cash flows that excludes or includes amounts that are included in, or excluded from, the most directly comparable measure calculated and presented in accordance with U.S. GAAP. We believe that the presentation of these measures provides investors with greater transparency and supplemental data relating to our financial condition and results of operations, and therefore a more complete understanding of factors affecting our business than U.S. GAAP measures alone. In addition, we believe that the presentation of these matters is useful to investors for period-to-period comparison of results as the items may reflect certain unique and/or non-operating items such as impairment charges, contract termination costs or items outside of our control.

We believe that the presentation of the following financial measures are useful to investors because they are frequently used by securities analysts, investors and other interested parties in the evaluation of companies in our industry. Adjusted EBITDA, Adjusted EBITDA Margin and Contracted Adjusted EBITDA are not defined in U.S. GAAP and should not be considered to be an alternative to net income or any other financial metric required by such accounting principles.

Adjusted EBITDA represents net income available to common shareholders before interest income and interest and other financial expense, income taxes, depreciation and amortization and earnings allocated to preferred shares. Adjusted EBITDA is a non-U.S. GAAP quantitative measure used to assist in the assessment of our operations. We believe that the presentation of Adjusted EBITDA is useful to investors because it is frequently used by securities analysts, investors and other interested parties in the evaluation of companies in our industry. Adjusted EBITDA Margin represents the Adjusted EBITDA for a period expressed as percentage of operating revenue for the same period. Contracted Adjusted EBITDA represents our contracted revenue multiplied by the Adjusted EBITDA Margin.

Adjusted EBITDA and Contracted Adjusted EBITDA are presented herein both on a historic basis and on a forward-looking basis in certain instances. We have not provided a reconciliation of any such forward looking non-U.S. GAAP financial measure to the most directly comparable U.S. GAAP measure because such U.S. GAAP financial measures on a forward-looking basis are not available to us without unreasonable effort.

 

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PROSPECTUS SUMMARY

This section summarizes some of the key information that is contained or incorporated by reference in this prospectus supplement. It may not contain all of the information that may be important to you and is qualified in its entirety by the more detailed information and financial statements included or incorporated by reference in this prospectus supplement and the accompanying base prospectus. As an investor or prospective investor, you should review carefully the entire prospectus, any free writing prospectus that may be provided to you in connection with the offering of the Notes and the information incorporated by reference in this prospectus supplement, including the section entitled “Risk Factors” beginning on page S-10 of this prospectus supplement, on page 3 of the accompanying base prospectus, and in our 2018 Annual Report.

Our Company

Global Ship Lease, Inc. is a Republic of the Marshall Islands corporation that owns a fleet of mid-sized and smaller containerships which are chartered out under fixed-rate charters to reputable container shipping companies (“liner companies” or “liner operators”).

We were formed in 2007 to purchase and charter back 17 containerships owned or to be purchased by CMA CGM, then the third largest containership operator in the world by number of ships.

On August 14, 2008, we merged indirectly with Marathon Acquisition Corp. (“Marathon”), a company then listed on the American Stock Exchange. Under the merger agreement, Marathon, a U.S. corporation, first merged with its wholly-owned Marshall Islands subsidiary, GSL Holdings, Inc. (“Holdings”), with Holdings continuing as the surviving company. Global Ship Lease, Inc., at that time a subsidiary of CMA CGM, then merged with Holdings, with Holdings again being the surviving company. Holdings was renamed Global Ship Lease, Inc. and became listed on the NYSE on August 15, 2008.

On November 15, 2018, we completed a transformative transaction and acquired Poseidon Containers’ 20 containerships, one of which, the Argos, was contracted to be sold, which sale was completed in December 2018, which we refer to herein as the “Poseidon Transaction.” References herein to the “GSL Fleet” are to the 19 ships that were owned by us prior to the consummation of the Poseidon Transaction. On the closing of the Poseidon Transaction, we issued to the Poseidon unitholders 3,005,603 Class A common shares and 250,000 Series C Preferred Shares, which are convertible to an aggregate of 12,955,187 Class A common shares in certain circumstances, and assumed the debt of Poseidon Containers, which amounted to $509.7 million as of November 15, 2018.

As of the date of this prospectus, we own 41 mid-sized and smaller containerships and have agreed to acquire four further ships. Nine ships (representing 31% of our current fleet by TEU capacity) are new-design, high-specification, fuel-efficient, and wide-beam. Our fleet, excluding the four ships we have agreed to acquire, has a total capacity of 224,162 TEU.

With the inclusion of the four ships we have agreed to acquire, three of which are scheduled to be delivered by December 2019 and one in January 2020, our fleet size would increase to 45 ships, with a total capacity of 249,622 TEU, with an average size of 5,547 TEU and a TEU-weighted average age of 12.6 years as of September 30, 2019.

Our ships are chartered out on time charters, representing contracted future revenue of $826 million as of September 30, 2019, including subsequent new charters (including those on the four ships to be acquired) and options to extend which are under our control, and assuming the mid-point of redelivery, over a TEU-weighted average remaining term of 2.7 years. Contracted future revenue was $913 million on the same basis, but also including options to extend which are under the charterers’ control and assuming the latest redelivery date, over a



 

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TEU-weighted average remaining term of 3.0 years. By applying the Adjusted EBITDA Margin of 62% for the nine months ended September 30, 2019 to contracted future revenue, this would imply Contracted Adjusted EBITDA of $512 million on our contracted future revenue of $826 million (to the mid-point of redelivery and including options to extend charters which are under our control) and $566 million on our future contracted revenue of $913 million (also including options to extend which are under the charterers’ control and assuming the latest redelivery). Adjusted EBITDA Margin and Contracted Adjusted EBITDA are non-U.S. GAAP measures. For a description of Adjusted EBITDA, Adjusted EBITDA Margin and Contracted Adjusted EBITDA and a reconciliation of these measures to net income, the most directly comparable U.S. GAAP financial measure, please see “About This Prospectus—Non-U.S. GAAP Financial Measures.”

Recent Developments

On November 19, 2019, we issued $27.5 million aggregate principal amount of Initial Notes in an underwritten public offering, and on November 27, 2019, we issued an additional $4.125 million aggregate principal amount of Initial Notes pursuant to the underwriters’ exercise of their option to purchase additional Initial Notes, resulting in aggregate net proceeds to us of approximately $29.7 million, after the payment of underwriting discounts and commissions and offering expenses.

On November 25, 2019, we extended the termination date of our annual mandatory offer to purchase up to $20.0 million of our outstanding 9.875% First Priority Secured Notes due 2022 (the “2022 Notes”) at a purchase price of 102% of the aggregate principle amount thereof plus accrued and unpaid interest (the “Annual Mandatory Offer”). The Annual Mandatory Offer is being made in accordance with the requirements of the indenture governing the 2022 Notes, and pursuant to an Offer to Purchase, dated October 25, 2019, and related documents. As extended, the Annual Mandatory Offer is scheduled to expire at 5:00 p.m. New York City time, on Friday, December 6, 2019, unless further extended by us.

On November 25, 2019, we entered into agreements to acquire two 2004-built, 6,080 TEU post-panamax containerships for an aggregate purchase price of $24.5 million and with charters in place to a leading liner operator for minimum 52 months / maximum 60 months, which are expected to generate aggregate Adjusted EBITDA of approximately $21.0 million over the median charter term. The vessels, which have bows optimized for fuel efficiency at lower operating speeds, are scheduled to be delivered to us by the end of 2019.

Our Fleet

The table below provides information about our fleet of 45 containerships as of November 26, 2019:

 

Ship Name

   Capacity
in TEUs
     Lightweight
(tons)
     Year
Built
     Charterer    Earliest
Charter
Expiry Date
     Latest
Charter
Expiry Date
    Daily
Charter
Rate $
 

CMA CGM Thalassa

     11,040        38,577        2008      CMA CGM      4Q25        1Q26       47,200  

UASC Al Khor(1)

     9,115        31,764        2015      Hapag-Lloyd      1Q22        2Q22       34,000  

Anthea Y(1)

     9,115        31,890        2015      COSCO      2Q20        3Q20       39,200  

Maira XL(1)

     9,115        31,820        2015      COSCO      2Q20        3Q20       39,200  

MSC Tianjin

     8,667        34,243        2005      MSC      2Q24        3Q24 (2)      —   (2) 

MSC Qingdao

     8,667        34,305        2004      MSC      2Q24        3Q24 (2)      —   (2) 

GSL Ningbo

     8,667        34,243        2004      Maersk      3Q20        4Q20       18,000  

GSL Kalliopi

     7,849        29,105        2004      Maersk      4Q22        4Q24 (3)      —   (3) 

GSL Grania

     7,849        29,261        2004      Maersk      3Q22        4Q24 (3)      —   (3) 

GSL Eleni

     7,849        29,261        2004      Maersk      3Q24        4Q24 (3)      —   (3) 

Mary(1)

     6,927        23,424        2013      CMA CGM      3Q23        4Q23       25,910  


 

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Ship Name

   Capacity
in TEUs
     Lightweight
(tons)
     Year
Built
     Charterer    Earliest
Charter
Expiry Date
    Latest
Charter
Expiry Date
    Daily
Charter
Rate $
 

Kristina(1)

     6,927        23,424        2013      CMA CGM      2Q24       3Q24       25,910  

Katherine(1)

     6,927        23,424        2013      CMA CGM      1Q24       2Q24       25,910  

Alexandra(1)

     6,927        23,424        2013      CMA CGM      1Q24       2Q24       25,910  

Alexis(1)

     6,882        23,919        2015      CMA CGM      1Q24       2Q24       25,910  

Olivia I(1)

     6,882        23,864        2015      CMA CGM      1Q24       2Q24       25,910  

New Purchase One

     6,650        27,999        2002      Confidential      2Q20       4Q20       —   (4) 

New Purchase Two

     6,650        27,999        2002    Confidential      1Q20       2Q20       —   (4) 

CMA CGM Berlioz

     6,621        26,776        2001      CMA CGM      2Q21       4Q21       34,000  

Agios Dimitrios

     6,572        24,746        2011      MSC      4Q19       4Q23       12,500 (5) 

Strauss

     6,080        23,762        2004      Confidential      2Q24       1Q25       —   (6) 

Verdi

     6,080        23,762        2004      Confidential      2Q24       1Q25       —   (6) 

Tasman

     5,936        25,010        2000      Maersk      1Q22       3Q22 (7)      12,500 (7) 

Dimitris Y

     5,936        25,010        2000      ZIM      2Q21       3Q21       14,500  

Ian H

     5,936        25,128        2000      ZIM      1Q21       2Q21       14,500  

Dolphin II

     5,095        20,596        2007      HMM      4Q19 (8)      4Q19 (8)      11,500 (8) 

Orca I

     5,095        20,696        2006      Maersk      2Q20 (9)      2Q21 (9)      9,000 (9) 

CMA CGM Alcazar

     5,089        20,087        2007      CMA CGM      4Q20       2Q21       33,750  

CMA CGM Château d’If

     5,089        20,100        2007      CMA CGM      4Q20       2Q21       33,750  

CMA CGM Jamaica

     4,298        17,272        2006      CMA CGM      3Q22       1Q23       25,350  

CMA CGM Sambhar

     4,045        17,355        2006      CMA CGM      3Q22       1Q23       25,350  

CMA CGM America

     4,045        17,355        2006      CMA CGM      3Q22       1Q23       25,350  

GSL Valerie

     2,824        11,971        2005      MSC      2Q20       3Q20       9,000  

Athena

     2,762        13,538        2003      MSC      1Q20       2Q20       9,000  

Maira

     2,506        11,453        2000      MSC      1Q20       2Q20       8,250  

Nikolas

     2,506        11,370        2000      MSC      1Q20       2Q20       9,000  

Newyorker

     2,506        11,463        2001      MSC      1Q20       2Q20       9,000  

GSL La Tour

     2,272        11,742        2001      CMA CGM      4Q19       4Q19       15,300 (10) 

GSL Manet

     2,272        11,742        2001      CMA CGM      4Q19       4Q19       15,300 (11) 

GSL Matisse

     2,262        11,676        1999      CMA CGM      4Q19       4Q19       15,300 (12) 

CMA CGM Utrillo

     2,262        11,676        1999      CMA CGM      1Q20       1Q20       8,500  

GSL Keta

     2,207        11,731        2003      OOCL      4Q19       4Q19       8,700 (13) 

GSL Julie

     2,207        11,731        2002      CMA CGM      4Q19       4Q19 (14)      7,200 (14) 

Kumasi

     2,207        11,731        2002      CMA CGM      4Q20       1Q21 (15)      9,800 (15) 

Marie Delmas

     2,207        11,731        2002      CMA CGM      4Q20       1Q21 (15)      9,800 (15) 

 

(1)

Modern design, high reefer capacity fuel efficient ships.

(2)

Five year charter at implied Adjusted EBITDA of $25.6 million per ship for the period.

(3)

GSL Eleni was delivered in 2Q19, GSL Grania was delivered in 3Q19 and GSL Kalliopi was delivered in October 2019. GSL Eleni is chartered for five years; GSL Kalliopi and GSL Grania are chartered for three years plus two successive periods of one year at option of the charterer. Implied Aggregate Adjusted EBITDA of $32.0 million for firm periods, increasing to $47.0 million if all options are exercised.

(4)

New Purchase One is expected to be delivered in December 2019 and New Purchase Two in January 2020. Implied Aggregate Adjusted EBITDA of $2.8 million for median period.

(5)

Thereafter, the Company has the option, callable in 4Q19, to extend for four years at $20,000 per day.

(6)

The Company has agreed to purchase two 6,080 TEU containerships with charters in place for minimum 52 months / maximum 60 months that are expected to generate Implied Aggregate Adjusted EBITDA of approximately $21.0 million over the median term of the charters. The name of the charterer is currently confidential.



 

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(7)

Additional 12—month extension at charterer’s option, for an additional $4.4 million implied Adjusted EBITDA.

(8)

Thereafter, 8-12 months to Feedertech at $12,500 per day commencing November 15, 2019.

(9)

Rate increases to $10,000 per day from June 3, 2020.

(10)

Redelivered by CMA CGM on November 23, 2019; new charter agreed with MSC for 12 months at $8,800 per day expected to commence early December 2019.

(11)

Redelivered November 24, 2019; awaiting redeployment.

(12)

Redelivered November 5, 2019; awaiting redeployment.

(13)

Thereafter, 100-180 days to OOCL at $9,400 per day commencing October 28, 2019.

(14)

Option for six months plus or minus 30 days extension at $8,500 per day from October 16, 2019 has been exercised by the charterer.

(15)

The Company has the option to extend to December 31, 2020 plus or minus 90 days, at $9,800 per day.

Employment of Our Fleet

We employ the ships in our fleet on time charters. A time charter is a contract for the use of a ship for a fixed period of time at a specified daily rate. Under a time charter, the ship owner provides and bears the cost of crew, lubricating oil and all maintenance and other services related to the ship’s operation, the cost of which is recovered from the daily charter rate. We are also responsible for insuring our interests in the ship and liabilities as owner arising from its use. The charterer is responsible for substantially all of the ship’s voyage costs, such as fuel (bunker) costs, canal fees, port expenses, cargo handling costs and extra war risk insurance costs if the ship is deployed outside normal insurance limits and enters areas which are specified by the insurance underwriters as being subject to additional premiums.

The term for a time charter commences on the ship’s delivery to the charterer. Time charter agreements may include options, in favor of the owner or the charterer, to extend the charter on pre-agreed terms. Charters may be extended on mutually agreed terms, or the ship may be re-delivered by the charterer at the end of the charter period, within a pre-agreed time window (to allow for operational flexibility), in which case we would seek alternate employment with another charterer.

Our charters are with a number of different charterers and expire on different dates over a period of time. We believe the diversified charterer base reduces counterparty risk and the staggered expirations of our charters reduces our exposure to re-chartering risk and may mitigate the impact of the cyclical nature of the container shipping industry.

Management of our Ships

Technomar provides day-to-day technical ship management services for all of our ships.

Global Ship Lease Services Limited, our wholly-owned subsidiary, is the commercial manager for 18 of our ships. It has entered into a Commercial Advisory Services and Exclusive Brokerage Services Agreement (“EBSA”) with Conchart, whereby Conchart is appointed to provide commercial advisory and exclusive brokerage services. The remaining 23 ships in our fleet are or will be subject to a commercial management agreement directly with Conchart, on terms substantially similar to those of the EBSA.

Risk Factors

We face a number of risks associated with our business and shipping industry and must overcome a variety of challenges to utilize our strengths and implement our business strategies. These risks relate to, among others, changes in the shipping industry, including supply and demand, charter rates, ship values, a downturn in the global economy, operational hazards inherent in container shipping industry and operations resulting in liability



 

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for damage to or destruction of property and equipment, pollution or environmental damage, inability to comply with covenants in our current indebtedness and borrowings we may enter into in the future, inability to finance capital projects, and inability to successfully employ our ships at the expiration of current charters.

You should carefully consider these risks, the risks described in “Risk Factors” and the other information in this prospectus and our 2018 Annual Report before deciding whether to invest in the Notes.

CORPORATE INFORMATION

We were incorporated in the Republic of the Marshall Islands on March 14, 2008 as GSL Holdings Inc.

The mailing address of our principal executive office is c/o Global Ship Lease Services Limited, 25 Wilton Road, London SW1V 1LW, United Kingdom, and our telephone number is +44 (0) 20 3998 0063. Our website address is www.globalshiplease.com. The information included on our website is not incorporated herein by reference. From time to time, we may use our website and social media outlets as channels of distribution of material company information.

OTHER INFORMATION

We are incorporated under the laws of the Republic of the Marshall Islands, and as a consequence, you may encounter difficulty protecting your interests as a Noteholder, and your ability to protect your rights through the U.S. federal court system may be limited. Please refer to the sections entitled “Risk Factors” and “Enforcement of Civil Liabilities” for more information.



 

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THE OFFERING

The summary below describes the principal terms of the Notes being offered by this prospectus supplement. Certain terms and conditions described below are subject to important limitations and exceptions. For a more complete description of the terms and conditions of the Notes, see “Description of the Notes.”

 

Issuer

Global Ship Lease, Inc.

 

Notes Offered

Up to $68.0 million aggregate principal amount of 8.00% Senior Unsecured Notes due 2024.

 

  The Notes offered hereby are a further issuance of, form a single series with, and will have the same terms as, the Initial Notes.

 

Manner of Offering

“At the market offering” that may be made from time to time through the Agent, as sales agent, subject to our instruction as to amount and timing. The Agent is not required to sell any specific principal amount of the Notes, but the Agent will make all sales using commercially reasonable efforts consistent with its normal trading and sales practices on mutually agreed terms between the Agent and us. See “Plan of Distribution (Conflicts of Interest)” beginning on page S-33.

 

Maturity

The Notes will mature on December 31, 2024, unless redeemed prior to maturity.

 

Interest Rate and Payment Dates

8.00% interest per annum on the principal amount of the Notes, payable quarterly in arrears on the last day of February, May, August and November of each year, commencing February 29, 2020. The interest payable on each interest payment date will be paid only to holders of record of the Notes at the close of business on January 15, April 15, July 15 and October 15 of each year, as the case may be, immediately preceding the applicable interest payment date

 

Guarantors

None.

 

Ranking

The Notes will be our senior unsecured obligations and will rank equal in right of payment with all of our existing and future senior unsecured and unsubordinated indebtedness. The Notes will be effectively subordinated in right of payment to our existing and future secured indebtedness, to the extent of the value of the assets securing such indebtedness, and will be structurally subordinated to all existing and future indebtedness and other liabilities (including trade payables) of our subsidiaries.

