F-3D
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As filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on March 12, 2015

Registration Statement No. 333-        

 

 

 

UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

 

 

Form F-3

REGISTRATION STATEMENT

UNDER

THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933

 

 

SEASPAN CORPORATION

(Exact name of Registrant as specified in its charter)

 

 

 

Republic of the Marshall Islands 4412 N/A

(State or other jurisdiction of

incorporation or organization)

 

(Primary Standard Industrial

Classification Code Number)

 

(I.R.S. Employer

Identification Number)

Unit 2, 2nd Floor, Bupa Centre

141 Connaught Road West

Hong Kong

China

Telephone: +852 (2540) 1686

Facsimile: +852 (2540) 1689

(Address, including zip code, and telephone number, including area code, of Registrant’s principal executive office)

 

 

Puglisi & Associates

850 Library Avenue

Suite 204

Newark, Delaware 19711

(302) 738-6680

(Name, address, including zip code, and telephone number, including area code, of agent for service)

 

 

Copy to:

David S. Matheson

Perkins Coie LLP

1120 N.W. Couch Street, Tenth Floor

Portland, OR 97209-4128

(503) 727-2008

 

 

Approximate date of commencement of proposed sale to the public: From time to time after this Registration Statement becomes effective.

If the only securities being registered on this form are being offered pursuant to dividend or interest reinvestment plans, please check the following box.  x

If any of the securities being registered on this Form are to be offered on a delayed or continuous basis pursuant to Rule 415 under the Securities Act of 1933, check the following box.  x

If this Form is filed to register additional securities for an offering pursuant to Rule 462(b) under the Securities Act of 1933, please check the following box and list the Securities Act registration statement number of the earlier effective registration statement for the same offering.  ¨

If this Form is a post-effective amendment filed pursuant to Rule 462(c) under the Securities Act of 1933, check the following box and list the Securities Act registration statement number of the earlier effective registration statement for the same offering.  ¨

If this Form is a registration statement pursuant to General Instruction I.C. or a post-effective amendment thereto that shall become effective upon filing with the Commission pursuant to Rule 462(e) under the Securities Act of 1933, check the following box.  ¨

If this Form is a post-effective amendment to a registration statement filed pursuant to General Instruction I.C. filed to register additional securities or additional classes of securities pursuant to Rule 413(b) under the Securities Act of 1933, check the following box.  ¨

 

 

CALCULATION OF REGISTRATION FEE

 

 

Title of Each Class of
Securities to be Registered
  Amount
to be
Registered(1)
  Proposed
Maximum
Offering Price
Per Share(2)
  Proposed
Maximum
Aggregate
Offering Price
  Amount of
Registration Fee

Class A common shares, par value $0.01 per share, and associated preferred share purchase rights(3)

  5,000,000   $18.65   $93,250,000   $10,835.65(2)

 

 

(1) Pursuant to Rule 416(a), the number of Class A common shares being registered shall be adjusted to include any additional shares that may become issuable as a result of any share distribution, split or similar transaction.
(2) Estimated solely for the purpose of calculating the registration fee in accordance with Rule 457(c) under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended. The price per share and aggregate offering price are based on the average of the high and low sale prices of the registrant’s Class A common shares on March 9, 2015, as reported on The New York Stock Exchange.
(3) The preferred share purchase rights are presently attached to and transferable only with the common shares of the registrant. Prior to the occurrence of specified events, the preferred share purchase rights will not be exercisable or evidenced separately from the common shares. The value, if any, attributable to the preferred share purchase rights, if any, is reflected in the value attributable to the common shares.

 

 

 


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PROSPECTUS

DIVIDEND REINVESTMENT AND STOCK PURCHASE PLAN

5,000,000 Common Shares

 

LOGO

Seaspan Corporation

 

 

With this prospectus, we are offering you the opportunity to participate in our dividend reinvestment and stock purchase plan (the “plan” or our “plan”), which commenced in May 2008 and which we amended in February 2015 to increase the number of common shares subject to the plan from 10 million to 15 million. Our plan provides an economical and convenient way for current holders of our common shares to use their cash dividends to invest in additional common shares.