 

Optional Redemption

We may redeem the Notes for cash, in whole or in part, at any time at our option (i) on or after December 31, 2021 and prior to December 31, 2022, at a price equal to 102% of the principal amount to be redeemed, (ii) on or after December 31, 2022 and prior to December 31, 2023, at a price equal to 101% of the principal amount



 

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to be redeemed, and (iii) on or after December 31, 2023 and prior to maturity, at a price equal to 100% of the principal amount to be redeemed, in each case, plus accrued and unpaid interest to, but excluding, the date of redemption, as described under “Description of the Notes—Optional Redemption.” In addition, we may redeem the Notes, in whole, but not in part, at any time prior to December 31, 2021, at our option, at a redemption price equal to 104% of the aggregate principal amount to be redeemed, plus accrued and unpaid interest to, but excluding, the date of redemption, if there occurs a change of control of us, as described under “Description of the Notes—Optional Redemption in Case of Change of Control.”

 

Conflict of Interest

B. Riley Financial, Inc., the parent company of the Agent, is the beneficial owner of approximately 11% of our outstanding Class A common shares, including shares owned directly by itself and shares owned indirectly through the Agent or other subsidiaries of B. Riley Financial, Inc. B. Riley Financial, Inc. and its affiliate acquired 1,471,332 and 344,827 such shares, respectively, in our offering of common shares that was completed on October 1, 2019, for an aggregate of 1,816,159 of such shares. These shares are subject to lock-up agreements with FINRA pursuant to FINRA Rule 5110(g) until March 24, 2020. On November 25, 2019, B. Riley Financial, Inc. transferred the 1,471,332 shares acquired thereby to the Agent. Each of the 1,471,332 shares held by the Agent following such transfer and the 344,827 shares purchased in the October 2019 offering held by an affiliate are subject to lock-up agreements with FINRA pursuant to FINRA Rule 5110(g) until March 24, 2020. Under FINRA Rule 5121(f)(6), a beneficial owner of 10 percent or more of the outstanding common equity of an entity is deemed to “control” such entity. As a result of its “control” of the Company under FINRA Rules, the Agent is deemed to have a “conflict of interest” within the meaning of Rule 5121, and this offering will be conducted in accordance with the requirements of Rule 5121(a).

 

Sinking Fund

The Notes will not be subject to any sinking fund (i.e. no amounts will be set aside by us to ensure repayment of the Notes at maturity).

 

Events of Default

Events of default generally will include (i) failure to pay principal or interest, (ii) failure to observe or perform any other covenant or warranty in the Notes or in the Indenture that governs the notes, and (iii) certain events of bankruptcy, insolvency or reorganization.

 

Certain Covenants

The Indenture that governs the Notes contains certain covenants, including, but not limited to, restrictions on our ability to merge or consolidate with or into any other entity.

 

Additional Notes

We may “reopen” the Notes at any time without the consent of the holders of the Notes and issue additional notes with the same terms as the Notes (except the issue price, issue date and initial interest payment date), which will thereafter constitute a single fungible series



 

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with the Notes, provided that if the additional notes are not fungible with the Notes for U.S. federal income tax purposes, such additional notes will have a separate CUSIP number.

 

Ratings

The Notes will not be rated by any nationally recognized statistical rating organization.

 

No Financial Covenants

The Indenture that governs the Notes does not contain any financial covenants.

 

Defeasance

The Notes are subject to legal and covenant defeasance by us.

 

Listing

The Initial Notes are, and the Notes (when issued) will be, listed on the NYSE under the symbol “GSLD.”

 

Form and Denomination

The Notes will be issued in book-entry form in minimum denominations of $25.00 and integral multiples in excess thereof. The Notes will be represented by a permanent global certificate deposited with the trustee as custodian for The Depository Trust Company (“DTC”) and registered in the name of a nominee of DTC. Beneficial interests in any of the Notes will be shown on, and transfers will be effected only through, records maintained by DTC and its direct and indirect participants and any such interest may not be exchanged for certificated securities, except in limited circumstances.

 

Trustee

Wilmington Savings Fund Society, FSB.

 

Governing Law

The Indenture is, and the Notes will be, governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of New York.

 

Use of Proceeds

We intend to use the net proceeds of this offering for general corporate purposes.

 

Risk Factors

An investment in the Notes involves significant risks. Please refer to the section entitled “Risk Factors” beginning on page S-10 of this prospectus supplement and other information included or incorporated by reference in this prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus for a discussion of factors you should carefully consider before investing in the Notes.


 

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CAUTIONARY STATEMENT REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS

This prospectus contains forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements provide our current expectations or forecasts of future events. Forward-looking statements include statements about our expectations, beliefs, plans, objectives, intentions, assumptions and other statements that are not historical facts. Words or phrases such as “anticipate,” “believe,” “continue,” “estimate,” “expect,” “intend,” “may,” “ongoing,” “plan,” “potential,” “predict,” “project,” “will” or similar words or phrases, or the negatives of those words or phrases, may identify forward-looking statements, but the absence of these words does not necessarily mean that a statement is not forward-looking. Examples of forward-looking statements in this prospectus include, but are not limited to, statements regarding our disclosure concerning our operations, cash flows, financial position, dividend policy, the anticipated benefits of our strategic transaction with Poseidon Containers, and the likelihood of success in acquiring additional vessels to expand our business.

Forward-looking statements appear in a number of places in this prospectus and in our 2018 Annual Report, as updated by annual, quarterly and other reports and documents we file with the Commission after the date of this prospectus and that are incorporated by reference herein.

Forward-looking statements are subject to known and unknown risks and uncertainties and are based on potentially inaccurate assumptions that could cause actual results to differ materially from those expected or implied by the forward-looking statements. Our actual results could differ materially from those anticipated in forward-looking statements for many reasons, including the factors described in “Risk Factors” in this prospectus. The risks described under “Risk Factors” are not exhaustive. Other sections of this prospectus describe additional factors that could adversely affect our results of operations, financial condition, liquidity and the development of the industries in which we operate. New risks can emerge from time to time, and it is not possible for us to predict all such risks, nor can we assess the impact of all such risks on our business or the extent to which any risks, or combination of risks and other factors, may cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in any forward-looking statements. Accordingly, you should not unduly rely on these forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date of this prospectus. We undertake no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statement to reflect circumstances or events after the date of this prospectus or to reflect the occurrence of unanticipated events. You should, however, review the factors and risks we describe in the reports we will file from time to time with the Commission after the date of this prospectus.

 

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RISK FACTORS

An investment in the Notes involves substantial risks. Before making an investment in the Notes you should carefully consider the risks described below, as well as the other information included in this prospectus supplement and the accompanying base prospectus, including those in “Item 3. Key Information—D. Risk Factors” in our 2018 Annual Report, filed with the Commission on March 29, 2019, as updated by annual, quarterly and other reports and documents that we file with the Commission after the date of this prospectus supplement that are incorporated by reference herein. Please see the section of this prospectus entitled “Where You Can Find Additional Information—Information Incorporated by Reference.” The occurrence of one or more of those risk factors could adversely impact our business, financial condition or results of operations and could affect the value of the Notes being offered by this prospectus supplement.

Risks Related to Investing in the Notes and Risks Related to our Other Indebtedness

Management will have broad discretion as to the use of the proceeds from this offering and may not use the proceeds effectively.

Because we have not designated the amount of net proceeds from this offering to be used for any particular purpose, our management will have broad discretion as to the application of the net proceeds from this offering and could use them for purposes other than those contemplated at the time of this offering.

Your investment in the Notes is subject to our credit risk.

The Notes are unsubordinated unsecured general obligations of ours and are not, either directly or indirectly, obligations of any third party. The Notes will rank equally with all of our other unsecured and unsubordinated debt obligations, except as such obligations may be preferred by operation of law. Any payment to be made on the Notes, including the return of the principal amount at maturity or any redemption date, as applicable, depends on our ability to satisfy our obligations as they come due. As a result, our actual and perceived creditworthiness may affect the market value of the Notes and, in the event we were to default on our obligations, you may not receive the amounts owed to you under the terms of the Notes.

The Notes are effectively subordinated to any secured indebtedness we may incur and are structurally subordinated to all of the obligations of our subsidiaries, including trade payables, which may limit our ability to satisfy our obligations under the Notes.

The Notes will not be secured by any of our assets and will be effectively subordinated to any secured indebtedness that we incur (including the secured indebtedness of our subsidiaries) to the extent of the value of the collateral securing such indebtedness. The Indenture will not prohibit us or our subsidiaries from incurring secured indebtedness or from pledging any of our or their assets as collateral for any of our or their other indebtedness. As of September 30, 2019, we had $882.0 million of consolidated indebtedness outstanding, including $340.0 million on our 2022 notes, all of which was secured (including the secured indebtedness of our subsidiaries). In the event of the bankruptcy, liquidation, dissolution, reorganization or a similar proceeding of us or our subsidiaries, we will not be able to use any assets pledged as collateral for our or their existing or future secured indebtedness to pay the Notes until we or they, as applicable, have paid the holders of such secured indebtedness in full, and our and their existing indebtedness contains, and our and their future secured indebtedness will likely contain, certain limitations on our and their ability to use the collateral securing such indebtedness outside of such a proceeding.

Our ability to service our debt, including the Notes, depends on the results of operations of our subsidiaries and upon the ability of such subsidiaries to provide us with cash, whether in the form of dividends, loans or otherwise. However, the Notes are our obligations exclusively and are not guaranteed by any of our subsidiaries. Our subsidiaries are separate and distinct legal entities and have no obligation, contingent or otherwise, to make payments on the Notes or to make any funds available for that purpose. In addition, dividends, loans, advances or other distributions to us from such subsidiaries may be subject to statutory, contractual and other restrictions and are subject to other business considerations.

 

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Our right to receive assets from any of our subsidiaries upon its liquidation or reorganization, and the right of holders of the Notes to participate in those assets, will be structurally subordinated to any and all debt and other obligations that such subsidiary may incur (including trade payables). In the event of a bankruptcy, liquidation, dissolution, reorganization or of a similar proceeding with respect to any of our subsidiaries, we, as a common equity owner of such subsidiary (and, therefore, indirectly, the holders of the Notes) will rank behind such subsidiary’s creditors, including such subsidiary’s trade creditors. Even if we were a creditor of one of our subsidiaries, our rights as a creditor would be subordinate to any security interest in the assets of that subsidiary, any indebtedness of that subsidiary and any equity interests in that subsidiary that are senior to that held by us.

We are highly leveraged and subject to restrictions in our financing agreements that impose constraints on our operating and financial flexibility.

We are highly leveraged. As of September 30, 2019, we had $882.0 million of outstanding indebtedness, including $340.0 million on our 2022 notes. In addition, in November 2019 we completed an offering of $31.625 million aggregate principal amount of the Initial Notes, further adding to our total indebtedness. Subject to the restrictions contained in our existing and future debt instruments, we may incur additional indebtedness in connection with financing acquisitions, strategic transactions or other purposes, which indebtedness may rank senior to the Notes. The Indenture does not limit the amount of debt that we may incur. Our indebtedness increases the risk that we may be unable to generate enough cash to pay amounts due in respect of our indebtedness, including the Notes.

Our indebtedness could have important consequences to you and significant effects on our business. For example, it could:

 

   

make it more difficult for us to satisfy our debt obligations, including the Notes, the 2022 notes and our secured loan facilities, and any failure to comply with the obligations of any of our debt instruments, including restrictive covenants and borrowing conditions, could result in an event of default under the indenture governing the Notes, the indenture governing the 2022 notes and the agreements governing such other indebtedness;

 

   

increase our vulnerability to general adverse economic and industry conditions;

 

   

require a substantial portion of our cash flows from operations to be dedicated to the payment of interest on our indebtedness, amortization payments for our 2022 notes and our secured loan facilities, and, under certain circumstances, principal payments through a cash sweep mechanism in certain of our secured loan facilities, therefore reducing our ability to use our cash flows to fund operations, capital expenditure and future business opportunities;

 

   

restrict us from making strategic acquisitions or cause us to make non-strategic divestitures;

 

   

place us at a competitive disadvantage compared to our competitors that have less indebtedness;

 

   

limit our ability to obtain additional financing for working capital, capital expenditures, debt service requirements, acquisitions and general corporate or other purposes; and

 

   

limit our flexibility in planning for, or reacting to, changes in our business or market conditions and place us at a competitive disadvantage compared to our competitors who are less highly leveraged and who, therefore, may be able to take advantage of opportunities that our leverage may prevent us from exploiting.

In addition, our secured loan facilities and the indenture for our 2022 notes subject us to limitations on our business and future financing activities, including but not limited to, incurring additional indebtedness or issuing certain preferred stock; making substantial changes to the general nature of our business; paying dividends on or repaying or distributing any dividends on our capital stock; and redeeming or repurchasing our capital stock. Due to these restrictions, we may need to seek permission from our lenders in order to engage in some corporate actions. Our lenders’ interests may differ from ours and we cannot guarantee that we will be able to obtain our lenders’ permission when needed. This may prevent us from taking actions that are in our best interests.

 

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Despite our indebtedness levels, we may be able to incur substantially more indebtedness. This could further exacerbate the risks associated with our substantial indebtedness.

We may be able to incur substantial additional indebtedness in the future. Although the indenture governing the 2022 notes and the agreements covering our secured loan facilities contain restrictions on the incurrence of additional indebtedness, these restrictions are subject to a number of significant qualifications and exceptions, and under certain circumstances, the amount of indebtedness that could be incurred in compliance with these restrictions could be substantial. In addition, the indenture governing the 2022 notes and the agreements governing our secured loan facilities will not prevent us from incurring obligations that do not constitute indebtedness thereunder. Our covenants also permit us to incur substantial non-recourse indebtedness in subsidiaries that do not guarantee our obligations under our 2022 notes. If we incur substantially more indebtedness, the risks associated with our indebtedness as described above could be exacerbated.

The Notes are not protected by restrictive financial covenants, which in turn may allow us to engage in a variety of transactions that may impair our ability to fulfill our obligations under the Notes.

The Indenture governing the Notes does not contain any financial covenants and does not restrict us from paying dividends, incurring debt or issuing or repurchasing our other securities. Because the Indenture does not contain any covenants or other provisions designed to afford holders of the Notes protection in the event of a highly leveraged transaction involving us, including as a result of a change in financial condition or a takeover, recapitalization, highly leveraged transaction or similar restructuring involving us, except to the extent described under “Description of the Notes—Merger, Consolidation or Sale of Assets” we may engage in transactions that could impair our ability to fulfill our obligations under the Notes.

An active trading market for the Notes may not develop, which could limit the market price of the Notes or the ability of holders of Notes to sell them.

The Notes (when issued) and the Initial Notes are listed on the NYSE under the symbol “GSLD” and have only been listed since November 22, 2019. We cannot guarantee that an active public trading market will develop for the Notes and, even if one develops, it may not be maintained or be liquid. If an active public trading market for the Notes does not develop or is not maintained, the market price and liquidity of the Notes could be adversely affected and holders may not be able to sell their Notes at desired times and prices or at all. After purchase, the Notes may trade at a discount from their purchase price.

The liquidity of the trading market, if any, and future trading prices of the Notes will depend on many factors, including, among other things, prevailing interest rates, the financial condition, results of operations, business, prospects and credit quality of us and our subsidiaries, the market for similar securities and the overall securities market, and may be adversely affected by unfavorable changes in any of these factors, some of which are beyond our control. Market volatility could materially and adversely affect the Notes, regardless of our or our subsidiaries’ financial condition, results of operations, business, prospects or credit quality. The Notes have a number of features that may adversely affect the value and trading price of the Notes, including the lack of financial covenants.

In addition, there may be a limited number of buyers if a holder decides to sell the Notes. This may affect the price, if any, offered to the holder for the Notes or the ability of the holder to sell the Notes when desired or at all.

The Notes have not been rated, and ratings of any of our other securities may affect the trading price of the Notes.

We have not sought to obtain a credit rating for the Notes, and the Notes may never be so rated. It is possible, however, that one or more credit rating agencies might independently determine to assign a rating to the Notes or that we may elect to obtain a rating of the Notes in the future. In addition, we may elect to issue other

 

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securities for which we may seek to obtain a rating. If any ratings are assigned to the Notes in the future or if we issue other securities with a rating, such ratings, if they are lower than market expectations or are subsequently lowered or withdrawn, or if ratings for such other securities would imply a lower relative value for the Notes, could adversely affect the market for, or the market value of, the Notes. Ratings only reflect the views of the issuing rating agency or agencies and such ratings could at any time be revised downward or withdrawn entirely at the discretion of the issuing rating agency. A rating is not a recommendation to purchase, sell or hold any particular security, including the Notes. Ratings do not reflect market prices or suitability of a security for a particular investor and any future rating of the Notes may not reflect all risks related to us and our business, or the structure or market value of the Notes.

Because the Notes will be issued in book-entry form, holders must rely on DTC’s procedures to receive communications relating to the Notes and exercise their rights and remedies.

We will issue the Notes in the form of one or more global notes registered in the name of Cede & Co., as nominee of DTC. Beneficial interests in the global notes will be shown on, and transfers of the global notes will be effected only through, the records maintained by DTC. Except in limited circumstances, we will not issue certificated notes. See “Description of the Notes—Book-Entry Issuance.” Accordingly, if you own a beneficial interest in a global note, then you will not be considered an owner or holder of the Notes. Instead, DTC or its nominee will be the sole holder of the global note. Unlike persons who have certificated notes registered in their names, owners of beneficial interests in the global notes will not have the direct right to act on our solicitations for consents or requests for waivers or other actions from holders. Instead, those beneficial owners will be permitted to act only to the extent that they have received appropriate proxies to do so from DTC or, if applicable, a DTC participant. The applicable procedures for the granting of these proxies may not be sufficient to enable owners of beneficial interests in a global note to vote on any requested actions on a timely basis. In addition, notices and other communications relating to the Notes will be sent to DTC. We expect DTC to forward any such communications to DTC participants, which in turn would forward such communications to indirect DTC participants, but we can make no assurances that you will timely receive any such communications.

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

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

Redemption may adversely affect your return on the Notes.

Beginning December 31, 2021, we have the right to redeem some or all of the Notes prior to maturity, as described under “Description of the Notes—Optional Redemption.” Prior to December 31, 2021, we have the right, but not the obligation, to redeem the Notes in whole, but not in part, at any time at our option, at a redemption price equal to 104% of the aggregate principal amount to be redeemed, if a change of control occurs, as described under “Description of the Notes—Optional Redemption in Case of Change of Control.” We may redeem the Notes at times when prevailing interest rates may be relatively low. Accordingly, you may not be able to reinvest the amount received upon a redemption in a comparable security at an effective interest rate as high as that of the Notes.

 

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USE OF PROCEEDS

We intend to use the net proceeds from any sales of the Notes from this offering, after deducting the Agent’s commissions and our offering expenses, for general corporate purposes.

 

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CAPITALIZATION

The following table sets forth our capitalization as of September 30, 2019, on an:

 

   

actual basis;

 

   

as adjusted basis to give effect to:

 

   

the issuance of 7,613,788 Class A common shares on October 1, 2019, at a public offering price of $7.25 per share, for gross proceeds of $55.2 million and net proceeds, after deducting underwriting discounts and commissions and expenses, of approximately $50.7 million; and

 

   

the issuance of $27.5 million aggregate principal amount of the Initial Notes on November 19, 2019 and an additional $4.125 million aggregate principal amount of the Initial Notes purchased pursuant to the underwriters’ option to purchase additional Initial Notes on November 27, 2019, for aggregate net proceeds, after deducting underwriting discounts and commissions and certain expenses, of approximately $29.7 million.

 

   

as further adjusted basis to give effect to the issuance of the Notes covered by this prospectus supplement and the application of the net proceeds therefrom as described under “Use of Proceeds.” This calculation assumes the issuance and sale of $68.0 million aggregate principal amount of Notes, resulting in assumed net proceeds of approximately $66.1 million, after sales commissions and estimated offering expenses. The actual number of Notes issued, and the price at which they are issued, may differ depending on the timing of the sales.

You should read the information below together with the sections of this prospectus supplement and accompanying base prospectus entitled “Use of Proceeds” and “Risk Factors,” in addition to “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations” contained in our 2018 Annual Report, as well as the financial statements and related notes which are incorporated by reference into this prospectus.

 

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There have been no other material adjustments to our capitalization since September 30, 2019, as so adjusted.

 

     As of September 30, 2019  

(In Thousands of U.S. Dollars)

   Actual     As Adjusted     As Further
Adjusted
 

Total Cash(1)(2)(3)(6)

   $ 97,754     $ 178,216     $  244,341  
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Debt (secured)

      

Poseidon-DVB Credit Facility

   $ 47,088     $ 47,088     $ 47,088  

Poseidon-Syndicated Senior Secured Credit Facility

     230,000       230,000       230,000  

New Junior Facility

     38,500       38,500       38,500  

Poseidon- Deutsche, CIT, Entrust Credit Facility and Poseidon-Blue Ocean Credit Facility

     169,336       169,336       169,336  

2022 notes

     340,000       340,000       340,000  

8.00% Senior Unsecured Notes due 2024(2)(3)

     —         31,625       99,625  

CITI Credit Facility

     24,800       24,800       24,800  

Hayfin Credit Facility

     7,775       7,775       7,775  

Hellenic Credit Facility

     24,550       24,550       24,550  
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Total Debt(4)

   $ 882,049     $ 913,674     $ 981,674  
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Shareholders’ equity:

      

Class A common shares-authorized 214,000,000 shares with a $0.01 par value 9,942,950 shares issued and outstanding (as adjusted 17,556,738 shares issued and outstanding)

     99       176       176  

Series B Preferred shares-authorized 16,100 shares with a $0.01 par value 14,000 shares issued and outstanding

     —         —         —    

Series C Preferred shares-authorized 250,000 shares with a $0.01 par value 250,000 shares issued and outstanding(5)

     3       3       3  

Additional paid-in capital(6)

     512,811       563,452       563,452  

Accumulated deficit

     (167,321     (167,321     (167,321
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Total stockholders’ equity

     345,592       396,310       396,310  
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Total Capitalization

   $ 1,227,641     $ 1,309,984     $ 1,377,984  
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

 

(1)

Cash and cash equivalents, including restricted cash of $11,057.

(2)

As Adjusted includes the $31.625 million aggregate amount of Initial Notes. Net proceeds from the issuance of the Initial Notes, excluding the underwriters’ discount and estimated offering costs, is estimated to be $29.7 million.

(3)

As Further Adjusted includes the full $68.0 million principal amount of Notes offered hereby. Net proceeds from the issuance of the Notes, assuming sale of the full $68.0 million principal amount of Notes and accounting for the Agent’s discount and estimated offering costs, is estimated to be $66.1 million.

(4)

Aggregated principal amount outstanding, excluding unamortized deferred financing costs of $11,268 and unamortized original issue discount on our 2022 notes of $2,052 as of September 30, 2019.

(5)

Series C Preferred Shares convert to 12,955,187 Class A common shares in certain circumstances.

(6)

Additional paid-in capital includes the estimated net proceeds from the issuance of Class A common shares on October 1, 2019, of $50.7 million, after deducting underwriting discount and commissions and other estimated offering expenses, less their par value.

 

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DESCRIPTION OF THE NOTES

The 8.00% Senior Unsecured Notes due 2024 (the “Notes”) are being issued under an Indenture dated as of November 19, 2019, as supplemented by the First Supplemental Indenture dated as of November 19, 2019, which we refer to collectively as the “Indenture,” between the Company and Wilmington Savings Fund Society, FSB, trustee. Set forth below is a description of the specific terms of the Notes and the Indenture. This description supplements the description of the general terms and provisions of our debt securities set forth in the accompanying prospectus under the caption “Description of Debt Securities.” The following description does not purport to be complete and is subject to, and is qualified in its entirety by reference to, the Indenture filed as an exhibit to a Report on Form 6-K to be filed by the Company.

General

The Notes:

 

   

will be our general unsecured, senior obligations;

 

   

will be initially limited to an aggregate principal amount of $68.0 million (excluding the Initial Notes), with an initial outstanding aggregate principal amount of $0;

 

   

will mature on December 31, 2024 unless earlier redeemed or repurchased, and 100% of the aggregate principal amount, plus accrued and unpaid interest to, but not including, the maturity date, will be paid at maturity;

 

   

will bear cash interest from November 19, 2019, and thereafter, from the last date on which interest has been paid at an annual rate of 8.00%, payable quarterly in arrears on the last day of February, May, August and November of each year, beginning on February 29, 2020, and at maturity, and the interest payable on each interest payment date will be paid only to holders of record of the Notes at the close of business on January 15, April 15, July 15 and October 15 of each year, as the case may be, immediately preceding the applicable interest payment date;

 

   

will be redeemable at our option, in whole or in part, at any time on or after December 31, 2021, at the prices and on the terms described under “—Optional Redemption” below;

 

   

will be redeemable at our option, in whole, at any time on or before December 31, 2021, at the price and on the terms described under “—Optional Redemption in Case of Change of Control” below;

 

   

will be issued in denominations of $25.00 and integral multiples of $25.00 in excess thereof;

 

   

will not have a sinking fund;

 

   

will be, when issued, listed on the NYSE under the symbol “GSLD”; and

 

   

will be represented by one or more registered Notes in global form, but in certain limited circumstances may be represented by Notes in certificated form.

The Indenture does not limit the amount of indebtedness that we or our subsidiaries may issue. The Indenture does not contain any financial covenants and does not restrict us from paying dividends or issuing or repurchasing our other securities. Other than restrictions described under “—Covenants—Merger, Consolidation or Sale of Assets” below, the Indenture does not contain any covenants or other provisions designed to afford holders of the Notes protection in the event of a highly leveraged transaction involving us or in the event of a decline in our credit rating as the result of a takeover, recapitalization, highly leveraged transaction or similar restructuring involving us that could adversely affect such holders.

We may from time to time, without the consent of the existing holders, issue additional Notes having the same terms as to status, redemption or otherwise (except for the price to public, the issue date and, if applicable, the initial interest accrual date and the initial interest payment date) that may constitute a single fungible series

 

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with the Notes offered by this prospectus supplement; provided that if any such additional Notes are not fungible with the Notes initially offered hereby for U.S. federal income tax purposes, such additional Notes will have one or more separate CUSIP numbers.

Ranking

The Notes are senior unsecured obligations of the Company, and, upon our liquidation, dissolution or winding up, will rank (i) senior to the outstanding shares of our common stock, (ii) senior to any of our future subordinated debt, (iii) pari passu (or equally) with our existing and future unsecured and unsubordinated indebtedness, (iv) effectively subordinated to any existing or future secured indebtedness (including indebtedness that is initially unsecured to which we subsequently grant security), to the extent of the value of the assets securing such indebtedness and (v) structurally subordinated to all existing and future indebtedness of our subsidiaries, including trade payables.

As of September 30, 2019, we had $882.0 million of senior debt outstanding under the agreements governing our indebtedness. For information regarding our current outstanding indebtedness that will be effectively senior to the Notes, please see “—Description of Other Indebtedness” contained in this prospectus supplement.

Interest

Interest on the Notes will accrue at an annual rate equal to 8.00% from and including November 19, 2019, and thereafter, from the last date on which interest has been paid to, but excluding, the maturity date or earlier acceleration or redemption date and will be payable quarterly in arrears on the last day of February, May, August and November of each year, beginning on February 29, 2020, and at maturity, to the record holders at the close of business on the immediately preceding February 15, May 15, August 15 and November 15 (and December 15 immediately preceding the maturity date), as applicable (whether or not a business day).

The initial interest period for the Notes will be the period from and including November 19, 2019 (or the most recent payment date immediately preceding the date of issuance of the Notes), to, but excluding, February 29, 2020 (or the next interest payment date), and the subsequent interest periods will be the periods from and including an interest payment date to, but excluding, the next interest payment date or the stated maturity date, as the case may be.

The amount of interest payable for any interest period, including interest payable for any partial interest period, will be computed on the basis of a 360-day year comprised of twelve 30-day months. If an interest payment date falls on a non-business day, the applicable interest payment will be made on the next business day and no additional interest will accrue as a result of such delayed payment.

“Business day” means, for any place where the principal and interest on the Notes is payable, each Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday which is not a day in which banking institutions in New York, New York are authorized or obligated by law or executive order to close.

Optional Redemption

The Notes may be redeemed for cash in whole or in part at any time at our option (i) on or after December 31, 2021 and prior to December 31, 2022, at a price equal to 102% of the principal amount to be redeemed, (ii) on or after December 31, 2022 and prior to December 31, 2023, at a price equal to 101% of the principal amount to be redeemed, and (iii) on or after December 31, 2023 and prior to maturity, at a price equal to 100% of the principal amount to be redeemed, in each case, plus accrued and unpaid interest to, but excluding, the date of redemption.

 

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Optional Redemption in Case of Change of Control

If a Change of Control Event (as defined below) occurs, we will have the right, but not the obligation, before December 31, 2021, to redeem the Notes, in whole but not in part, within 90 days of the occurrence of such Change of Control Event, at a redemption price in cash equal to 104% of the aggregate principal amount of Notes to be redeemed, plus accrued and unpaid interest to, but excluding, the date of redemption.

“Capital Stock” means, with respect to any entity, any and all shares, interests, participations or other equivalents (however designated, whether voting or non-voting), including partnership or limited liability company interests, whether general or limited, in the equity of such entity (including without limitation all warrants, options, derivative instruments, or rights of subscription or conversion relating to or affecting Capital Stock), whether outstanding on the issue date of the Notes or issued thereafter.

“Change of Control Event” means: the acquisition by any person, including any syndicate or group deemed to be a “person” under Section 13(d)(3) of the Exchange Act, of beneficial ownership, directly or indirectly, through a purchase, merger or other acquisition transaction or series of purchases, mergers or other acquisition transactions, of the Capital Stock entitling that person to exercise more than 50% of the total voting power of all the Capital Stock entitled to vote generally in the election of the Company’s directors (except that such person will be deemed to have beneficial ownership of all securities that such person has the right to acquire, whether such right is currently exercisable or is exercisable only upon the occurrence of a subsequent condition).

Redemption—General

Any redemption shall be upon notice not fewer than 30 days and not more than 60 days prior to the date fixed for redemption. If less than all of the Notes are to be redeemed, the particular Notes to be redeemed will be selected not more than 45 days prior to the redemption date by the trustee from the outstanding Notes not previously called for redemption, by lot, provided that the unredeemed portion of the principal amount of any Notes will be in an authorized denomination (which will not be less than the minimum authorized denomination) for such Notes. The trustee will promptly notify us in writing of the Notes selected for redemption and, in the case of any Notes selected for partial redemption, the principal amount thereof to be redeemed. Beneficial interests in any of the Notes or portions thereof called for redemption that are registered in the name of DTC or its nominee will be selected by DTC in accordance with DTC’s applicable procedures.

Unless we default on the payment of the redemption price, on and after the date of redemption, interest will cease to accrue on the Notes called for redemption.

Events of Default

Holders of our Notes will have rights if an Event of Default occurs in respect of the Notes and is not cured, as described later in this subsection. The term “Event of Default” in respect of the Notes means any of the following:

 

  (1)

we do not pay interest on any Note when due, and such default is not cured within 30 days;

 

  (2)

we do not pay the principal of the Notes when due and payable;

 

  (3)

we breach any covenant or warranty in the Indenture with respect to the Notes and such breach continues for 60 days after we receive a written notice of such breach from the trustee or the holders of at least 25% of the principal amount of the Notes; and

 

  (4)

certain specified events of bankruptcy, insolvency or reorganization occur and remain undischarged or unstayed for a period of 90 consecutive days following entry of such final judgment or decree.

The trustee may withhold notice to the holders of the Notes of any default, except in the payment of principal or interest, if the trustee in good faith determines the withholding of notice to be in the interest of the holders of the Notes.

 

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Each year, we will furnish to the trustee a written statement of certain of our officers certifying that to their knowledge we are in compliance with the Indenture and the Notes, or else specifying any default.

Remedies if an Event of Default Occurs

If an Event of Default, other than an event of default described in clause (4) above, has occurred and is continuing, either the trustee or the holders of not less than 25% of the outstanding principal amount of the Notes may declare the entire principal amount of the Notes then outstanding, together with accrued and unpaid interest, if any, to be due and payable immediately by a notice in writing to us and, if notice is given by the holders of the Notes, the trustee. This is called an “acceleration of maturity.” If the Event of Default occurs in relation to our filing for bankruptcy or certain other events of bankruptcy, insolvency or reorganization occur, the principal amount of the Notes, together with accrued and unpaid interest, if any, will automatically, and without any declaration or other action on the part of the trustee or the holders, become immediately due and payable.

At any time after a declaration of acceleration of the Notes has been made by the trustee or the holders of the Notes and before any judgment or decree for payment of money due has been obtained by the trustee, the holders of a majority of the outstanding principal of the Notes, by written notice to us and the trustee, may rescind and annul such declaration and its consequences if (i) we have paid or deposited with the trustee all amounts due and owed with respect to the Notes (other than principal that has become due solely by reason of such acceleration) and certain other amounts, and (ii) any other Events of Default have been cured or waived.

At our election, the sole remedy with respect to an Event of Default due to our failure to comply with certain reporting requirements under the Trust Indenture Act or under “—Covenants—Reporting” below, for the first 180 calendar days after the occurrence of such Event of Default, consists exclusively of the right to receive additional interest on the Notes at an annual rate equal to (1) 0.25% for the first 90 calendar days after such default and (2) 0.50% for calendar days 91 through 180 after such default. On the 181st day after such Event of Default, if such violation is not cured or waived, the trustee or the holders of not less than 25% of the outstanding principal amount of the Notes may declare the principal, together with accrued and unpaid interest, if any, on the Notes to be due and payable immediately. If we choose to pay such additional interest, we must notify the trustee and the holders of the Notes by certificate of our election at any time on or before the close of business on the first business day following the Event of Default.

Before a holder of the Notes is allowed to bypass the trustee and bring a lawsuit or other formal legal action or take other steps to enforce such holder’s rights relating to the Notes, the following must occur:

 

   

such holder must give the trustee written notice that the Event of Default has occurred and remains uncured;

 

   

the holders of at least 25% of the outstanding principal of the Notes must have made a written request to the trustee to institute proceedings in respect of such Event of Default in its own name as trustee;

 

   

such holder or holders must have offered to the trustee indemnity satisfactory to the trustee against the costs, expenses and liabilities to be incurred in compliance with such request;

 

   

the trustee for 60 days after its receipt of such notice, request and offer of indemnity has failed to institute any such proceeding; and

 

   

no direction inconsistent with such written request has been given to the trustee during such 60-day period by holders of a majority of the outstanding principal of the Notes.

No delay or omission in exercising any right or remedy will be treated as a waiver of that right, remedy or Event of Default.

Book-entry and other indirect holders of the Notes should consult their banks or brokers for information on how to give notice or direction to or make a request of the trustee and how to declare or cancel an acceleration of maturity.

 

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Waiver of Defaults

The holders of a majority of the outstanding principal amount of the Notes may on behalf of the holders of all Notes waive any past default with respect to the Notes other than (i) a default in the payment of principal or interest on the Notes when such payments are due and payable (other than by acceleration as described above), or (ii) in respect of a covenant that cannot be modified or amended without the consent of each holder of Notes.

Covenants

In addition to any other covenants described in the accompanying prospectus, as well as standard covenants relating to payment of principal and interest, maintaining an office where payments may be made or securities can be surrendered for payment, payment of taxes by us and related matters, the following covenants will apply to the Notes. To the extent of any conflict or inconsistency between the base indenture and the following covenants, the following covenants will govern.

Merger, Consolidation or Sale of Assets

The Indenture provides that we will not merge or consolidate with or into any other person (other than a merger of a wholly-owned subsidiary into us), or sell, transfer, lease, convey or otherwise dispose of all or substantially all our property in any one transaction or series of related transactions unless:

 

   

we are the surviving entity or the entity (if other than us) formed by such merger or consolidation or to which such sale, transfer, lease, conveyance or disposition is made will be a corporation or limited liability company organized and existing under the laws of the United States of America, any state thereof or the District of Columbia, the Republic of the Marshall Islands, the Commonwealth of the Bahamas, the Republic of Liberia, the Republic of Panama, the Commonwealth of Bermuda, the British Virgin Islands, the Cayman Islands, the Isle of Man, Cyprus, Norway, Greece, Hong Kong, the United Kingdom, Malta, any Member State of the European Union or any jurisdiction generally acceptable as determined in good faith by the board of directors of the Company, to institutional lenders in the shipping industries;

 

   

the surviving entity (if other than us) expressly assumes, by supplemental indenture in form reasonably satisfactory to the trustee, executed and delivered to the trustee by such surviving entity, the due and punctual payment of the principal of, and premium, if any, and interest on, all the Notes outstanding, and the due and punctual performance and observance of all the covenants and conditions of the Indenture to be performed by us;

 

   

immediately before and immediately after giving effect to such transaction or series of related transactions, no default or Event of Default has occurred and is continuing; and

 

   

in the case of a merger where the surviving entity is other than us, we or such surviving entity will deliver, or cause to be delivered, to the trustee, an officers’ certificate and an opinion of counsel, each stating that such transaction and the supplemental indenture, if any, in respect thereto, comply with this covenant and that all conditions precedent in the Indenture relating to such transaction have been complied with.

Reporting

So long as any Notes are outstanding, we will (i) file with the Commission within the time periods prescribed by its rules and regulations and applicable to us and (ii) furnish to the Trustee and the holders of the Notes within 15 days after the date on which we would be required to file the same with the Commission pursuant to its rules and regulations (giving effect to any grace period provided by Rule 12b-25 under the Exchange Act), all financial information to the extent required of us to be contained in our filings on Form 20-F and, with respect to the annual consolidated financial statements only, a report thereon by our independent

 

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auditors. We shall not be required to file any report or other information with the Commission if the Commission does not permit such filing, although such reports will be required to be furnished to the Trustee. Documents filed by us with the Commission via the EDGAR system will be deemed to have been furnished to the Trustee and the holders of the Notes as of the time such documents are filed via EDGAR, provided, however, that the Trustee shall have no obligation whatsoever to determine whether or not such information, documents or reports have been filed pursuant to EDGAR.

Modification or Waiver

There are three types of changes we can make to the Indenture and the Notes:

Changes Not Requiring Approval

There are changes that we and the Trustee can make to the Notes without the specific approval of the holders of the Notes. This type is limited to clarifications and certain other changes that would not adversely affect holders of the Notes in any material respect and include changes:

 

   

to evidence the succession of another corporation, and the assumption by the successor corporation of our covenants, agreements and obligations under the Indenture and the Notes;

 

   

to add to our covenants such new covenants, restrictions, conditions or provisions for the protection of the holders of the Notes, and to make the occurrence, or the occurrence and continuance, of a default in any of such additional covenants, restrictions, conditions or provisions an Event of Default;

 

   

to modify, eliminate or add to any of the provisions of the Indenture to such extent as necessary to effect the qualification of the Indenture under the Trust Indenture Act, and to add to the Indenture such other provisions as may be expressly permitted by the Trust Indenture Act, excluding however, the provisions referred to in Section 316(a)(2) of the Trust Indenture Act;

 

   

to cure any ambiguity or to correct or supplement any provision contained in the Indenture or in any supplemental Indenture which may be defective or inconsistent with other provisions;

 

   

to secure the Notes;

 

   

to evidence and provide for the acceptance and appointment of a successor trustee and to add or change any provisions of the Indenture as necessary to provide for or facilitate the administration of the trust by more than one trustee; and

 

   

to make provisions in regard to matters or questions arising under the Indenture, so long such other provisions to do not materially affect the interest of any other holder of the Notes.