The plan allows you to:

 

    reinvest all or part of your cash dividends in our common shares without paying any brokerage commission or service charge, and, at certain times, at a discount to market price;

 

    deposit shares of our stock in the plan for safekeeping; and

 

    sell the shares you hold in the plan.

This prospectus relates to our common shares purchased under the plan as of the date hereof. The price for such shares will be calculated pursuant to the terms of the plan as described herein.

Our common shares are listed on The New York Stock Exchange under the symbol “SSW.”

We cannot estimate anticipated proceeds from sales of our common shares pursuant to the plan, which will depend upon the market price of our common shares, the extent of shareholder participation in the plan and other factors. We will not pay underwriting commissions in connection with the plan but will incur costs estimated at approximately $60,000 in connection with this offering.

 

 

Investing in our common shares involves a high degree of risk. Please read “Risk Factors” beginning on page 3.

Neither the 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.

March 12, 2015


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TABLE OF CONTENTS

 

     Page  

About This Prospectus

     1   

Where You Can Find More Information

     1   

Incorporation of Documents by Reference

     1   

Seaspan Corporation

     2   

Forward-Looking Statements

     2   

Risk Factors

     3   

Use of Proceeds

     5   

The Dividend Reinvestment and Stock Purchase Plan

     5   

Certain Material United States Federal Income Tax Considerations

     15   

Non-United States Tax Considerations

     17   

Enforceability of Civil Liabilities

     19   

Plan of Distribution

     19   

Description of the Common Shares

     20   

Price Range of the Common Shares and Dividends

     23   

Legal Matters

     24   

Experts

     24   

Expenses

     24   

 

 

You should rely only on the information contained in this prospectus, any prospectus supplement and the documents incorporated by reference into this prospectus. We have not authorized anyone else to give you different information. If anyone provides you with additional, different or inconsistent information, you should not rely on it. We are not offering these securities in any jurisdiction where the offer or sale is not permitted. You should not assume that the information in this prospectus or any prospectus supplement, as well as the information we file with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”), that is incorporated by reference into this prospectus, is accurate as of any date other than its respective date. We will disclose material changes in our affairs in an amendment to this prospectus, a prospectus supplement or a future filing with the SEC incorporated by reference in this prospectus.


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ABOUT THIS PROSPECTUS

This prospectus is part of a registration statement on Form F-3 we filed with the SEC using a shelf registration process. Under the shelf registration process, we may sell the common shares described in this prospectus in one or more offerings. You should read this prospectus together with additional information described below under the headings “Where You Can Find More Information” and “Incorporation of Documents by Reference.”

Unless otherwise indicated, references in this prospectus to “Seaspan,” the “Company,” “we,” “us” and “our” and similar terms refer to Seaspan Corporation and/or one or more of its subsidiaries, except that those terms, when used in this prospectus in connection with the common shares described herein, shall mean Seaspan Corporation. References to “our Manager” are to Seaspan Management Services Limited and its wholly owned subsidiaries which provide us with all of our technical, administrative and strategic services. In January 2012, we acquired our Manager.

Unless otherwise indicated, all references in this prospectus to “dollars” and “$” are to, and amounts are presented in, U.S. Dollars, and financial information presented in this prospectus is prepared in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States (“GAAP”).

The information in this prospectus is accurate as of its date. You should read carefully this prospectus, any prospectus supplement, and the additional information described below under the headings “Where You Can Find More Information” and “Incorporation of Documents by Reference.”