Changes Requiring Approval of Each Holder

We cannot make certain changes to the Notes without the specific approval of each holder of the Notes. The following is a list of those types of changes:

 

   

changing the stated maturity of the principal of, or any installment of interest on, any Note;

 

   

reducing the principal amount or rate of interest of any Note;

 

   

changing the place of payment where any Note or any interest is payable;

 

   

impairing the right to institute suit for the enforcement of any payment on or after the date on which it is due and payable;

 

   

reducing the percentage in principal amount of holders of the Notes whose consent is needed to modify or amend the Indenture; and

 

   

reducing the percentage in principal amount of holders of the Notes whose consent is needed to waive compliance with certain provisions of the Indenture or to waive certain defaults.

 

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Changes Requiring Majority Approval

Any other change to the Indenture and the Notes would require the following approval:

 

   

if the change only affects the Notes, it must be approved by holders of a majority in aggregate principal amount of the outstanding Notes; and

 

   

if the change affects more than one series of debt securities issued under the Indenture, it must be approved by the holders of a majority in aggregate principal amount of each of the series of debt securities affected by the change.

Consent from holders to any change to the Indenture or the Notes must be given in writing.

Further Details Concerning Voting

The amount of Notes deemed to be outstanding for the purpose of voting will include all Notes authenticated and delivered under the Indenture as of the date of determination except:

 

   

Notes cancelled by the trustee or delivered to the trustee for cancellation;

 

   

Notes for which we have deposited with the trustee or paying agent or set aside in trust money for their payment or redemption and, if money has been set aside for the redemption of the Notes, notice of such redemption has been duly given pursuant to the Indenture to the satisfaction of the trustee;

 

   

Notes held by the Company, its subsidiaries or any other entity which is an obligor under the Notes, unless such Notes have been pledged in good faith and the pledgee is not the Company, an affiliate of the Company or an obligor under the Notes;

 

   

Notes for which have undergone full defeasance, as described below; and

 

   

Notes which have been paid or exchanged for other Notes due to such Notes loss, destruction or mutilation, with the exception of any such Notes held by bona fide purchasers who have presented proof to the trustee that such Notes are valid obligations of the Company.

We will generally be entitled to set any day as a record date for the purpose of determining the holders of the Notes that are entitled to vote or take other action under the Indenture, and the trustee will generally be entitled to set any day as a record date for the purpose of determining the holders of the Notes that are entitled to join in the giving or making of any Notice of Default, any declaration of acceleration of maturity of the Notes, any request to institute proceedings or the reversal of such declaration. If we or the trustee set a record date for a vote or other action to be taken by the holders of the Notes, that vote or action can only be taken by persons who are holders of the Notes on the record date and, unless otherwise specified, such vote or action must take place on or prior to the 180th day after the record date. We may change the record date at our option, and we will provide written notice to the trustee and to each holder of the Notes of any such change of record date.

Defeasance

The following defeasance provisions will be applicable to the Notes. “Defeasance” means that, by irrevocably depositing with the trustee an amount of cash denominated in U.S. dollars and/or U.S. government obligations sufficient to pay all principal and interest, if any, on the Notes when due and satisfying any additional conditions noted below, we will be deemed to have been discharged from our obligations under the Notes. In the event of a “covenant defeasance,” upon depositing such funds and satisfying similar conditions discussed below we would be released from certain covenants under the Indenture relating to the Notes. The consequences to the holders of the Notes would be that, while they would no longer benefit from certain covenants under the Indenture, and while the Notes could not be accelerated for any reason, the holders of the Notes nonetheless would be guaranteed to receive the principal and interest owed to them.

 

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Covenant Defeasance

Under the Indenture, we have the option to take the actions described below and be released from some of the restrictive covenants under the Indenture under which the Notes were issued. This is called “covenant defeasance.” In that event, holders of the Notes would lose the protection of those restrictive covenants but would gain the protection of having money and government securities set aside in trust to repay the Notes. In order to achieve covenant defeasance, the following must occur:

 

   

we must irrevocably deposit or cause to be deposited with the trustee as trust funds for the benefit of the all holders of the Notes cash, U.S. government obligations or a combination of cash and U.S. government obligations sufficient, without reinvestment, in the opinion of a nationally recognized firm of independent public accountants, investment bank or appraisal firm, to generate enough cash to make interest, principal and any other applicable payments on the Notes on their various due dates;

 

   

we must deliver to the trustee a legal opinion of our counsel stating that under U.S. federal income tax law, we may make the above deposit and covenant defeasance without causing holders to be taxed on the Notes differently than if those actions were not taken;

 

   

we must deliver to the trustee an officers’ certificate stating that the Notes, if then listed on any securities exchange, will not be delisted as a result of the deposit;

 

   

no default or Event of Default with respect to the Notes has occurred and is continuing, and no defaults or Events of Defaults related to bankruptcy, insolvency or organization occurs during the 90 days following the deposit;

 

   

the covenant defeasance must not cause the trustee to have a conflicting interest within the meaning of the Trust Indenture Act;

 

   

the covenant defeasance must not result in a breach or violation of, or constitute a default under, the Indenture or any other material agreements or instruments to which we are a party;

 

   

the covenant defeasance must not result in the trust arising from the deposit constituting an investment company within the meaning of the Investment Company Act unless such trust will be registered under the Investment Company Act or exempt from registration thereunder; and

 

   

we must deliver to the trustee an officers’ certificate and a legal opinion from our counsel stating that all conditions precedent with respect to the covenant defeasance have been complied with.

Full Defeasance

If there is a change in U.S. federal income tax law, we can legally release ourselves from all payment and other obligations on the Notes if we take the following actions below:

 

   

we must irrevocably deposit or cause to be deposited with the trustee as trust funds for the benefit of the all holders of the Notes cash, U.S. government obligations or a combination of cash and U.S. government obligations sufficient, without reinvestment, in the opinion of a nationally recognized firm, of independent public accountants, investment bank or appraisal firm, to generate enough cash to make interest, principal and any other applicable payments on the Notes on their various due dates;

 

   

we must deliver to the trustee a legal opinion confirming that there has been a change to the current U.S. federal income tax law or an Internal Revenue Service ruling that allows us to make the above deposit without causing holders to be taxed on the Notes any differently than if we did not make the deposit;

 

   

we must deliver to the trustee an officers’ certificate stating that the Notes, if then listed on any securities exchange, will not be delisted as a result of the deposit;

 

   

no default or Event of Default with respect to the Notes has occurred and is continuing and no defaults or Events of Defaults related to bankruptcy, insolvency or organization occurs during the 90 days following the deposit;

 

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the full defeasance must not cause the trustee to have a conflicting interest within the meaning of the Trust Indenture Act;

 

   

the full defeasance must not result in a breach or violation of, or constitute a default under, the Indenture or any other material agreements or instruments to which we are a party;

 

   

the full defeasance must not result in the trust arising from the deposit constituting an investment company within the meaning of the Investment Company Act unless such trust will be registered under the Investment Company Act or exempt from registration thereunder; and

 

   

we must deliver to the trustee an officers’ certificate and a legal opinion from our counsel stating that all conditions precedent with respect to the full defeasance have been complied with.

In the event that the trustee is unable to apply the funds held in trust to the payment of obligations under the Notes by reason of a court order or governmental injunction or prohibition, then those of our obligations discharged under the full defeasance or covenant defeasance will be revived and reinstated as though no deposit of funds had occurred, until such time as the trustee is permitted to apply all funds held in trust under the procedure described above may be applied to the payment of obligations under the Notes. However, if we make any payment of principal or interest on the Notes to the holders, we will have the right to receive such payments from the trust in the place of the holders.

Listing

The Initial Notes are, and the Notes (when issued) will be, listed on the NYSE under the symbol “GSLD.” The Notes trade “flat,” meaning that purchasers will not pay and sellers will not receive any accrued and unpaid interest on the Notes that is not included in the trading price.

Governing Law

The Indenture is, and the Notes will be, governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of New York.

Global Notes; Book-Entry Issuance

The Notes will be issued in the form of a global certificate, or “Global Notes,” registered in the name of DTC. DTC has informed us that its nominee will be Cede & Co. Accordingly, we expect Cede & Co. to be the initial registered holder of the Notes. No person that acquires a beneficial interest in the Notes will be entitled to receive a certificate representing that person’s interest in the Notes except as described herein. Unless and until definitive securities are issued under the limited circumstances described below, all references to actions by holders of the Notes will refer to actions taken by DTC upon instructions from its participants, and all references to payments and notices to holders will refer to payments and notices to DTC or Cede & Co., as the registered holder of these securities.

DTC has informed us that it is a limited-purpose trust company organized under the New York Banking Law, a “banking organization” within the meaning of the New York Banking Law, a member of the Federal Reserve System, a “clearing corporation” within the meaning of the New York Uniform Commercial Code, and a “clearing agency” registered pursuant to the provisions of Section 17A of the Exchange Act. DTC holds and provides asset servicing for over 3.5 million issues of U.S. and non-U.S. equity issues, corporate and municipal debt issues, and money market instruments from over 100 countries that DTC’s participants, or “Direct Participants,” deposit with DTC. DTC also facilitates the post-trade settlement among Direct Participants of sales and other securities transactions in deposited securities through electronic computerized book-entry transfers and pledges between Direct Participants’ accounts. This eliminates the need for physical movement of securities certificates. Direct Participants include both U.S. and non-U.S. securities brokers and dealers, banks, trust companies, clearing corporations and certain other organizations. DTC is a wholly-owned subsidiary of The Depository Trust & Clearing Corporation, or “DTCC.”

 

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DTCC is the holding company for DTC, National Securities Clearing Corporation and Fixed Income Clearing Corporation, all of which are registered clearing agencies. DTCC is owned by the users of its regulated subsidiaries. Access to the DTC system is also available to others such as both U.S. and non-U.S. securities brokers and dealers, banks, trust companies and clearing corporations that clear through or maintain a custodial relationship with a Direct Participant, either directly or indirectly, or “Indirect Participants.” DTC has an S&P rating of AA+. The DTC Rules applicable to its participants are on file with the Commission. More information about DTC can be found at www.dtcc.com.

Purchases of the Notes under the DTC system must be made by or through Direct Participants, which will receive a credit for the Notes on DTC’s records. The ownership interest of each actual purchaser of each Note, or the “Beneficial Owner,” is in turn to be recorded on the Direct and Indirect Participants’ records. Beneficial Owners will not receive written confirmation from DTC of their purchase. Beneficial Owners are, however, expected to receive written confirmations providing details of the transaction, as well as periodic statements of their holdings, from the Direct or Indirect Participant through which the Beneficial Owner entered into the transaction. Transfers of ownership interests in the Notes are to be accomplished by entries made on the books of Direct and Indirect Participants acting on behalf of Beneficial Owners. Beneficial Owners will not receive certificates representing their ownership interests in the Notes, except in the event that use of the book-entry system for the Notes is discontinued.

To facilitate subsequent transfers, all Notes deposited by Direct Participants with DTC are registered in the name of DTC’s partnership nominee, Cede & Co., or such other name as may be requested by an authorized representative of DTC. The deposit of the Notes with DTC and their registration in the name of Cede & Co. or such other DTC nominee do not effect any change in beneficial ownership. DTC has no knowledge of the actual Beneficial Owners of the Notes; DTC’s records reflect only the identity of the Direct Participants to whose accounts the Notes are credited, which may or may not be the Beneficial Owners. The Direct and Indirect Participants will remain responsible for keeping account of their holdings on behalf of their customers.

Conveyance of notices and other communications by DTC to Direct Participants, by Direct Participants to Indirect Participants, and by Direct Participants and Indirect Participants to Beneficial Owners will be governed by arrangements among them, subject to any statutory or regulatory requirements as may be in effect from time to time.

Redemption notices will be sent to DTC. If less than all of the Notes are being redeemed, DTC’s practice is to determine by lot the amount of the interest of each Direct Participant in the Notes to be redeemed.

Neither DTC nor Cede & Co. (nor any other DTC nominee) will consent or vote with respect to the Notes unless authorized by a Direct Participant in accordance with DTC’s Procedures. Under its usual procedures, DTC mails an Omnibus Proxy to us as soon as possible after the record date. The Omnibus Proxy assigns Cede & Co.’s consenting or voting rights to those Direct Participants to whose accounts the Notes are credited on the record date (identified in a listing attached to the Omnibus Proxy).

Redemption proceeds, distributions and interest payments on the Notes will be made to Cede & Co., or such other nominee as may be requested by an authorized representative of DTC. DTC’s practice is to credit Direct Participants’ accounts upon DTC’s receipt of funds and corresponding detail information from us or the applicable trustee or depositary on the payment date in accordance with their respective holdings shown on DTC’s records. Payments by Participants to Beneficial Owners will be governed by standing instructions and customary practices, as is the case with the Notes held for the accounts of customers in bearer form or registered in “street name,” and will be the responsibility of such Participant and not of DTC nor its nominee, the applicable trustee or depositary, or us, subject to any statutory or regulatory requirements as may be in effect from time to time. Payment of redemption proceeds, distributions and interest payments to Cede & Co. (or such other nominee as may be requested by an authorized representative of DTC) is the responsibility of us or the applicable trustee or depositary. Disbursement of such payments to Direct Participants will be the responsibility of DTC, and

 

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disbursement of such payments to the Beneficial Owners will be the responsibility of Direct and Indirect Participants.

The information in this section concerning DTC and DTC’s book-entry system has been obtained from sources that we believe to be reliable, but we take no responsibility for the accuracy thereof.

None of the Company, the trustee, any depositary, or any agent of any of them will have any responsibility or liability for any aspect of DTC’s or any participant’s records relating to, or for payments made on account of, beneficial interests in a Global Note, or for maintaining, supervising or reviewing any records relating to such beneficial interests.

Termination of a Global Note

If a Global Note is terminated for any reason, interest in it will be exchanged for certificates in non-book-entry form as certificated securities. After such exchange, the choice of whether to hold the certificated Notes directly or in street name will be up to the investor. Investors must consult their own banks or brokers to find out how to have their interests in a Global Note transferred on termination to their own names, so that they will be holders of the Notes. See “—Form, Exchange and Transfer of Certificated Registered Securities.”

Payment and Paying Agents

We will pay interest to the person listed in the trustee’s records as the owner of the Notes at the close of business on the record date for the applicable interest payment date, even if that person no longer owns the Note on the interest payment date. Because we pay all the interest for an interest period to the holders on the record date, holders buying and selling the Notes must work out between themselves the appropriate purchase price. The most common manner is to adjust the sales price of the Notes to prorate interest fairly between buyer and seller based on their respective ownership periods within the particular interest period.

Payments on Global Notes

We will make payments on the Notes so long as they are represented by Global Notes in accordance with the applicable policies of the depositary in effect from time to time. Under those policies, we will make payments directly to the depositary, or its nominee, and not to any indirect holders who own beneficial interest in the Global Notes. An indirect holder’s right to those payments will be governed by the rules and practices of the depositary and its participants.

Payments on Certificated Securities

In the event the Notes become represented by certificates, we will make payments on the Notes as follows. We will pay interest that is due on an interest payment date by check mailed on the interest payment date to the holder of the Note at his or her address shown on the trustee’s records as of the close of business on the record date. We will make all payments of principal by check at the office of the trustee in the contiguous United States and/or at other offices that may be specified in the Indenture or a notice to holders against surrender of the Note.

Payment When Offices Are Closed

If any payment is due on the Notes on a day that is not a business day, we will make the payment on the next day that is a business day. Payments made on the next business day in this situation will be treated under the Indenture as if they were made on the original due date. Such payment will not result in a default under the Notes or the Indenture, and no interest will accrue on the payment amount from the original due date to the next day that is a business day.

 

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Book-entry and other indirect holders should consult their banks or brokers for information on how they will receive payments on the Notes.

Form, Exchange and Transfer of Certificated Registered Securities

Notes in physical, certificated form will be issued and delivered to each person that DTC identifies as a beneficial owner of the related Notes only if:

 

   

DTC notifies us at any time that it is unwilling or unable to continue as depositary for such Global Note or ceases to be a clearing agency registered under the Exchange Act, and we have not appointed a successor depositary within 90 days of that notice or becoming aware that DTC is no longer so registered;

 

   

an Event of Default with respect to such Global Note has occurred and is continuing, and DTC requests the issuance of certificated Notes; or

 

   

we determine not to have the Notes represented by a Global Note.

Holders may exchange their certificated securities for Notes of smaller denominations or combined into fewer Notes of larger denominations, as long as the total principal amount is not changed and as long as the denomination is equal to or greater than $25.00.

Holders may exchange or transfer their certificated securities at the office of the trustee. We have appointed the trustee to act as our agent for registering the Notes in the name of holders transferring Notes. We may at any time designate additional transfer agents or rescind the designation of any transfer agent or approve a change in the office through which any transfer agent acts.

Holders will not be required to pay a service charge for any registration of transfer or exchange of their certificated securities, but they may be required to pay any tax or other governmental charge associated with the registration of transfer or exchange. The transfer or exchange will be made only if our transfer agent is satisfied with the holder’s proof of legal ownership.

If we redeem any of the Notes, we may block the transfer or exchange of those Notes selected for redemption during the period beginning 15 days before the day we mail the notice of redemption and ending on the day of that mailing, in order to determine or fix the list of holders to prepare the mailing. We may also refuse to register transfer or exchanges of any certificated Notes selected for redemption, except that we will continue to permit transfers and exchanges of the unredeemed portion of any Note that will be partially redeemed.

Governing Law

The Indenture and the Notes will be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of New York.

About the Trustee

Wilmington Savings Fund Society, FSB is expected to serve as the trustee under the Indenture and will be the principal paying agent and registrar for the Notes. The trustee may resign or be removed with respect to the Notes provided that a successor trustee is appointed to act with respect to the Notes.

Wilmington Savings Fund Society, FSB (individually and in any capacity, including Trustee) has not participated in or been involved in the preparation of this prospectus supplement and assumes no responsibility or liability for its contents.

 

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TAX CONSIDERATIONS

The following is a discussion of material United States federal and Marshall Islands income tax considerations that may be relevant to prospective holders of our Notes. This discussion is based upon the provisions of the Code, applicable U.S. Treasury Regulations promulgated thereunder, legislative history, judicial authority and administrative interpretations, as of the date of this prospectus, all of which are subject to change, possibly with retroactive effect, or are subject to different interpretations. Changes in these authorities may cause the U.S. federal income tax considerations to vary substantially from those described below.

This discussion applies only to holders of our Notes that purchase our Notes at their issue price as part of the initial offering and hold our Notes as “capital assets” (generally, for investment purposes) and does not comment on all aspects of U.S. federal income taxation that may be important to certain holders in light of their particular circumstances, such as holders subject to special tax rules (e.g., financial institutions, regulated investment companies, real estate investment trusts, insurance companies, traders in securities that have elected the mark-to-market method of accounting for their securities, persons liable for alternative minimum tax, broker-dealers, tax-exempt organizations, holders that are required to recognize income no later than when such income is reported on an applicable financial statement, holder that are subject to the Base Erosion and Anti-Avoidance Tax or former citizens or long-term residents of the United States) or holders that will hold our Notes as part of a straddle, hedge, conversion, constructive sale or other integrated transaction for U.S. federal income tax purposes, all of whom may be subject to U.S. federal income tax rules that differ significantly from those summarized below. If a partnership or other entity or arrangement treated as a partnership for U.S. federal income tax purposes holds our Notes, the tax treatment of its partners generally will depend upon the status of the partner and the activities of the partnership. Partners in partnerships holding our Notes should consult their own tax advisors to determine the appropriate tax treatment of the partnership’s ownership of our Notes.

No ruling has been requested from the Internal Revenue Service, or the IRS, regarding any matter affecting us, holders of our Notes, or our shareholders.

Except as otherwise noted, this discussion does not address any U.S. estate, gift or alternative minimum tax considerations or tax considerations arising under the laws of any state, local or non-U.S. jurisdiction. Holders are urged to consult their own tax advisors regarding the U.S. federal, state, local and other tax consequences of owning and disposing of our Notes.

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

As used herein, the term “U.S. Holder” means a beneficial owner of our Notes that is, for U.S. federal income tax purposes: (a) a U.S. citizen or U.S. resident alien; (b) a corporation, or other entity taxable as a corporation, that was created or organized under the laws of the United States, any state thereof, or the District of Columbia; (c) an estate whose income is subject to U.S. federal income taxation regardless of its source; or (d) a trust that either is subject to the supervision of a court within the United States and has one or more U.S. persons with authority to control all of its substantial decisions or has a valid election in effect under applicable Treasury Regulations to be treated as a U.S. person.

Qualified Reopening

We intend to treat the Notes offered hereby as being issued in a “qualified reopening” of the Initial Notes. For U.S. federal income tax purposes, debt instruments issued in a qualified reopening are deemed to be part of the same issue as the original debt instruments. Under the treatment described in this paragraph, the Notes will have the same issue date, the same issue price and the same adjusted issue price as the Initial Notes for U.S. federal income tax purposes. Under the qualified reopening rules, because the Initial Notes were not issued with “original issue discount” for U.S. federal income tax purposes, the Notes offered hereby also will not have original issue discount. The remainder of this discussion assumes the correctness of the treatment described in this paragraph.

 

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Stated Interest on our Notes

Stated interest on a Note generally will be taxable to a U.S. Holder as ordinary income at the time it is received or accrued in accordance with the U.S. Holder’s regular method of accounting for U.S. federal income tax purposes.

Interest paid on our Notes generally will be foreign source income and, depending on your circumstances, treated as either “passive” or “general” category income for purposes of computing allowable foreign tax credits for U.S. federal income tax purposes.

Pre-issuance Accrued Interest

The aggregate purchase price of the Notes issued pursuant to this offering may include interest accrued at the applicable rate of interest from the most recent interest payment date of the Initial Notes to but excluding the delivery date, which is referred to herein as “pre-issuance accrued interest.” Pre-issuance accrued interest will be included in the accrued interest to be paid on the Notes on the first interest payment date after the issuance of the Notes offered hereby. We intend to take the position that a portion of the interest payment following the issuance of any Notes pursuant to this offering equal to the pre-issuance accrued interest for such Notes will be treated as a return of the pre-issuance accrued interest and not as an amount payable on the Notes. If this position is respected, our payment of such pre-issuance accrued interest will not be treated as taxable interest income to U.S. holders of the Notes and the amount of the pre-issuance accrued interest will reduce such U.S. holder’s adjusted tax basis in the Notes. Prospective purchasers of the Notes are urged to consult their tax advisors with respect to the tax treatment of pre-issuance accrued interest.

Disposition of Notes

Upon the sale, redemption, exchange, retirement or other taxable disposition of a Note, a U.S. Holder generally will recognize gain or loss equal to the difference between the U.S. Holder’s adjusted tax basis in our Notes and the proceeds received on the sale, redemption, exchange, retirement or other taxable disposition (except to the extent such proceeds are attributable to accrued interest not previously included in income, which will be taxable as ordinary interest income). The proceeds you receive will include the amount of any cash and the fair market value of any other property received for our Notes. Your adjusted tax basis in our Notes generally will equal the amount you paid for our Notes. Gain or loss recognized upon a sale, redemption, exchange, retirement or other taxable disposition of our Notes (i) will be treated as long-term capital gain or loss if the U.S. Holder’s holding period is greater than one year at the time of the sale, redemption, exchange, retirement or other taxable disposition, or short-term capital gain or loss otherwise, and (ii) generally will be treated as U.S. source gain or loss, as applicable, for U.S. foreign tax credit purposes. Certain U.S. Holders, including individuals, may be eligible for preferential rates of U.S. federal income tax in respect of long-term capital gains. The deductibility of capital losses is subject to limitation.

Medicare Tax on Unearned Income

Certain U.S. Holders who are individuals, estates or trusts, or U.S. Individual Holders, are subject to a 3.8% tax on certain investment income, including interest, and gain from the disposition of our Notes. U.S. Individual Holders should consult their tax advisors regarding the effect, if any, of this tax on their ownership of our Notes.

Information Reporting and Backup Withholding

In general, information reporting will apply to all payments of interest on, and the proceeds of the sale or other disposition (including a retirement or redemption) of, Notes held by a U.S. Holder unless the U.S. Holder is an exempt recipient, such as a corporation. Backup withholding may apply to these payments unless the U.S. Holder provides the appropriate intermediary with a taxpayer identification number, certified under penalties of

 

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perjury, as well as certain other information, or otherwise establishes an exemption from backup withholding. Backup withholding is not an additional tax. Any amount withheld under the backup withholding rules is allowable as a refund or a credit against the U.S. Holder’s U.S. federal income tax liability, provided that the required information is timely provided to the IRS.

U.S. Return Disclosure Requirements for Individual U.S. Holders

U.S. Holders who are individuals and who hold certain specified foreign financial assets, including financial instruments issued by a foreign corporation not held in an account maintained by a financial institution, with an aggregate value in excess of $50,000 on the last day of a taxable year, or $75,000 at any time during that taxable year, may be required to report such assets on IRS Form 8938 with their tax return for that taxable year. Penalties apply for failure to properly complete and file Form 8938. Investors are encouraged to consult with their own tax advisors regarding the possible application of this disclosure requirement to their investment in our Notes.

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

A beneficial owner of our Notes (other than a partnership or an entity or arrangement treated as a partnership for U.S. federal income tax purposes) that is not a U.S. Holder is referred to herein as a non-U.S. Holder.

Interest on our Notes

In general, a non-U.S. Holder will not be subject to U.S. federal income tax or withholding tax on interest on the Notes unless the interest is effectively connected with the non-U.S. Holder’s conduct of a trade or business within the United States (and, if required by an applicable income tax treaty, is attributable to a permanent establishment that the non-U.S. Holder maintains in the United States). If a non-U.S. Holder is engaged in a U.S. trade or business and the interest is deemed to be effectively connected with that trade or business, the non-U.S. Holder generally will be subject to U.S. federal income tax on the interest in the same manner as if it were a U.S. Holder and, in the case of a non-U.S. Holder that is a corporation, may also be subject to the branch profits tax (currently imposed at a rate of 30% or a lower applicable treaty rate).

Disposition of Notes

In general, a non-U.S. Holder will not be subject to U.S. federal income tax or withholding tax on any gain resulting from the sale, redemption, exchange, retirement or other taxable disposition of a Note unless (i) the gain is effectively connected with the non-U.S. Holder’s conduct of a trade or business within the United States (and, if required by an applicable income tax treaty, is attributable to a permanent establishment that the non-U.S. Holder maintains in the United States), in which case the non-U.S. Holder will generally be subject to U.S. federal income tax on such gain in the same manner as if such non-U.S. Holder were a U.S. person and, in addition, if the non-U.S. Holder is a foreign corporation, may also be subject to the branch profits tax described above, or (ii) the non-U.S. Holder is an individual who is present in the United States for 183 days or more during the taxable year of disposition and certain other conditions are met, in which case the non-U.S. Holder may be subject to tax at a 30% rate on gain resulting from the disposition of our Notes which may be offset by U.S.-source capital losses.

Information Reporting and Backup Withholding

Information reporting and backup withholding generally will not apply to payments of interest on Notes held by a non-U.S. Holder if such interest is paid outside the United States by a non-U.S. payor or a non-U.S. middleman (within the meaning of U.S. Treasury Regulations) or the non-U.S. Holder properly certifies under penalties of perjury as to its non-U.S. status and certain other conditions are met or otherwise establishes an exemption.

 

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Any payment received by a non-U.S. Holder from the sale, redemption or other taxable disposition of a Note to or through the U.S. office of a broker will be subject to information reporting and backup withholding unless the non-U.S. Holder properly certifies under penalties of perjury as to its non-U.S. status and certain other conditions are met, or otherwise establishes an exemption. Information reporting and backup withholding generally will not apply to any payment of the proceeds of the sale, redemption or other taxable disposition of a note effected outside the United States by a non-U.S. office of a broker. However, if the broker is considered a U.S. payor or U.S. middleman (within the meaning of U.S. Treasury Regulations), information reporting will apply to the payment of the proceeds of a sale, redemption or other taxable disposition of a note effected outside the United States unless the broker has documentary evidence in its records that the non-U.S. Holder is a non-U.S. Holder and certain other conditions are met. Backup withholding is not an additional tax. The amount of any backup withholding from a payment to a non-U.S. Holder will be allowed as a credit against the non-U.S. Holder U.S. federal income tax liability, if any, and may entitle the non-U.S. Holder to a refund, provided that the required information is timely furnished to the IRS.

MARSHALL ISLANDS TAX CONSIDERATIONS

The following is a discussion of the laws of the Republic of the Marshall Islands, and the current laws of the Republic of the Marshall Islands applicable to persons who do not reside in, maintain offices in or engage in business in the Republic of the Marshall Islands.

Because we do not, and we do not expect that we will, conduct business or operations in the Republic of the Marshall Islands, and because all documentation related to this offering will be executed outside of the Republic of the Marshall Islands, under current Marshall Islands law you will not be subject to Marshall Islands taxation or withholding on distributions, including upon a return of capital, we make to you as a noteholder or shareholder. In addition, you will not be subject to Marshall Islands stamp, capital gains or other taxes on the purchase, ownership or disposition of our Notes, and you will not be required by the Republic of the Marshall Islands to file a tax return relating to the Notes.

Each prospective investor is urged to consult its tax counsel or other advisor with regard to the legal and tax consequences, under the laws of pertinent jurisdictions, including the Marshall Islands, of its investment in us. Further, it is the responsibility of each investor to file all state, local and non-U.S., as well as U.S. federal tax returns that may be required of it.

 

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PLAN OF DISTRIBUTION (CONFLICTS OF INTEREST)

We have entered into a sales agreement with B. Riley FBR, Inc. (the “Agent”) on November 27, 2019 (the “Senior Notes Sales Agreement”), under which we may offer and sell the Notes through or to the Agent, as agent and/or principal, pursuant to this prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus. Sales of the Notes, if any, under this prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus may be made in transactions that are deemed to be “at the market offerings” as defined in Rule 415 under the Securities Act, including sales made directly on the New York Stock Exchange or similar securities exchange at prices related to the prevailing market prices.

Each time we wish to sell our Notes under the Senior Notes Sales Agreement, we will notify the Agent of the series and the amount of the Notes to be sold by it. Once we have so instructed the Agent, unless the Agent declines to accept the terms of the notice, the Agent has agreed to use its commercially reasonable efforts consistent with its normal trading and sales practices to sell such Notes up to the amount specified on such terms. We may instruct the Agent not to sell the Notes if the sales cannot be effected at or above the price designated by us in any instruction. We will instruct the Agent not to sell the Notes if the sales cannot be effected at or above prices that will allow the Notes to be treated as “fungible” with the Initial Notes for U.S. federal income tax purposes. We or the Agent may suspend the offering of Notes upon proper notice and subject to other conditions.

If any of the Notes are sold at prices above par, the effective yield on such Notes to the purchasers may be less than 8.00%. In addition, the Agent may, but has no obligations to, purchase the Notes on a principal basis pursuant to the Senior Notes Sales Agreement based on terms agreed by the Agent and the Company.

We will pay the Agent commissions for its services in acting as agent in the sale of our Notes at a commission rate equal to 2.5% of the aggregate gross proceeds of the sales. Pursuant to the Senior Notes Sales Agreement, we have also agreed to reimburse the Agent for its reasonable out-of-pocket expenses, including attorney’s fees in an amount not to exceed $45,000 and an additional $1,200 per quarter, so long as the Senior Notes Sales Agreement remains effective. We estimate that the total expenses for the offering, excluding compensation and reimbursement payable to the Agent under the Senior Notes Sales Agreement, will be approximately $175,000.

The Agent will provide written confirmation of a sale to us no later than the opening of the trading day on the New York Stock Exchange following each trading day in which the Notes are sold under the Sales Agreement. Each confirmation will include the series and aggregate principal amount of Notes sold on the preceding day, the sales price of Notes sold, the aggregate gross sales proceeds of such Notes, the net proceeds to us and the compensation payable by us to the Agent in connection with the sales.

Settlement for sales of the Notes will occur on the second trading day following the date on which such sales are made, or on some other date that is agreed upon by us and the Agent in connection with a particular transaction, in return for payment of the net proceeds to us. There is no arrangement for funds to be received in an escrow, trust or similar arrangement.

We will report at least quarterly the series and principal amount of Notes sold through the Agent under the Sales Agreement, the net proceeds to us and the compensation paid by us to the Agent, if any.

In connection with the sale of the Notes on our behalf, the Agent will be deemed to be an “underwriter” within the meaning of the Securities Act, and the compensation of the Agent will be deemed to be underwriting commissions or discounts. We have agreed to provide indemnification and contribution to the Agent against certain civil liabilities, including liabilities under the Securities Act.

The offering of the Notes pursuant to the Senior Notes Sales Agreement will terminate upon the earlier of (i) the sale of the dollar amount of Notes subject to the Senior Notes Sales Agreement or (ii) the termination of the Senior Notes Sales Agreement as permitted therein.

 

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Conflicts of Interest

B. Riley Financial, Inc., the parent company of the Agent, is the beneficial owner of approximately 11% of our outstanding Class A common shares, including shares owned directly by itself and shares owned indirectly through the Agent or other subsidiaries of B. Riley Financial, Inc. B. Riley Financial, Inc. and its affiliate acquired 1,471,332 and 344,827 shares, respectively, in our offering of Class A common shares that was completed on October 1, 2019, for an aggregate of 1,816,159 shares. On November 25, 2019, B. Riley Financial, Inc. transferred the 1,471,332 shares acquired thereby to the Agent. Each of the 1,471,332 shares held by the Agent following such transfer and the 344,827 shares purchased in the October 2019 offering held by an affiliate are subject to lock-up agreements with FINRA pursuant to FINRA Rule 5110(g) until March 24, 2020. Under FINRA Rule 5121(f)(6), a beneficial owner of 10 percent or more of the outstanding common equity of an entity is deemed to “control” such entity. As a result of its “control” of the Company under FINRA Rules, the Agent is deemed to have a “conflict of interest” within the meaning of Rule 5121, and this offering will be conducted in accordance with the requirements of Rule 5121(a).

The Agent and certain of its affiliates are full service financial institutions engaged in various activities, which may include securities trading, commercial and investment banking, financial advisory, investment management, investment research, principal investment, hedging, financing and brokerage activities. The Agent and certain of its affiliates have, from time to time, performed, and may in the future perform, various commercial and investment banking and financial advisory services for the Company and our affiliates, for which they received or may in the future receive customary fees and expenses. The Agent previously acted as representative of the several underwriters in the public offering of Class A common shares completed on October 1, 2019 and the public offering of the Initial Notes completed on November 19, 2019, for which the Agent and the other underwriters received customary compensation.

In the ordinary course of its various business activities, the Agent and certain of its affiliates actively trade debt and equity securities (or related derivative securities) and financial instruments for their own account and for the accounts of their customers, and such investment and securities activities may involve securities and/or instruments of the Company or our affiliates. The Agent and certain of its affiliates may also communicate independent investment recommendations, market color or trading ideas and/or publish or express independent research views in respect of such securities or instruments and may at any time hold, or recommend to clients that they acquire, long and/or short positions in such securities and instruments.

 

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EXPENSES

The following are the estimated expenses of the issuance and distribution of the securities being registered under the registration statement of which this prospectus supplement forms a part, all of which will be paid by us.

 

Commission registration fee

   $ 8,826

Legal fees and expenses

   $ 100,000  

Accounting fees and expenses

   $ 40,000  

Trustee fees and expenses

   $ 16,000  

Miscellaneous

   $ 10,174  

Total

   $ 175,000  

 

*

Previously paid.

LEGAL MATTERS

The validity of the Notes will be passed upon for us by Seward & Kissel LLP, New York, New York, with respect to matters of the law of the Republic of the Marshall Islands and with respect to matters of United States and New York law. The Agent has been represented in connection with this offering by Morgan, Lewis & Bockius LLP, Palo Alto, California.

EXPERTS

The financial statements as of December 31, 2018 and for the year ended December 31, 2018 incorporated in this prospectus by reference to the Annual Report on Form 20-F for the year ended December 31, 2018 have been so incorporated in reliance on the report (which contains an explanatory paragraph disclosing that the Company has entered into significant contracts with CMA CGM, a related party and the main source of the Company’s operating revenue, as described in Note 2(a) to the financial statements) of PricewaterhouseCoopers S.A., an independent registered public accounting firm, given on the authority of said firm as experts in auditing and accounting.

The financial statements as of December 31, 2017 and for each of the two years in the period ended December 31, 2017 incorporated in this prospectus by reference to the Annual Report on Form 20-F for the year ended December 31, 2018 have been so incorporated in reliance on the report (which contains an explanatory paragraph disclosing that the Company has entered into significant contracts with CMA CGM, a related party and the main source of the Company’s operating revenue, as described in Note 2(a) to the financial statements) of PricewaterhouseCoopers Audit, an independent registered public accounting firm, given on the authority of said firm as experts in auditing and accounting.

 

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WHERE YOU CAN FIND ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

As required by the Securities Act, we filed a registration statement relating to the securities offered by this prospectus with the Commission. This prospectus supplement and accompanying base prospectus is a part of that registration statement, which includes additional information.

Government Filings

We file annual and special reports with the Commission. The Commission maintains a website (http://www.sec.gov) that contains reports, proxy and information statements and other information regarding issuers that file electronically with the Commission. Our filings are also available on our website at http://www.globalshiplease.com. The information on our website, however, is not, and should not be deemed to be, a part of this prospectus.

Information Incorporated by Reference

The Commission allows us to “incorporate by reference” information that we file with it. This means that we can disclose important information to you by referring you to those filed documents. The information incorporated by reference is considered to be a part of this prospectus supplement, and information that we file later with the Commission prior to the termination of this offering will also be considered to be part of this prospectus supplement and will automatically update and supersede previously filed information, including information contained in this document.

We incorporate by reference the documents listed below and any future filings made with the Commission under Section 13(a), 13(c), 14 or 15(d) of the Exchange Act:

 

   

Annual Report on Form 20-F for the year ended December 31, 2018 filed with the Commission on March 29, 2019, which contains audited consolidated financial statements for the most recent fiscal year for which those statements have been filed.

 

   

The description of our Class  A Common Stock contained in our Registration Statement on Form 8-A, filed with the Commission on August 12, 2008, as amended by Amendment No. 1 to the Registration Statement on Form 8-A, filed with the Commission on March 26, 2019, including any subsequent amendments or reports filed for the purpose of updating such description.

 

   

The description of our 8.00% Senior Unsecured Notes due 2024 contained in our Registration Statement on Form 8-A, filed with the Commission on November 19, 2019.

 

   

Our Report of Foreign Private Issuer on Form 6-K, filed with the Commission on May 31, 2019 (except for the commentary of the Company’s Executive Chairman and Chief Executive Officer).

 

   

Our Report of Foreign Private Issuer on Form 6-K, filed with the Commission on August 9, 2019, which contains our management’s discussion and analysis of financial condition and results of operations and unaudited interim consolidated financial statements and related notes for the six month period ended June 30, 2019.

 

   

Our Report of Foreign Private Issuer on Form 6-K, filed with the Commission on September 24, 2019 (except for any reference to, or information contained in, the Company’s website and the statements attributed to the Company’s Chairman and Chief Executive Officer contained in Exhibit 99.1 thereto).

 

   

Our Report of Foreign Private Issuer on Form 6-K, filed with the Commission on October 3, 2019.

 

   

Our Report of Foreign Private Issuer on Form 6-K, filed with the Commission on November 7, 2019 (except for the commentary of the Company’s Executive Chairman and Chief Executive Officer contained in Exhibit 99.1 thereto).