WHERE YOU CAN FIND MORE INFORMATION

We have filed with the SEC a registration statement on Form F-3 regarding the securities covered by this prospectus. This prospectus does not contain all of the information found in the registration statement. For further information regarding us and the securities offered in this prospectus, you may wish to review the full registration statement, including its exhibits. In addition, we file annual and other reports with and furnish information to the SEC. You may inspect and copy any document we file with or furnish to the SEC at the public reference facilities maintained by the SEC at 100 F Street, NE, Washington, D.C. 20549. Copies of this material can also be obtained upon written request from the Public Reference Section of the SEC at that address, at prescribed rates, or from the SEC’s web site at www.sec.gov free of charge. Please call the SEC at 1-800-SEC-0330 for further information on public reference rooms. You can also obtain information about us at the offices of The New York Stock Exchange, Inc., 20 Broad Street, New York, New York 10005.

As a foreign private issuer, we are exempt under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (the “Exchange Act”) from, among other things, certain rules prescribing the furnishing and content of proxy statements, and our executive officers, directors and principal shareholders are exempt from the reporting and short-swing profit recovery provisions contained in Section 16 of the Exchange Act. In addition, we are not required under the Exchange Act to file periodic reports and financial statements with the SEC as frequently or as promptly as U.S. companies whose securities are registered under the Exchange Act, including the filing of quarterly reports or current reports on Form 8-K. However, we intend to make available quarterly reports containing our unaudited interim financial information for the first three fiscal quarters of each fiscal year.

INCORPORATION OF DOCUMENTS BY REFERENCE

The SEC allows us to “incorporate by reference” into this prospectus information that we file with the SEC. This means that we can disclose important information to you without actually including the specific information in this prospectus by referring you to other documents filed separately with the SEC. The information incorporated by reference is an important part of this prospectus. Information that we later provide to the SEC, and which is deemed to be “filed” with the SEC, automatically will update information previously filed with the SEC, and may replace information in this prospectus.

We incorporate by reference into this prospectus the documents listed below:

 

    our Annual Report on Form 20-F for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2014;

 

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    all subsequent Annual Reports on Form 20-F filed prior to the termination of this offering;

 

    Report on Form 6-K dated March 11, 2015;

 

    any subsequent Reports on Form 6-K furnished to the SEC prior to the termination of this offering that we identify in such Reports as being incorporated by reference into the registration statement of which this prospectus is a part; and

 

    the description of our common shares contained in our Registration Statement on Form 8-A filed on August 2, 2005, and amended on March 31, 2011, including any subsequent amendments or reports filed for the purpose of updating such description.

These reports contain important information about us, our financial condition and our results of operations.

You may obtain any of the documents incorporated by reference in this prospectus from the SEC through its public reference facilities or its website at the addresses provided above. You also may request a copy of any document incorporated by reference in this prospectus (excluding any exhibits to those documents, unless the exhibit is specifically incorporated by reference in this document), at no cost, by visiting our website at www.seaspancorp.com, or by writing or calling us at the following address:

Seaspan Corporation

Unit 2, 2nd Floor

Bupa Centre

141 Connaught Road West

Hong Kong

China

(852) 2540-1686

You should rely only on the information incorporated by reference or provided in this prospectus or any prospectus supplement. We have not authorized anyone else to provide you with any information. You should not assume that the information incorporated by reference or provided in this prospectus or any prospectus supplement is accurate as of any date other than the date on the front of each document.

SEASPAN CORPORATION

We are the largest independent charter owner and manager of containerships, which we charter primarily pursuant to long-term, fixed-rate time charters with major container liner companies.

We were incorporated in the Republic of the Marshall Islands in May 2005 to acquire all of the containership business of Seaspan Container Lines Limited. In August 2005, we completed our initial public offering of common shares. In January 2012, we acquired our Manager, which provides us with all of our technical, administrative and strategic services and also manages a limited number of vessels for third parties.

We maintain our principal executive offices at Unit 2, 2nd Floor, Bupa Centre, 141 Connaught Road West, Hong Kong, China. Our telephone number is (852) 2540-1686. Our website address is www.seaspancorp.com. The information contained in our website is not part of this prospectus.

FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS

All statements, other than statements of historical fact, included in or incorporated by reference into this prospectus and any prospectus supplements are forward-looking statements. In addition, we and our representatives may from time to time make other oral or written statements that are also forward-looking statements. Such statements include, in particular, statements about our plans, strategies, business prospects, changes and trends in our business, and the markets in which we operate. In some cases, you can identify the forward-looking statements by the use of words such as “may,” “will,” “could,” “should,” “would,” “expect,” “plan,” “anticipate,” “intend,” “forecast,” “believe,” “estimate,” “predict,” “propose,” “potential,” “continue” or the negative of these terms or other comparable terminology.

 

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Forward-looking statements are made based upon management’s current plans, expectations, estimates, assumptions and beliefs concerning future events affecting us. Forward-looking statements are subject to risks, uncertainties and assumptions, including those risks discussed in “Risk Factors” set forth in this prospectus and those risks discussed in other reports we file with the SEC and that are incorporated into this prospectus by reference, including, without limitation, our Annual Report on Form 20-F. The risks, uncertainties and assumptions involve known and unknown risks and are inherently subject to significant uncertainties and contingencies, many of which are beyond our control. We caution that forward-looking statements are not guarantees and that actual results could differ materially from those expressed or implied in the forward-looking statements.

We undertake no obligation to update any forward-looking statement to reflect events or circumstances after the date on which such statement is made or to reflect the occurrence of unanticipated events. New factors emerge from time to time, and it is not possible for us to predict all of these factors. In addition, we cannot assess the effect of each such factor on our business or the extent to which any factor, or combination of factors, may cause actual results to be materially different from those contained in any forward-looking statement.

RISK FACTORS

Before investing in our common shares, you should carefully consider all of the information included or incorporated by reference into this prospectus. When evaluating an investment in our common shares, you should carefully consider the following risk factors together with all other information included in this prospectus, including those risks discussed under the caption “Risk Factors” in our latest Annual Report on Form 20-F filed with the SEC, which are incorporated by reference into this prospectus, and information included in any applicable prospectus supplement.

If any of these risks were to occur, our business, financial condition, operating results or cash flows could be materially adversely affected. In that case, we might be unable to pay dividends on our common shares, the trading price of our common shares could decline, and you could lose all or part of your investment.

Risks Related to the Plan

You will not know the price of the common shares you are purchasing under the plan at the time you elect to have your dividends reinvested, and you may not be able to direct the time or price at which your common shares are sold under the plan.

The price of our common shares may fluctuate between the time you decide to purchase common shares under the plan and the time of actual purchase. In addition, during this time period, you may become aware of additional information that might affect your investment decision.

American Stock Transfer & Trust Company, LLC, the plan administrator, administers the plan. If you instruct the plan administrator to sell common shares under the plan, you will not be able to direct the time or price at which your common shares are sold. The price of our common shares may decline between the time you decide to sell common shares and the time of actual sale.

Risks Inherent in an Investment in Us

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

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

These provisions include:

 

    authorizing our board of directors to issue “blank check” preferred shares without shareholder approval;

 

    providing for a classified board of directors with staggered, three-year terms;

 

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    prohibiting cumulative voting in the election of directors;

 

    authorizing the removal of directors only for cause and only upon the affirmative vote of the holders of at least a majority of the outstanding shares entitled to vote for those directors;

 

    prohibiting shareholder action by written consent unless the written consent is signed by all shareholders entitled to vote on the action;

 

    limiting the persons who may call special meetings of shareholders;

 

    establishing advance notice requirements for nominations for election to our board of directors or for proposing matters that can be acted on by shareholders at shareholder meetings; and

 

    restricting business combinations with interested shareholders.

We have also adopted a shareholder rights plan pursuant to which our board of directors may cause the substantial dilution of the holdings of any person that attempts to acquire us without the board’s prior approval.

These anti-takeover provisions, including the provisions of our shareholder rights plan, could substantially impede a potential change in control and, as a result, may adversely affect the market price of our securities. Please read “Description of the Common Shares—Anti-takeover Effects of Certain Provisions of Our Articles of Incorporation and Bylaws.”

Substantial future sales of our common shares in the public market could cause the price of our common shares to fall.