 

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Our Report of Foreign Private Issuer on Form 6-K, filed with the Commission on November 19, 2019.

 

   

Our Report of Foreign Private Issuer on Form 6-K, filed with the Commission on November 26, 2019 (except for the commentary of the Company’s Executive Chairman and Chief Executive Officer contained in Exhibit 99.2 thereto).

We are also incorporating by reference all subsequent annual reports on Form 20-F that we file with the Commission and certain reports on Form 6-K that we furnish to the Commission after the date of this prospectus supplement (if they state that they are incorporated by reference into this prospectus supplement), until we file a post-effective amendment indicating that the offering of the securities made by this prospectus supplement has been terminated. In all cases, you should rely on the later information over different information included in this prospectus supplement or the accompanying base prospectus.

We have authorized only the information contained or incorporated by reference in this prospectus supplement and the accompanying base prospectus, and any free writing prospectus prepared by or on behalf of us or to which we have referred you. We have not, and the Agent has not, authorized any other person to provide you with different information. We and the Agent take no responsibility for, and can provide no assurance as to the reliability of, any information that others may give you. We are not, and the Agent is not, making an offer to sell these securities in any jurisdiction where the offer or sale is not permitted. You should assume that the information appearing in this prospectus supplement as well as the information we previously filed with the Commission and incorporated by reference, is accurate as of the dates of those documents only. Our business, financial condition and results of operations and prospects may have changed since those dates.

You may request a free copy of the above mentioned filings or any subsequent filing we incorporated by reference to this prospectus supplement by writing or us at the following address:

Global Ship Lease, Inc.

Attn: Ian J. Webber

c/o Global Ship Lease Services Limited

25 Wilton Road

London SW1V 1LW

United Kingdom

+44 (0) 20 3998 0063

www.globalshiplease.com

Information provided by the Company

We will furnish holders of our Class A common shares and Series C Preferred Shares with annual reports containing audited financial statements and a report by our independent registered public accounting firm. The audited financial statements will be prepared in accordance with United States generally accepted accounting principles and those reports will include a “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations” section for the relevant periods. As a “foreign private issuer,” we are exempt from the rules under the Exchange Act prescribing the furnishing and content of proxy statements to shareholders. While we intend to furnish proxy statements to any shareholder in accordance with the rules of the NYSE, those proxy statements are not expected to conform to Schedule 14A of the proxy rules promulgated under the Exchange Act. In addition, as a “foreign private issuer,” our officers and directors are exempt from the rules under the Exchange Act relating to short swing profit reporting and liability.

Disclosure of Commission Position on Indemnification for Securities Act Liabilities

Insofar as indemnification for liabilities arising under the Securities Act may be permitted to directors, officers or persons controlling the registrant pursuant to the foregoing provisions, the registrant has been informed that in the opinion of the Securities and Exchange Commission such indemnification is against public policy as expressed in the Securities Act and is therefore unenforceable.

 

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Prospectus

$500,000,000

Common Shares, Preferred Shares, Debt Securities,

Warrants, Rights, Purchase Contracts and Units

 

 

LOGO

Global Ship Lease, Inc.

 

 

Through this prospectus, we may periodically offer:

(1) our common shares,

(2) our preferred shares,

(3) our debt securities,

(4) our warrants,

(5) our rights,

(6) our purchase contracts, and

(7) our units.

We may also offer securities of the types listed above that are convertible or exchangeable into one or more of the securities listed above. The aggregate offering price of all securities issued and sold by us under this prospectus may not exceed $500,000,000.

Our Class A common shares are listed on the New York Stock Exchange, or the NYSE, under the symbol “GSL.” Our depositary shares, each of which represents a 1/100th interest in a share of our Series B Preferred Shares, are listed on the NYSE under the symbol “GSL-B.”

 

 

An investment in these securities involves a high degree of risk. Before you make an investment in our securities, you should carefully consider the section entitled “Risk Factors” beginning on page 3 of this prospectus, and other risk factors contained in any applicable prospectus supplement and in the documents incorporated by reference herein and therein.

Neither the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission nor any state securities commission has approved or disapproved of these securities or determined if this prospectus is truthful or complete. Any representation to the contrary is a criminal offense.

The date of this prospectus is November 7, 2019.


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TABLE OF CONTENTS

 

     Page  

ABOUT THIS PROSPECTUS

     ii  

PROSPECTUS SUMMARY

     1  

CORPORATE INFORMATION

     2  

OTHER INFORMATION

     2  

RISK FACTORS

     3  

CAUTIONARY STATEMENT REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS

     4  

USE OF PROCEEDS

     5  

CAPITALIZATION

     6  

ENFORCEMENT OF CIVIL LIABILITIES

     7  

PLAN OF DISTRIBUTION

     8  

DESCRIPTION OF CAPITAL STOCK

     10  

DESCRIPTION OF DEBT SECURITIES

     13  

DESCRIPTION OF WARRANTS

     20  

DESCRIPTION OF PURCHASE CONTRACTS

     21  

DESCRIPTION OF RIGHTS

     22  

DESCRIPTION OF UNITS

     23  

TAX CONSIDERATIONS

     24  

EXPENSES

     25  

LEGAL MATTERS

     25  

EXPERTS

     25  

WHERE YOU CAN FIND ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

     26  

 

 

You should rely only on the information contained or incorporated by reference in this prospectus and in any prospectus supplement. We have not authorized any other person to provide you with different information. If anyone provides you with different or inconsistent information, you should not rely on it. We will not make any offer to sell these securities in any jurisdiction where the offer or sale is not permitted. You should assume that the information appearing in this prospectus and the applicable supplement to this prospectus is accurate as of the date on its respective cover, and that any information incorporated by reference is accurate only as of the date of the document incorporated by reference, unless we indicate otherwise. Our business, financial condition, results of operations and prospects may have changed since those dates.

 

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ABOUT THIS PROSPECTUS

This prospectus is part of a registration statement that we filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, or the Commission, using a shelf registration process. Under the shelf registration process, we may sell the common shares, preferred shares, debt securities, warrants, rights, purchase contracts and units described in this prospectus in one or more offerings up to a total dollar amount of $500,000,000. This prospectus provides you with a general description of the securities we may offer. We will provide updated information if required whenever we offer our securities pursuant to this prospectus. This may include a prospectus supplement that will describe the specific amounts, prices and terms of the offered securities. The prospectus supplement may also add, update or change the information contained in this prospectus. If there is any inconsistency between the information in this prospectus and any prospectus supplement, you should rely on the prospectus supplement. Before purchasing any securities, you should read carefully both this prospectus and any prospectus supplement, together with the additional information described below.

This prospectus and any prospectus supplement do not and will not contain all the information provided in the registration statement that we filed with the Commission. Forms of the indenture and other documents establishing the terms of the offered securities are filed as exhibits to the registration statement. Statements in this prospectus or any prospectus supplement about these documents are summaries and each statement is qualified in all respects by reference to the document to which it refers. You should refer to the actual documents for a more complete description of the relevant matters. For further information about us or the securities offered hereby, you should refer to the registration statement, which you can obtain from the Commission as described below under “Where You Can Find Additional Information.”

Unless the context otherwise requires, references to the “Company,” “we,” “us,” “our” or “Global Ship Lease” refer to Global Ship Lease, Inc., and “Poseidon Containers” refers to Poseidon Containers Holdings LLC and K&T Marine LLC, collectively, with whom we completed a strategic combination on November 15, 2018. Unless otherwise indicated, all references to “$” and “dollars” in this prospectus are to U.S. dollars. We use the term “TEU”, meaning twenty-foot equivalent unit, the international standard measure of container size, in describing volumes in world container trade and other measures, including the capacity of our containerships, which we also refer to as ships. Unless otherwise indicated, we calculate the average age of our vessels on a weighted average basis, based on TEU capacity. All share and per share amounts disclosed in this prospectus give retroactive effect, for all periods presented, to the one-for-eight reverse stock split of our Class A common shares effected on March 25, 2019.

 

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PROSPECTUS SUMMARY

This section summarizes some of the information that is contained later in this prospectus or in other documents incorporated by reference into this prospectus. This summary may not contain all of the information that may be important to you. As an investor or prospective investor, you should review carefully the risk factors and the more detailed information that appears later in this prospectus or is contained in the documents that we incorporate by reference into this prospectus.

The Company

Global Ship Lease, Inc. is a Marshall Islands corporation that owns a fleet of mid-sized and smaller containerships which are chartered out under fixed-rate charters to reputable container shipping companies (“liner companies” or “liner operators”).

As of the date of this prospectus, we owned 41 mid-sized and smaller containerships of which nine (representing 31% of our fleet by TEU capacity) are new-design, high-specification, fuel-efficient, and wide-beam. Our fleet has a total capacity of 224,162 TEU. Our fleet’s average size is 5,467 TEU, with a TEU weighted average age of 12.2 years as at September 30, 2019.

The mailing address of our principal executive office is c/o Global Ship Lease Services Limited, 25 Wilton Road, London SW1V 1LW, United Kingdom, and our telephone number is +44 (0) 20 3998 0063. Our website address is www.globalshiplease.com. The information included on our website is not incorporated herein by reference. From time to time, we may use our website and social media outlets as channels of distribution of material company information.

Our Class A common shares began trading on the NYSE under the symbol “GSL” on August 15, 2008. Our depositary shares, each of which represents a 1/100th interest in a share of our Series B Preferred Shares, began trading on the NYSE under the symbol “GSL-B” on August 20, 2014.



 

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CORPORATE INFORMATION

We were incorporated in the Republic of the Marshall Islands on March 14, 2008 as GSL Holdings Inc.

On August 14, 2008, we merged with Marathon Acquisition Corp., a company then listed on the American Stock Exchange, and with the pre-existing Global Ship Lease, Inc., which was then wholly owned by CMA CGM. GSL Holdings, Inc. was the surviving entity, changed its name to Global Ship Lease, Inc. and became listed on the New York Stock Exchange, or the NYSE.

The mailing address of our principal executive office is c/o Global Ship Lease Services Limited, 25 Wilton Road, London SW1V 1LW, United Kingdom, and our telephone number is +44 (0) 20 3998 0063.

OTHER INFORMATION

We are incorporated under the laws of the Republic of the Marshall Islands, and as a consequence, you may encounter difficulty protecting your interests as shareholders, and your ability to protect your rights through the U.S. federal court system may be limited. Please refer to the sections entitled “Risk Factors” and “Enforcement of Civil Liabilities” for more information.



 

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RISK FACTORS

An investment in our securities involves a high degree of risk. Before making an investment in our securities, you should carefully consider all of the information included in this prospectus, the risk factors and all of the other information included in any prospectus supplement and the documents that have been incorporated by reference in this prospectus and any prospectus supplement, including those in “Item 3. Key Information—D. Risk Factors” in our Annual Report on Form 20-F for the year ended December 31, 2018, filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the “Commission”) on March 29, 2019, as updated by annual, quarterly and other reports and documents we file with the Commission after the date of this prospectus and that are incorporated by reference herein. Please see the section of this prospectus entitled “Where You Can Find Additional Information—Information Incorporated by Reference.” The occurrence of one or more of those risk factors could adversely impact our business, financial condition or results of operations.

 

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CAUTIONARY STATEMENT REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS

This prospectus contains forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements provide our current expectations or forecasts of future events. Forward-looking statements include statements about our expectations, beliefs, plans, objectives, intentions, assumptions and other statements that are not historical facts. Words or phrases such as “anticipate,” “believe,” “continue,” “estimate,” “expect,” “intend,” “may,” “ongoing,” “plan,” “potential,” “predict,” “project,” “will” or similar words or phrases, or the negatives of those words or phrases, may identify forward-looking statements, but the absence of these words does not necessarily mean that a statement is not forward-looking. Examples of forward-looking statements in this prospectus include, but are not limited to, statements regarding our disclosure concerning our operations, cash flows, financial position, dividend policy, the anticipated benefits of our strategic transaction with Poseidon Containers, and the likelihood of success in acquiring additional vessels to expand our business.

Forward-looking statements appear in a number of places in this prospectus and in our Annual Report on Form 20-F for the year ended December 31, 2018, filed with the Commission on March 29, 2019, as updated by annual, quarterly and other reports and documents we file with the Commission after the date of this prospectus and that are incorporated by reference herein, including, without limitation, in the sections entitled “Business Overview,” “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Conditions and Operations,” and “Dividend Policy.”

Forward-looking statements are subject to known and unknown risks and uncertainties and are based on potentially inaccurate assumptions that could cause actual results to differ materially from those expected or implied by the forward-looking statements. Our actual results could differ materially from those anticipated in forward-looking statements for many reasons, including the factors described in “Risk Factors” in this prospectus. The risks described under “Risk Factors” are not exhaustive. Other sections of this prospectus describe additional factors that could adversely affect our results of operations, financial condition, liquidity and the development of the industries in which we operate. New risks can emerge from time to time, and it is not possible for us to predict all such risks, nor can we assess the impact of all such risks on our business or the extent to which any risks, or combination of risks and other factors, may cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in any forward-looking statements. Accordingly, you should not unduly rely on these forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date of this prospectus. We undertake no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statement to reflect circumstances or events after the date of this prospectus or to reflect the occurrence of unanticipated events. You should, however, review the factors and risks we describe in the reports we will file from time to time with the Commission after the date of this prospectus.

 

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USE OF PROCEEDS

We intend to use the net proceeds from the sale of securities by us offered by this prospectus as set forth in the applicable prospectus supplement.

 

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CAPITALIZATION

Each prospectus supplement or report on Form 6-K incorporated by reference into the registration statement of which this prospectus forms a part will include information about our capitalization.

 

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ENFORCEMENT OF CIVIL LIABILITIES

We are organized under the laws of the Marshall Islands as a corporation. The Marshall Islands has a less developed body of securities laws as compared to the United States and provides protections for investors to a significantly lesser extent.

Most of our directors and officers and those of our subsidiaries are residents of countries other than the United States. Substantially all of our and our subsidiaries’ assets and a substantial portion of the assets of our directors and officers are located outside the United States. As a result, it may be difficult or impossible for United States investors to effect service of process within the United States upon us, our directors or officers, or our subsidiaries or to realize against us or them judgments obtained in United States courts, including judgments predicated upon the civil liability provisions of the securities laws of the United States or any state in the United States. However, we have expressly submitted to the jurisdiction of the U.S. federal and New York state courts sitting in the City of New York for the purpose of any suit, action or proceeding arising under the securities laws of the United States or any state in the United States.

In addition, there is uncertainty as to whether the courts of the Marshall Islands would (1) recognize or enforce against us or our directors or officers judgments of courts of the United States based on civil liability provisions of applicable U.S. federal and state securities laws; or (2) impose liabilities against us or our directors and officers in original actions brought in the Marshall Islands, based on these laws.

 

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PLAN OF DISTRIBUTION

We may sell or distribute the securities offered by us pursuant to this prospectus in one or more offerings, including on any stock exchange, quotation service, market or other trading facility on which our securities are listed or traded, in the over-the-counter market, through underwriters, through agents, to dealers, or in private transactions, at fixed prices, at market prices prevailing at the time of sale, at prices related to the prevailing market prices, at varying prices (which may be above or below market prices prevailing at the time of sale), at negotiated prices or otherwise.

In addition, we may sell some or all of our securities included in this prospectus through:

 

   

a block trade in which a broker-dealer may resell a portion of the block, as principal, in order to facilitate the transaction;

 

   

a distribution by way of dividend or otherwise to our existing shareholders;

 

   

purchases by a broker-dealer, as principal, and resale by the broker-dealer for its account;

 

   

ordinary brokerage transactions and transactions in which a broker-dealer solicits purchasers; or

 

   

trading plans entered into by us pursuant to Rule 10b5-1 under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, or the Exchange Act, that are in place at the time of an offering pursuant to this prospectus and any applicable prospectus supplement hereto that provide for periodic sales of our securities on the basis of parameters described in such trading plans.

In addition, we may enter into options or other types of transactions that require us to deliver our securities to a broker-dealer, who will then resell or transfer the securities under this prospectus. We may enter into hedging transactions with respect to our securities. For example, we may:

 

   

enter into transactions involving short sales of our common shares by broker-dealers;

 

   

enter into option or other types of transactions that require us to deliver common shares to a broker-dealer, who will then resell or transfer the common shares under this prospectus; or

 

   

loan or pledge the common shares to a broker-dealer, who may sell the loaned shares or, in the event of default, sell the pledged shares.

We may also sell securities under Rule 144 or any other exemption from registration under the Securities Act, if available, rather than under this prospectus.

We may enter into derivative transactions with third parties, or sell securities not covered by this prospectus to third parties in privately negotiated transactions. If the applicable prospectus supplement indicates, in connection with those derivatives, the third parties may sell securities covered by this prospectus and the applicable prospectus supplement. If so, the third party may use securities pledged by us or borrowed from us to settle those sales or to close out any related open borrowings of stock, and may use securities received from us in settlement of those derivatives to close out any related open borrowings of stock. The third party in such sale transactions may be an underwriter and, if not identified in this prospectus, will be identified in the applicable prospectus supplement (or a post-effective amendment). In addition, we may otherwise loan or pledge securities to a financial institution or other third party that in turn may sell the securities short using this prospectus. Such financial institution or other third party may transfer its economic short position to investors in our securities or in connection with a concurrent offering of other securities.

Any broker-dealers or other persons acting on our behalf that participate with us in the distribution of the securities, may be deemed to be underwriters, and any commissions received or profit realized by them on the resale of the securities, may be deemed to be underwriting discounts and commissions under the Securities Act. As a result, we have informed, or will inform, them that Regulation M, promulgated under the Securities

 

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Exchange Act of 1934, or the Exchange Act, may apply to sales by any broker dealers or other persons acting on our behalf in the market. We may agree to indemnify any broker, dealer or agent that participates in transactions involving the sale of our common shares against certain liabilities, including liabilities arising under the Securities Act.

As of the date of this prospectus, we are not a party to any agreement, arrangement or understanding between any broker or dealer and us with respect to the offer or sale of the securities pursuant to this prospectus.

At the time that any particular offering of securities is made, to the extent required by the Securities Act, a prospectus or prospectus supplement, or if appropriate, a post-effective amendment, will be distributed, setting forth the terms of the offering, including the aggregate number of securities being offered, the purchase price of the securities, the public offering price of the securities, the names of any underwriters, dealers or agents, any discounts, commissions and other items constituting compensation from us, and any discounts, commissions or concessions allowed or re-allowed or paid to dealers. Furthermore, we, our executive officers, our directors and major shareholders may agree, subject to certain exemptions, that for a certain period from the date of the prospectus supplement under which the securities are offered, we and they will not, without the prior written consent of an underwriter, offer, sell, contract to sell, pledge or otherwise dispose of any of our common shares or any securities convertible into or exchangeable for common shares. However, an underwriter, in its sole discretion, may release any of the securities subject to these lock-up agreements at any time without notice.

Underwriters or agents could make sales in privately negotiated transactions and/or any other method permitted by law, including sales deemed to be an at-the-market offering as defined in Rule 415 promulgated under the Securities Act, which includes sales made directly on or through the NYSE, the existing trading market for our common shares, or sales made to or through a market maker other than on an exchange.

We will bear costs relating to all of the securities offered and sold by us under this registration statement.

If more than five percent (5%) of the net proceeds of any offering of common shares made under this prospectus will be received by a Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, or FINRA, member participating in the offering or affiliates or associated persons of such a FINRA member, the offering will be conducted in accordance with FINRA Rule 5121.

 

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DESCRIPTION OF CAPITAL STOCK

Authorized Capital Stock

Under our Articles of Incorporation, as amended, our authorized share capital consists of:

 

   

214,000,000 Class A common shares, $0.01 per share, of which 17,556,738 shares were issued and outstanding as of the date of this prospectus;

 

   

20,000,000 Class B common shares, $0.01 per share, of which none were issued and outstanding as of the date of this prospectus;

 

   

15,000,000 Class C common shares, $0.01 per share, of which none were issued and outstanding as of the date of this prospectus;

 

   

16,100 Series B Preferred Shares, $0.01 per share, of which 14,000 shares were issued and outstanding as of the date of this prospectus; and

 

   

250,000 Series C Preferred Shares, $0.01 per share, of which 250,000 shares were issued and outstanding as of the date of this prospectus.

Share History

In each of 2016 and 2017, 4,266 Class A common shares were awarded to our directors under our 2015 Equity Incentive Plan, representing 20% of their base compensation.

On November 15, 2018, we completed a strategic combination with Poseidon Containers, acquiring 20 containerships (the “Poseidon Transaction”). The consideration given for the acquisition of the net assets was 3,005,603 Class A common shares and 250,000 Series C Preferred Shares. In addition, as a consequence of the completion of the Poseidon Transaction, all outstanding stock awards to officers and employees vested and 60,425 Class A common shares were issued in November 2018.

On January 2, 2019, as a consequence of the completion of the Poseidon Transaction, all of our issued and outstanding Class B common shares converted one-for-one into 925,745 Class A common shares.

On March 25, 2019, we effected a one-for-eight reverse stock split of our Class A common shares, which our shareholders authorized at our special meeting of shareholders held on March 20, 2019. There was no change to the trading symbol, number of authorized shares, or par value of our Class A common shares in connection with the reverse stock split. All share and per share amounts disclosed in this prospectus give effect to the reverse stock split retroactively, which resulted in the number of issued and outstanding Class A common shares reducing from 79,543,921 to 9,942,950 at that time.

On October 1, 2019, we completed an underwritten public offering of 7,613,788 Class A common shares at a public offering price of $7.25 per share, for gross proceeds of approximately $55.2 million, which we refer to as the October 2019 Offering. Certain members of our executive management purchased an aggregate of 168,968 Class A common shares in the offering at the public offering price.

Memorandum and Articles of Association

The rights, preferences and restrictions attaching to each class of shares of our capital stock are described in the sections “Description of Capital Shares,” “Description of Preferred Shares,” and “Description of Depositary Shares” of the Amendment No. 1 to our registration statement on Form F-3 (File No. 333-197518) filed with the Commission on July 28, 2014 and hereby incorporated by reference into this prospectus. There have been no changes since that date, other than the issuance of the Series B Preferred Shares in August 2014 and Series C Preferred Shares in November 2018, as described below.

 

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On August 20, 2014, we issued 1,400,000 depositary shares, each of which represents 1/100th of one share of our Series B Preferred Shares. In the event of any liquidation, dissolution or winding up of our affairs, holders of the Series B Preferred Shares will have the right to receive the liquidation preference of $2,500.00 per share of Series B Preferred Shares (equivalent to $25.00 per depositary share or $35.0 million in the aggregate) plus an amount equal to all accumulated and unpaid dividends thereon to the date of payment, whether or not declared. Dividends are payable at 8.75% per annum in arrears on a quarterly basis, when and if declared by the Board of Directors. Following the issuance of the Series B Preferred Shares of the Company, no dividend may be declared or paid or set apart for payment on our common stock and each other class or series of capital stock established after the original issue date of the Series B Preferred Shares that is not expressly made senior to or on parity with the Series B Preferred Shares as to the payment of dividends and amounts payable upon liquidation, dissolution or winding up, whether voluntary or involuntary (“Junior Securities”) (other than a dividend payable solely in Junior Securities), unless full cumulative dividends have been or contemporaneously are being paid or declared and set aside for payment on all outstanding Series B Preferred Shares and any securities that rank pari passu with the Series B Preferred Shares through the most recent respective dividend payment dates. Holders of the Series B Preferred Shares generally have no voting rights, except in limited circumstances. At any time after August 20, 2019 (or within 180 days after the occurrence of a fundamental change), the Series B Preferred Shares may be redeemed, at the discretion of the Company, in whole or in part, at a redemption price of $2,500.00 per share (equivalent to $25.00 per depositary share). The rights, preferences and restrictions attaching to the Series B Preferred Shares are described in the section “Description of Series B Preferred Shares and Depositary Shares” of our prospectus supplement dated August 13, 2014 filed with the Commission on August 15, 2014 and hereby incorporated by reference into this prospectus. There have been no changes since that date. The rights, preferences and restrictions attaching to the Series B Preferred Shares are further qualified by (i) the Certificate of Designations of Global Ship Lease, Inc., filed with the Registrar or Deputy Registrar of Corporations of the Republic of the Marshall Islands and effective August 19, 2014, and (ii) the Deposit Agreement, dated as of August 20, 2014, by and among Global Ship Lease, Inc., Computershare Inc. and Computershare Trust Company, N.A., as applicable, as depositary, registrar and transfer agent, and the holders from time to time of the depositary receipts described therein (each of (i) and (ii) being incorporated by reference to Exhibits 3.1 and 4.1, respectively, of Global Ship Lease, Inc.’s Report on Form 6-K (File No. 001-34153) filed on August 20, 2014), each of which is hereby incorporated by reference into this prospectus. There have been no changes since that date.

On November 15, 2018, we issued 250,000 Series C Preferred Shares of par value $0.01 per share. The Series C Preferred Shares are convertible to an aggregate of 12,955,187 Class A common shares at the option of the holder on the date when our 9.875% First Priority Secured Notes due 2022 are no longer outstanding. In September 2019 we entered into a letter agreement with KIA VIII (Newco Marine) Ltd. and KEP VI (Newco Marine) Ltd., or together, Kelso, the holders of all of our Series C Preferred Shares outstanding as of the date of this prospectus, whereby Kelso agreed to convert its outstanding Series C Preferred Shares into Class A common shares upon the repayment in full of our 9.875% First Priority Secured Notes due 2022. In addition, the Series C Preferred Shares will convert automatically upon transfer to any person who is not an affiliate of the initial holder of such Series C Preferred Shares. Upon the occurrence of any liquidation, dissolution or winding up of our affairs, holders of Series C Perpetual Shares shall be entitled to receive an amount equal to the amount payable in respect of the number of Class A common shares into which such Series C Preferred Shares would be convertible at such time, such amount to be determined as of the record date for determination of holders of Class A common shares entitled to receive such distribution or, if no such record date is established, as of the date of such distribution. Holders of Series C Preferred Shares are entitled to a dividend only should such a dividend be declared on our Class A common shares. If our Board of Directors declares a dividend or other distribution upon the then-outstanding Class A common shares, then the holders of the Series C Preferred Shares shall be entitled to receive the amount of dividends as would be payable in respect of the number of Class A common shares into which such Series C Preferred Shares would be convertible. Each Series C Preferred Share shall entitle the holder thereof to 38.75 votes on all matters submitted to a vote of shareholders. Except as otherwise provided in the Certificate of Designation for Series C Preferred Shares or required by law, the Series C Preferred Shares shall vote together with the Common Shares as one class in the election of directors of the Company and on all other

 

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matters submitted to a vote of the shareholders. The Series C Preferred Shares shall be perpetual and shall not be subject to mandatory redemption, sinking fund or other similar provisions. The rights, preferences and restrictions attaching to the Series C Preferred Shares are described in the Certificate of Designation for Series C Perpetual Preferred Shares of Global Ship Lease, Inc. (incorporated by reference to Exhibit A of Global Ship Lease, Inc.’s Report on Form 6-K (File No. 001-34153) filed on October 29, 2018) and hereby incorporated by reference into this prospectus. There have been no changes since that date.

We are not aware of any limitations on the rights to own securities, including the rights of non-resident or foreign shareholders to hold or exercise voting rights on the securities, imposed by the laws of the Republic of the Marshall Islands or by our Articles of Incorporation or Bylaws.

Registration Rights Agreements

In connection with the October 2019 Offering, we have entered into a registration rights agreement with certain affiliates of B. Riley FBR, Inc., or the B. Riley Affiliates, the underwriter in the October 2019 Offering, pursuant to which we agreed to register any shares of our Class A common stock held by the B. Riley Affiliates following the completion of the October 2019 Offering to the extent such shares constitute “restricted” or “control” securities under applicable rules and regulations of the Commission, or the B. Riley Registration Rights Agreement. The B. Riley Registration Rights Agreement provides the B. Riley Affiliates with certain piggyback and demand registration rights, and contains customary indemnification and other provisions.

We also have a registration rights agreement with certain of our major shareholders that was amended and restated in October 2018. For a description of the Amended and Restated Registration Rights Agreement, please see our Annual Report on Form 20-F filed with the Commission on March 29, 2019 as updated by annual and other reports and documents that we file with the Commission after the date of this prospectus and that are incorporated by reference herein.

 

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DESCRIPTION OF DEBT SECURITIES

We may offer and issue debt securities from time to time in one or more series, under one or more indentures, each dated as of a date on or prior to the issuance of the debt securities to which it relates, and pursuant to an applicable prospectus supplement. We may issue senior debt securities and subordinated debt securities pursuant to separate indentures, a senior indenture and a subordinated indenture, respectively, in each case between us and the trustee named in the indenture. These indentures will be filed either as exhibits to an amendment to the registration statement of which this prospectus forms a part or as an exhibit to a report under the Exchange Act, that will be incorporated by reference into the registration statement of which this prospectus forms a part or a prospectus supplement. We refer to any applicable prospectus supplement, amendment to the registration statement and/or Exchange Act reports as “subsequent filings.” The senior indenture and the subordinated indenture, as amended or supplemented from time to time, are each referred to individually as an “indenture” and collectively as the “indentures.” Each indenture will be subject to and governed by the Trust Indenture Act of 1939, as amended, or the Trust Indenture Act, and will be construed in accordance with and governed by the laws of the State of New York (without giving effect to any principles thereof relating to conflicts of law that would result in the application of the laws of any other jurisdiction) unless otherwise stated in the applicable prospectus supplement and indenture (or post-effective amendment hereto). Each indenture will contain the specific terms of any series of debt securities or provide that those terms must be set forth in or determined pursuant to, an authorizing resolution, as defined in the applicable prospectus supplement or a supplemental indenture, if any, relating to such series.

The following description sets forth certain general terms and provisions of the debt securities. The particular terms and provisions of the debt securities offered by any prospectus supplement, and the extent to which the general terms and provisions described below may apply to the offered debt securities, will be described in the applicable subsequent filings. The statements below are not complete and are subject to, and are qualified in their entirety by reference to, all of the provisions of the applicable indenture. The specific terms of any debt securities that we may offer, including any modifications of, or additions to, the general terms described below as well as any applicable material U.S. federal income tax considerations concerning the ownership of such debt securities will be described in the applicable prospectus supplement and indenture and, as applicable, supplemental indenture. Accordingly, for a complete description of the terms of a particular issue of debt securities, the general description of the debt securities set forth below should be read in conjunction with the applicable prospectus supplement and indenture, as amended or supplemented from time to time.

General

We expect that neither indenture will limit the amount of debt securities which may be issued and that each indenture will provide that debt securities may be issued in one or more series.

We expect that the subsequent filings related to a series of offered debt securities will describe the following terms of the series:

 

   

the designation, aggregate principal amount and authorized denominations;

 

   

the issue price, expressed as a percentage of the aggregate principal amount;

 

   

the maturity date;

 

   

the interest rate per annum, if any;

 

   

if the debt securities provide for interest payments, the date from which interest will accrue, the dates on which interest will be payable, the date on which payment of interest will commence and the regular record dates for interest payment dates;

 

   

whether the debt securities will be our senior or subordinated securities;

 

   

whether the debt securities will be our secured or unsecured obligations;

 

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the applicability and terms of any guarantees;

 

   

any period or periods during which, and the price or prices at which, we will have the option to or be required to redeem or repurchase the debt securities of the series and the other material terms and provisions applicable to such redemption or repurchase;

 

   

any optional or mandatory sinking fund provisions;

 

   

any conversion or exchangeability provisions;

 

   

if other than denominations of $1,000 and any integral multiple thereof, the denominations in which debt securities of the series will be issuable;

 

   

if other than the full principal amount, the portion of the principal amount of the debt securities of the series which will be payable upon acceleration or provable in bankruptcy;

 

   

any events of default not set forth in this prospectus;

 

   

the currency or currencies, including composite currencies, in which principal, premium and interest will be payable, if other than the currency of the United States of America;

 

   

if principal, premium or interest is payable, at our election or at the election of any holder, in a currency other than that in which the debt securities of the series are stated to be payable, the period or periods within which, and the terms and conditions upon which, the election may be made;

 

   

whether interest will be payable in cash or additional securities at our or the holder’s option and the terms and conditions upon which the election may be made;

 

   

if denominated in a currency or currencies other than the currency of the United States of America, the equivalent price in the currency of the United States of America for purposes of determining the voting rights of holders of those debt securities under the applicable indenture;

 

   

if the amount of payments of principal, premium or interest may be determined with reference to an index, formula or other method based on a coin or currency other than that in which the debt securities of the series are stated to be payable, the manner in which the amounts will be determined;

 

   

any covenants or other material terms relating to the debt securities;

 

   

whether the debt securities will be issued in the form of global securities or certificates in registered form;

 

   

any listing on any securities exchange or quotation system;

 

   

additional provisions, if any, related to defeasance and discharge of the debt securities; and

 

   

any other special features of the debt securities.

Subsequent filings may include additional terms not listed above. Unless otherwise indicated in subsequent filings with the Commission relating to the indenture, principal, premium and interest will be payable and the debt securities will be transferable at the corporate trust office of the applicable trustee. Unless other arrangements are made or set forth in subsequent filings or a supplemental indenture, principal, premium and interest will be paid by checks mailed to the registered holders at their registered addresses.

Unless otherwise indicated in subsequent filings with the Commission, the debt securities will be issued only in fully registered form without coupons, in denominations of $1,000 or any integral multiple thereof. No service charge will be made for any transfer or exchange of the debt securities, but we may require payment of a sum sufficient to cover any tax or other governmental charge payable in connection with these debt securities.

Some or all of the debt securities may be issued as discounted debt securities, bearing no interest or interest at a rate which at the time of issuance is below market rates, to be sold at a substantial discount below the stated principal amount. United States federal income tax consequences and other special considerations applicable to any discounted securities will be described in subsequent filings with the Commission relating to those securities.

 

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We refer you to the applicable subsequent filings for the particular terms and provisions of the debt securities offered by any prospectus supplement.

Senior Debt Securities

We may issue senior debt securities under a senior debt indenture. These senior debt securities would rank on an equal basis with all our other unsubordinated debt.

Subordinated Debt Securities

We may issue subordinated debt securities under a subordinated debt indenture. These subordinated debt securities would rank subordinate and junior in priority of payment to certain of our other indebtedness to the extent described in the applicable prospectus supplement.

Covenants

Any series of offered debt securities may have covenants in addition to or differing from those included in the applicable indenture which will be described in subsequent filings prepared in connection with the offering of such securities, limiting or restricting, among other things:

 

   

our ability to incur either secured or unsecured debt, or both;

 

   

our ability to make certain payments, dividends, redemptions or repurchases;

 

   

our ability to create dividend and other payment restrictions affecting our subsidiaries;

 

   

our ability to make investments;

 

   

mergers and consolidations by us;

 

   

sales of assets by us;

 

   

our ability to enter into transactions with affiliates;

 

   

our ability to incur liens; and

 

   

sale and leaseback transactions.

Modification of the Indentures

We expect that each indenture and the rights of the respective holders generally may be modified by us only with the consent of holders of not less than a majority in aggregate principal amount of the outstanding debt securities of all series under the respective indenture affected by the modification, taken together as a class. But we expect that no modification that:

(1) changes the amount of securities whose holders must consent to an amendment, supplement or waiver;

(2) reduces the rate of or changes the interest payment time on any security or alters its redemption provisions (other than any alteration to any such section which would not materially adversely affect the legal rights of any holder under the indenture) or the price at which we are required to offer to purchase the securities;

(3) reduces the principal or changes the maturity of any security or reduces the amount of, or postpones the date fixed for, the payment of any sinking fund or analogous obligation;

(4) waives a default or event of default in the payment of the principal of or interest, if any, on any security (except a rescission of acceleration of the securities of any series by the holders of at least a majority in principal amount of the outstanding securities of that series and a waiver of the payment default that resulted from such acceleration);

 

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(5) makes the principal of or interest, if any, on any security payable in any currency other than that stated in the security;

(6) makes any change with respect to holders’ rights to receive principal and interest, the terms pursuant to which defaults can be waived, certain modifications affecting shareholders or certain currency-related issues; or

(7) waives a redemption payment with respect to any security or changes any of the provisions with respect to the redemption of any securities;

will be effective against any holder without his consent.

Additionally, certain changes under each indenture will not require the consent of any holders. These types of changes are generally limited to clarifications of ambiguities, omissions, defects and inconsistencies in each indenture and amendments, supplements and other changes that would not adversely affect the holders of outstanding debt securities under each indenture, such as adding security, covenants, additional events of default or successor trustees.

Events of Default

We expect that each indenture will define an event of default for the debt securities of any series as being any one of the following events:

 

   

default in any payment of interest when due which continues for 30 days;

 

   

default in any payment of principal or premium when due;

 

   

default in the deposit of any sinking fund payment when due;

 

   

default in the performance of any covenant in the debt securities or the applicable indenture which continues for 60 days after we receive notice of the default;

 

   

default under a bond, debenture, note or other evidence of indebtedness for borrowed money by us or our subsidiaries (to the extent we are directly responsible or liable therefor) having a principal amount in excess of a minimum amount set forth in the applicable subsequent filings, whether such indebtedness now exists or is hereafter created, which default shall have resulted in such indebtedness becoming or being declared due and payable prior to the date on which it would otherwise have become due and payable, without such acceleration having been rescinded or annulled or cured within 30 days after we receive notice of the default; and

 

   

events of bankruptcy, insolvency or reorganization.

An event of default of one series of debt securities will not necessarily constitute an event of default with respect to any other series of debt securities.

There may be such other or different events of default as described in an applicable subsequent filing with respect to any class or series of offered debt securities.

We expect that under each indenture, in case an event of default occurs and continues for the debt securities of any series, the applicable trustee or the holders of not less than 25% in aggregate principal amount of the debt securities then outstanding of that series may declare the principal and accrued but unpaid interest of the debt securities of that series to be due and payable. Further, any event of default for the debt securities of any series which has been cured is expected to be permitted to be waived by the holders of a majority in aggregate principal amount of the debt securities of that series then outstanding.

We expect that each indenture will require us to file annually, after debt securities are issued under that indenture, with the applicable trustee a written statement signed by two of our officers as to the absence of

 

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material defaults under the terms of that indenture. We also expect that each indenture will provide that the applicable trustee may withhold notice to the holders of any default if it considers it in the interest of the holders to do so, except notice of a default in payment of principal, premium or interest.

Subject to the duties of the trustee in case an event of default occurs and continues, we expect that each indenture will provide that the trustee is under no obligation to exercise any of its rights or powers under that indenture at the request, order or direction of holders unless the holders have offered to the trustee reasonable indemnity. Subject to these provisions for indemnification and the rights of the trustee, each indenture is expected to provide that the holders of a majority in principal amount of the debt securities of any series then outstanding have the right to direct the time, method and place of conducting any proceeding for any remedy available to the trustee or exercising any trust or power conferred on the trustee as long as the exercise of that right does not conflict with any law or the indenture.

Defeasance and Discharge

The terms of each indenture are expected to provide us with the option to be discharged from any and all obligations in respect of the debt securities issued thereunder upon the deposit with the trustee, in trust, of money or U.S. government obligations, or both, which through the payment of interest and principal will provide money in an amount sufficient to pay any installment of principal, premium and interest on, and any mandatory sinking fund payments in respect of, the debt securities on the stated maturity of the payments in accordance with the terms of the debt securities and the indenture governing the debt securities.