The market price of our common shares could decline due to sales of a large number of shares in the market, including sales of shares by our large shareholders, or the perception that these sales could occur. These sales could also make it more difficult or impossible for us to sell equity securities in the future at a time and price that we deem appropriate to raise funds through future offerings of common shares. In connection with our initial public offering, our issuance of Series A preferred shares, our entry into employment or services agreements with our chief executive officer, Gerry Wang, and an affiliate of one of our directors, Graham Porter, and the acquisition of our Manager, we have granted registration rights to the holders of certain of our securities, including common shares or securities convertible into common shares. These shareholders have the right, subject to certain conditions, to require us to file registration statements covering the sale by them of such common shares. Following their sale under an applicable registration statement, any such common shares will become freely tradable. By exercising their registration rights and selling a large number of common shares, these shareholders could cause the price of our common shares to decline.

We are incorporated in the Republic of the Marshall Islands, which does not have a well-developed body of corporate law.

Our corporate affairs are governed by our articles of incorporation and bylaws and by the Marshall Islands Business Corporations Act (the “BCA”). The provisions of the BCA resemble provisions of the corporation laws of some states in the United States. However, there have been few judicial cases in the Republic of the Marshall Islands interpreting the BCA. The rights and fiduciary responsibilities of directors under the laws of the Republic of the Marshall Islands are not as clearly established as the rights and fiduciary responsibilities of directors under statutes or judicial precedent in existence in certain United States jurisdictions. Shareholder rights may differ as well. While the BCA does specifically incorporate non-statutory law, or judicial case law, of the State of Delaware and other states with substantially similar legislative provisions, our public shareholders may have more difficulty in protecting their interests in the face of actions by management, directors or controlling shareholders than would shareholders of a corporation incorporated in a United States jurisdiction.

Because we are organized under the laws of the Marshall Islands, it may be difficult to serve us with legal process or enforce judgments against us, our directors or our management.

We are organized under the laws of the Marshall Islands, and all of our assets are located outside of the United States. Our principal executive offices are located in Hong Kong and a majority of our directors and officers are residents outside of the United States. As a result, it may be difficult or impossible for you to bring an action against us or against our directors or our management in the United States if you believe that your rights have been infringed under securities laws or otherwise. Even if you are successful in bringing an action of this kind, the laws of the Marshall Islands and of other jurisdictions may prevent or restrict you from enforcing a judgment against our assets or our directors and officers.

 

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USE OF PROCEEDS

We will receive proceeds from the sale of common shares that the plan administrator purchases directly from us. We will not receive proceeds from the sale of common shares that the plan administrator purchases in the open market or in privately negotiated transactions. We cannot estimate anticipated proceeds from sales of our common shares pursuant to the plan, which will depend upon the market price of our common shares, the extent of shareholder participation in the plan and other factors. We intend to use proceeds we receive from the sale of our common shares offered by this prospectus for general corporate purposes, including capital expenditures (such as vessel acquisitions), repayment of indebtedness and working capital.

THE DIVIDEND REINVESTMENT AND STOCK PURCHASE PLAN

The following questions and answers explain and constitute our Dividend Reinvestment and Stock Purchase Plan, which we refer to as the “plan” and became effective May 29, 2008. In February 2015, we increased the number of our common shares subject to the plan from 10 million to 15 million. If you decide not to participate in the plan, you will receive cash dividends, as declared and paid in the usual manner.

The plan is open to existing shareholders of Seaspan Corporation and investors who become shareholders of Seaspan Corporation in the future.

Existing shareholders are either “record owners” or “beneficial owners.” You are a record owner if you own common shares in your own name. You are a beneficial owner if you own common shares that are registered in a name other than your own name (for example, the shares are held in the name of a broker, bank or other nominee). A record owner may participate directly in the plan. If you are a beneficial owner, however, you will either have to become a record owner by having one or more shares transferred into your name or coordinate your participation through the broker, bank or other nominee in whose name your shares are held.