We expect that this right may only be exercised if, among other things, we have received from, or there has been published by, the United States Internal Revenue Service a ruling to the effect that such a discharge will not be deemed, or result in, a taxable event with respect to holders. This discharge would not apply to our obligations to register the transfer or exchange of debt securities, to replace stolen, lost or mutilated debt securities, to maintain paying agencies and hold moneys for payment in trust.

Defeasance of Certain Covenants

We expect that the terms of each indenture will provide us with the right to omit complying with specified covenants and specified events of default described in a subsequent filing upon the deposit with the trustee, in trust, of money or U.S. government obligations, or both, which through the payment of interest and principal will provide money in an amount sufficient to pay any installment of principal, premium and interest on, and any mandatory sinking fund payments in respect of, the debt securities on the stated maturity of the payments in accordance with the terms of the debt securities and the indenture governing the debt securities.

We expect that to exercise this right we will also be required to deliver to the trustee an opinion of counsel to the effect that we have received from, or there has been published by, the United States Internal Revenue Service a ruling to the effect that the deposit and related covenant defeasance will not cause the holders of such series to recognize income, gain or loss for United States federal income tax purposes.

A subsequent filing may further describe the provisions, if any, of any particular series of offered debt securities permitting a discharge defeasance.

Form of Debt Securities

Each debt security will be represented either by a certificate issued in definitive form to a particular investor or by one or more global securities representing the entire issuance of securities. Both certificated securities in definitive form and global securities may be issued either in registered form, where our obligation runs to the holder of the security named on the face of the security, or in bearer form, where our obligation runs to the bearer of the security.

 

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Definitive securities name you or your nominee as the owner of the security, other than definitive bearer securities, which name the bearer as owner, and in order to transfer or exchange these securities or to receive payments other than interest or other interim payments, you or your nominee must physically deliver the securities to the trustee, registrar, paying agent or other agent, as applicable.

Global securities name a depositary or its nominee as the owner of the debt securities represented by these global securities, other than global bearer securities, which name the bearer as owner. The depositary maintains a computerized system that will reflect each investor’s beneficial ownership of the securities through an account maintained by the investor with its broker/dealer, bank, trust company or other representative, as we explain more fully below.

Global Securities

We may issue the debt securities in the form of one or more fully registered global securities that will be deposited with a depositary or its nominee identified in the applicable prospectus supplement and registered in the name of that depositary or nominee. In those cases, one or more registered global securities will be issued in a denomination or aggregate denominations equal to the portion of the aggregate principal or face amount of the securities to be represented by registered global securities. Unless and until it is exchanged in whole for securities in definitive registered form, a registered global security may not be transferred except as a whole by and among the depositary for the registered global security, the nominees of the depositary or any successors of the depositary or those nominees. If not described below, any specific terms of the depositary arrangement with respect to any debt securities to be represented by a registered global security will be described in the prospectus supplement relating to those debt securities. We anticipate that the following provisions will apply to all depositary arrangements:

Ownership of beneficial interests in a registered global security will be limited to persons, called participants, that have accounts with the depositary or persons that may hold interests through participants. Upon the issuance of a registered global security, the depositary will credit, on its book-entry registration and transfer system, the participants’ accounts with the respective principal or face amounts of the securities beneficially owned by the participants. Any dealers, underwriters or selling agents participating in the distribution of the securities will designate the accounts to be credited. Ownership of beneficial interests in a registered global security will be shown on, and the transfer of ownership interests will be effected only through, records maintained by the depositary, with respect to interests of participants, and on the records of participants, with respect to interests of persons holding through participants. The laws of some jurisdictions may require that some purchasers of securities take physical delivery of these securities in definitive form. These laws may impair your ability to own, transfer or pledge beneficial interests in registered global securities. So long as the depositary, or its nominee, is the registered owner of a registered global security, that depositary or its nominee, as the case may be, will be considered the sole owner or holder of the securities represented by the registered global security for all purposes under the indenture.

Except as described below, owners of beneficial interests in a registered global security will not be entitled to have the securities represented by the registered global security registered in their names, will not receive or be entitled to receive physical delivery of the securities in definitive form and will not be considered the owners or holders of the securities under the indenture. Accordingly, each person owning a beneficial interest in a registered global security must rely on the procedures of the depositary for that registered global security and, if that person is not a participant, on the procedures of the participant through which the person owns its interest in that registered global security, to exercise any rights of a holder under the indenture. We understand that under existing industry practices, if we request any action of holders of a registered global security or if an owner of a beneficial interest in a registered global security desires to give or take any action that a holder is entitled to give or take under the indenture, the depositary for the registered global security would authorize the participants holding the relevant beneficial interests to give or take that action, and the participants would authorize beneficial owners owning through them to give or take that action or would otherwise act upon the instructions of beneficial owners holding through them.

 

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Principal, premium, if any, and interest payments on debt securities represented by a registered global security registered in the name of a depositary or its nominee will be made to the depositary or its nominee, as the case may be, as the registered owner of the registered global security. None of us, the trustee or any other agent of us or agent of the trustee will have any responsibility or liability to owners of beneficial interests for any aspect of the records relating to payments made on account of beneficial ownership interests in the registered global security or for maintaining, supervising or reviewing any records relating to those beneficial ownership interests. We expect that the depositary for any of the securities represented by a registered global security, upon receipt of any payment of principal, premium, interest or other distribution of underlying securities or other property to holders on that registered global security, will immediately credit participants’ accounts in amounts proportionate to their respective beneficial interests in that registered global security as shown on the records of the depositary. We also expect that payments by participants to owners of beneficial interests in a registered global security held through participants will be governed by standing customer instructions and customary practices, as is now the case with the securities held for the accounts of customers in bearer form or registered in “street name,” and will be the responsibility of those participants.

We expect that the indenture will provide that if the depositary for any of these securities represented by a registered global security is at any time unwilling or unable to continue as depositary or ceases to be a clearing agency registered under the Exchange Act, and a successor depositary registered as a clearing agency under the Exchange Act is not appointed by us within 90 days, we will be required to issue securities in definitive form in exchange for the registered global security that had been held by the depositary. In addition, the indenture is expected to allow us to decide, at any time and in our sole discretion, to not have any of the securities represented by one or more registered global securities. If we make that decision, we will issue securities in definitive form in exchange for all of the registered global security or securities representing those securities. Any securities issued in definitive form in exchange for a registered global security will be registered in the name or names that the depositary gives to the relevant trustee or other relevant agent of ours or theirs. It is expected that the depositary’s instructions will be based upon directions received by the depositary from participants with respect to ownership of beneficial interests in the registered global security that had been held by the depositary.

If we issue registered global securities, we expect that the Depository Trust Company, or DTC, will act as depository and the securities will be registered in the name of Cede & Co., as DTC’s nominee.

 

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DESCRIPTION OF WARRANTS

We may issue warrants to purchase any of our debt or equity securities or securities of third parties or other rights, including rights to receive payment in cash or securities based on the value, rate or price of one or more specified currencies, securities or indices, or any combination of the foregoing. Warrants may be issued independently or together with any other securities and may be attached to, or separate from, such securities. Each series of warrants will be issued under a separate warrant agreement to be entered into between us and a warrant agent. The terms of any warrants to be issued and a description of the material provisions of the applicable warrant agreement will be set forth in the applicable prospectus supplement. We expect that such terms will include, among others:

 

   

the title of such warrants;

 

   

the aggregate number of such warrants;

 

   

the price or prices at which such warrants will be issued;

 

   

the currency or currencies in which the price of such warrants will be payable;

 

   

the securities or other rights, including rights to receive payment in cash or securities based on the value, rate or price of one or more specified currencies, securities or indices, or any combination of the foregoing, purchasable upon exercise of such warrants;

 

   

the price at which, and the currency or currencies in which, the securities or other rights purchasable upon exercise of such warrants may be purchased;

 

   

the date on which the right to exercise such warrants shall commence and the date on which such right shall expire;

 

   

if applicable, the minimum or maximum amount of such warrants which may be exercised at any one time;

 

   

if applicable, the designation and terms of the securities with which such warrants are issued and the number of such warrants issued with each such security;

 

   

if applicable, the date on and after which such warrants and the related securities will be separately transferable;

 

   

information with respect to book-entry procedures, if any;

 

   

if applicable, a discussion of any material U.S. federal income tax considerations; and

 

   

any other terms of such warrants, including terms, procedures and limitations relating to the exchange and exercise of such warrants.

The warrants will be construed in accordance with and governed by the laws of the State of New York, without giving effect to any principles thereof relating to conflicts of law that would result in the application of the laws of any other jurisdiction, unless otherwise stated in the applicable prospectus supplement (or a post-effective amendment hereto).

 

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DESCRIPTION OF PURCHASE CONTRACTS

We may issue purchase contracts for the purchase or sale of debt or equity securities issued by us, a basket of such securities, an index or indices of such securities, or any combination of the above as specified in the applicable prospectus supplement.

Each purchase contract will entitle the holder thereof to purchase or sell, and obligate us to sell or purchase, on specified dates, such securities at a specified purchase price, which may be based on a formula, all as set forth in the applicable prospectus supplement. We may, however, satisfy our obligations, if any, with respect to any purchase contract by delivering the cash value of such purchase contract or the cash value of the security otherwise deliverable, as set forth in the applicable prospectus supplement. The applicable prospectus supplement will also specify the methods by which the holders may purchase or sell such securities, and any acceleration, cancellation or termination provisions, provisions relating to U.S. federal income tax considerations, if any, or other provisions relating to the settlement of a purchase contract.

The purchase contracts may require us to make periodic payments to the holders thereof or vice versa, which payments may be deferred to the extent set forth in the applicable prospectus supplement, and those payments may be unsecured or pre-funded on some basis. The purchase contracts may require the holders thereof to secure their obligations in a specified manner to be described in the applicable prospectus supplement. Alternatively, purchase contracts may require holders to satisfy their obligations thereunder when the purchase contracts are issued. Our obligation to settle such pre-paid purchase contracts on the relevant settlement date may constitute indebtedness. Accordingly, pre-paid purchase contracts will be issued under an indenture.

The purchase contracts will be construed in accordance with and governed by the laws of the State of New York, without giving effect to any principles thereof relating to conflicts of law that would result in the application of the laws of any other jurisdiction, unless otherwise stated in the applicable prospectus supplement (or a post-effective amendment hereto).

 

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DESCRIPTION OF RIGHTS

We may issue rights to purchase our equity securities. These rights may be issued independently or together with any other security offered by this prospectus and may or may not be transferable by the shareholder receiving the rights in the rights offering. In connection with any rights offering, we may enter into a standby underwriting agreement with one or more underwriters pursuant to which the underwriter will purchase any securities that remain unsubscribed for upon completion of the rights offering.

The applicable prospectus supplement relating to any rights will describe the terms of the offered rights. We expect that such terms will include, where applicable:

 

   

the exercise price for the rights;

 

   

the number of rights issued to each shareholder;

 

   

the extent to which the rights are transferable;

 

   

any other terms of the rights, including terms, procedures and limitations relating to the exchange and exercise of the rights;

 

   

the date on which the right to exercise the rights will commence and the date on which the right will expire;

 

   

the amount of rights outstanding;

 

   

the extent to which the rights include an over-subscription privilege with respect to unsubscribed securities; and

 

   

the material terms of any standby underwriting arrangement entered into by us in connection with the rights offering.

The description in the applicable prospectus supplement of any rights we offer will not necessarily be complete and will be qualified in its entirety by reference to the applicable rights certificate or rights agreement, which will be filed with the Commission if we offer rights. For more information on how you can obtain copies of any rights certificate or rights agreement if we offer rights, see “Where You Can Find Additional Information” of this prospectus. We urge you to read the applicable rights certificate, the applicable rights agreement and any applicable prospectus supplement in their entirety.

The rights will be construed in accordance with and governed by the laws of the State of New York, without giving effect to any principles thereof relating to conflicts of law that would result in the application of the laws of any other jurisdiction, unless otherwise stated in the applicable prospectus supplement (or a post-effective amendment hereto).

 

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DESCRIPTION OF UNITS

As specified in the applicable prospectus supplement, we may issue units consisting of one or more of our rights, purchase contracts, warrants, debt securities, preferred shares, common shares or any combination of such securities. The applicable prospectus supplement will describe the terms of the offered units. We expect that such terms will include, among others:

 

   

the terms of the units and of the purchase contracts, warrants, debt securities, preferred shares, common shares and/or rights comprising the units, including whether and under what circumstances the securities comprising the units may be traded separately

 

   

a description of the terms of any unit agreement governing the units;

 

   

if applicable, a discussion of any material U.S. federal income tax considerations; and

 

   

a description of the provisions for the payment, settlement, transfer or exchange of the units.

 

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TAX CONSIDERATIONS

Our Annual Report on Form 20-F filed with the Commission on March 29, 2019, as updated by annual and other reports and documents that we file with the Commission after the date of this prospectus and that are incorporated by reference herein, provides a discussion of the material U.S. federal income tax considerations that may be relevant to prospective investors in our common shares. The applicable prospectus supplement may also contain information about any material U.S. federal income tax considerations relating to the securities covered by such prospectus supplement.

 

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EXPENSES

The following are the estimated expenses of the issuance and distribution of the securities being registered under the registration statement of which this prospectus forms a part, all of which will be paid by us.

 

Commission registration fee

   $ 64,900  

FINRA Fee

   $ *  

Legal fees and expenses

   $ *  

Accounting fees and expenses

   $ *  

Miscellaneous

   $ *  

Total

   $ *  

 

*

To be provided by a prospectus supplement or as an exhibit to a report on Form 6-K that is incorporated by reference into this registration statement.

LEGAL MATTERS

The validity of the securities offered by this prospectus will be passed upon for us by Seward & Kissel LLP, New York, New York, with respect to matters of the law of the Republic of the Marshall Islands and with respect to matters of United States and New York law.

EXPERTS

The financial statements as of December 31, 2018 and for the year ended December 31, 2018 incorporated by reference into this prospectus have been so incorporated in reliance on the report (which contains an explanatory paragraph disclosing that the Company has entered into significant contracts with CMA CGM, a related party and the main source of the Company’s operating revenue, as described in Note 2(a) to the financial statements) of PricewaterhouseCoopers S.A., an independent registered public accounting firm, given on the authority of said firm as experts in auditing and accounting.

The financial statements as of December 31, 2017 and for each of the two years in the period ended December 31, 2017 incorporated by reference into this prospectus have been so incorporated in reliance on the report (which contains an explanatory paragraph disclosing that the Company has entered into significant contracts with CMA CGM, a related party and the main source of the Company’s operating revenue, as described in Note 2(a) to the financial statements) of PricewaterhouseCoopers Audit, an independent registered public accounting firm, given on the authority of said firm as experts in auditing and accounting.

 

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WHERE YOU CAN FIND ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

As required by the Securities Act, we filed a registration statement relating to the securities offered by this prospectus with the Commission. This prospectus is a part of that registration statement, which includes additional information.

Government Filings

We file annual and special reports with the Commission. You may read and copy any document that we file and obtain copies at prescribed rates from the Commission’s Public Reference Room at 100 F Street, N.E., Washington, D.C. 20549. You may obtain information on the operation of the Public Reference Room by calling 1 (800) SEC-0330. The Commission maintains a website (http://www.sec.gov) that contains reports, proxy and information statements and other information regarding issuers that file electronically with the Commission. Our filings are also available on our website at http://www.globalshiplease.com. The information on our website, however, is not, and should not be deemed to be, a part of this prospectus.

Information Incorporated by Reference

The Commission allows us to “incorporate by reference” information that we file with it. This means that we can disclose important information to you by referring you to those filed documents. The information incorporated by reference is considered to be a part of this prospectus, and information that we file later with the Commission prior to the termination of this offering will also be considered to be part of this prospectus and will automatically update and supersede previously filed information, including information contained in this document.

We incorporate by reference the documents listed below and any future filings made with the Commission under Section 13(a), 13(c), 14 or 15(d) of the Exchange Act:

 

   

Annual Report on Form 20-F for the year ended December 31, 2018 filed with the Commission on March 29, 2019, which contains audited consolidated financial statements for the most recent fiscal year for which those statements have been filed.

 

   

The description of our Class  A Common Stock contained in our Registration Statement on Form 8-A, filed with the Commission on August 12, 2008, as amended by Amendment No. 1 to the Registration Statement on Form 8-A, filed with the Commission on March 26, 2019, including any subsequent amendments or reports filed for the purpose of updating such description.

 

   

Our Report of Foreign Private Issuer on Form 6-K, filed with the Commission on May 31, 2019 (except for the commentary of the Company’s Executive Chairman and Chief Executive Officer).

 

   

Our Report of Foreign Private Issuer on Form 6-K, filed with the Commission on August 9, 2019, which contains our management’s discussion and analysis of financial condition and results of operations and unaudited interim consolidated financial statements and related notes for the six month period ended June 30, 2019.

 

   

Our Report of Foreign Private Issuer on Form 6-K, filed with the Commission on August 9, 2019, announcing the results of our Annual Meeting of Shareholders.

 

   

Our Report of Foreign Private Issuer on Form 6-K, filed with the Commission on September 24, 2019 (except for any reference to, or information contained in, the Company’s website and the statements attributed to the Company’s Chairman and Chief Executive Officer contained in Exhibit 99.1 thereto).

 

   

Our Report of Foreign Private Issuer on Form 6-K, filed with the Commission on October 3, 2019.

We are also incorporating by reference all subsequent annual reports on Form 20-F that we file with the Commission and certain reports on Form 6-K that we furnish to the Commission after the date of this prospectus

 

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(if they state that they are incorporated by reference into this prospectus), until we file a post-effective amendment indicating that the offering of the securities made by this prospectus has been terminated. In all cases, you should rely on the later information over different information included in this prospectus or the applicable prospectus supplement.

You should rely only on the information contained or incorporated by reference in this prospectus any accompanying prospectus supplement. We have not, and any underwriters have not, authorized any other person to provide you with different information. If anyone provides you with different or inconsistent information, you should not rely on it. We are not, and the underwriters are not, making an offer to sell these securities in any jurisdiction where the offer or sale is not permitted. You should assume that the information appearing in this prospectus and any accompanying prospectus supplement as well as the information we previously filed with the Commission and incorporated by reference, is accurate as of the dates on the front cover of those documents only. Our business, financial condition and results of operations and prospects may have changed since those dates.

You may request a free copy of the above mentioned filings or any subsequent filing we incorporated by reference to this prospectus by writing or us at the following address:

Global Ship Lease, Inc.

Attn: Ian J. Webber

c/o Global Ship Lease Services Limited

25 Wilton Road

London SW1V 1LW

United Kingdom

44 (0) 20 3998 0063

www.globalshiplease.com

Information provided by the Company

We will furnish holders of our Class A common shares and Series C Preferred Shares with annual reports containing audited financial statements and a report by our independent registered public accounting firm. The audited financial statements will be prepared in accordance with United States generally accepted accounting principles and those reports will include a “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations” section for the relevant periods. As a “foreign private issuer,” we are exempt from the rules under the Exchange Act prescribing the furnishing and content of proxy statements to shareholders. While we intend to furnish proxy statements to any shareholder in accordance with the rules of the NYSE, those proxy statements are not expected to conform to Schedule 14A of the proxy rules promulgated under the Exchange Act. In addition, as a “foreign private issuer,” our officers and directors are exempt from the rules under the Exchange Act relating to short swing profit reporting and liability.

Disclosure of Commission Position on Indemnification for Securities Act Liabilities

Insofar as indemnification for liabilities arising under the Securities Act may be permitted to directors, officers or persons controlling the registrant pursuant to the foregoing provisions, the registrant has been informed that in the opinion of the Securities and Exchange Commission such indemnification is against public policy as expressed in the Securities Act and is therefore unenforceable.

 

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$68,000,000

8.00% Senior Unsecured Notes due 2024

 

LOGO

 

 

Global Ship Lease, Inc.

 

 

PROSPECTUS SUPPLEMENT

 

 

B. Riley FBR

 

 

November 27, 2019