PURPOSE

 

  1. What is the purpose of the plan?

The primary purpose of the plan is to provide shareholders with an economical and convenient way to increase their investment in Seaspan Corporation. Shareholders are permitted to invest cash dividends in common shares without paying any brokerage commission or service charge and, at certain times, at a discount from the Market Price (as described in Question 14). Please read Question 14 with respect to the purchase price for common shares purchased under the plan.

The plan is primarily intended for the benefit of long-term investors, and not for the benefit of individuals or institutions who engage in short-term trading activities that could cause aberrations in the overall trading volume of our common shares. From time to time, financial intermediaries may engage in positioning transactions in order to benefit from the discount from the Market Price for common shares acquired through the reinvestment of dividends under the plan. These transactions may cause fluctuations in the trading volume of our common shares. We reserve the right to modify, suspend or terminate participation in the plan by otherwise eligible holders of common shares in order to eliminate practices which are not consistent with the purposes of the plan.

OPTIONS AVAILABLE TO PARTICIPANTS

Information on how to participate in the plan is set forth in Questions 5 through 13.

 

  2. What are my investment options under the plan?

Shareholders may elect to have all, a portion or none of their cash dividends paid on their common shares automatically reinvested in common shares through the dividend reinvestment program. Cash dividends are paid on common shares when and as declared by our board of directors, generally on a quarterly basis. Subject to the availability of common shares registered for issuance under the plan, there is no limitation on the amount of dividends you may reinvest under the dividend reinvestment program.

 

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  3. How can I change my investment options?

You may change your investment options at any time by requesting a new authorization form and returning it to the plan administrator at the address set forth in Question 7. Any authorization form which is returned to the plan administrator to change your investment options will be effective in accordance with the schedule described in Question 11.

ADVANTAGES AND DISADVANTAGES

 

  4. What are the advantages and disadvantages of the plan?

Before deciding whether to participate in the plan, you should consider the following advantages and disadvantages of the plan.

Advantages

 

    The plan provides you with the opportunity to reinvest cash dividends paid on all or a portion of common shares that you hold toward the purchase of additional common shares. Dividend reinvestments made directly through us are eligible for a discount of up to 5% from the average of the high and low sales prices on the applicable investment date.

 

    There are no costs associated with the plan that you must pay, except for certain costs if you decide to sell common shares you purchased through the plan or terminate your participation in the plan (please read Questions 23 and 24 for a description of these costs). You will not pay brokerage commissions or service fees to reinvest your dividends through the plan.

 

    As noted above, you will have the convenience of having all or a portion of your cash dividends automatically reinvested in additional common shares. In addition, since the plan administrator will credit fractional common shares to your plan account, you will receive full investment of your dividends. (Please read Questions 15 and 20.)

 

    You will have the option of having your stock certificates held for safekeeping by the plan administrator for a one-time charge of $7.50, insuring your protection against loss, theft or destruction of the certificates representing your common shares.

 

    You will simplify your record keeping by receiving periodic statements which will reflect all current activity in your plan account, including dividend reinvestments, sales and latest balances. (Please read Question 19.)

 

    At any time, you may direct the plan administrator to sell or transfer all or a portion of the common shares held in your plan account. Sales of common shares credited to your plan account may be sold as often as daily but at least within five (5) business days of receipt. (Please read Question 23.)

Disadvantages

 

    No interest will be paid by us or the plan administrator on dividends held pending reinvestment or investment.

 

    You may not know the actual number of common shares that you have acquired through the plan until after the investment date.

 

    Your participation in the dividend reinvestment program generally will result in your being treated, for U.S. federal income tax purposes, as having received a distribution equal to the fair market value of the common shares on the dividend payment date. The fair market value of the common shares on the dividend payment date may be higher or lower than the Market Price or the “average price per share,” as applicable, used to determine the number of common shares acquired pursuant to the plan. The distribution will be includable in your income as a taxable dividend to the extent of our earnings and profits for U.S. federal income tax purposes even though no cash will have been received to pay any tax that becomes due. (Please read “Certain Material United States Federal Income Tax Considerations.”)

 

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    Sales of common shares credited to your plan account will involve a nominal fee per transaction to be deducted from the proceeds of the sale by the plan administrator (if you request the plan administrator to make such sale), plus any brokerage commission and any applicable stock transfer taxes on the sales. (Please read Question 23.)

 

    Because the purchase price for stock purchased directly from us under the plan is based on the sales price over the five (5) trading days prior to the investment date, it is possible that the actual price you pay for common shares acquired under the plan may be higher than the amount for which the common shares could have been purchased in the open market on the investment date.

 

    You cannot pledge common shares deposited in your plan account until the shares are withdrawn from the plan.

ADMINISTRATION AND PLAN ADMINISTRATOR

 

  5. Who administers the plan?

We have appointed American Stock Transfer & Trust Company, LLC to be the plan administrator.

 

  6. What are the responsibilities of the plan administrator?

The plan administrator’s responsibilities include:

 

    administration of the plan;

 

    acting as your agent;

 

    keeping records of all plan accounts;

 

    sending statements of activity to each participant;

 

    purchasing and selling, on your behalf, all common shares under the plan; and

 

    the performance of other duties relating to the plan.

Holding Shares. The plan administrator will hold any shares you choose to enroll in the dividend reinvestment program and will register them in the plan administrator’s name (or that of its nominee) as your agent.

Receipt of Dividends. As record holder for the plan shares, the plan administrator will credit the dividends accrued on your plan shares as of the dividend record date to your plan account on the basis of whole or fractional plan shares held in such account and will automatically reinvest such dividends in additional common shares. Any remaining portion of cash dividends not designated for reinvestment will be sent to you.

Other Responsibilities. The plan administrator also acts as dividend disbursing agent, transfer agent and registrar for our common shares. If the plan administrator resigns or otherwise ceases to act as the plan administrator, we will appoint a new plan administrator to administer the plan.

 

  7. How do I contact the plan administrator?

You should send all transaction requests to the plan administrator at:

American Stock Transfer & Trust Company, LLC

Wall Street Station

P.O. Box 922

New York, New York 10269-0560

You should send all correspondence to the plan administrator at:

American Stock Transfer & Trust Company, LLC

6201 Fifteenth Avenue

Brooklyn, New York 11219

 

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Please mention Seaspan Corporation and this plan in all correspondence. In addition, you may call the plan administrator at (866) 665-2272 or contact the plan administrator via the Internet at www.amstock.com.

PARTICIPATION

 

  8. Who is eligible to participate?

The following persons are eligible to participate in the plan:

Record Owners. All record owners (shareholders whose shares are held in their name on the records kept by our transfer agent) of common shares are eligible to participate directly in this plan.

Beneficial Owners. Beneficial owners (shareholders whose shares are held in the name of a broker, bank or other nominee on the records kept by our transfer agent) of common shares may participate in two ways. A beneficial owner may participate directly by becoming a record owner by having one or more shares transferred into his or her name from that of the applicable broker, bank or other nominee. Alternatively, a beneficial owner may seek to arrange with the broker, bank or other nominee that is the record owner of his or her shares to participate on the beneficial owner’s behalf.

 

  9. Are there limitations on participation in the plan other than those described above?

Foreign Law Restrictions. You may not participate in the plan if it would be unlawful for you to do so in the jurisdiction where you are a citizen or reside. If you are a citizen or resident of a country other than the United States, you should confirm that by participating in the plan you will not violate local laws governing, among other things, taxes, currency and exchange controls, stock registration and foreign investments.

Exclusion from Plan for Short-Term Trading or Other Practices. You should not use the plan to engage in short-term trading activities that could change the normal trading volume of the common shares. If you do engage in short-term trading activities, we may prevent you from participating in the plan. We reserve the right to modify, suspend or terminate participation in the plan, by otherwise eligible holders of common shares, in order to eliminate practices which we determine, in our sole discretion, are not consistent with the purposes or operation of the plan or which may adversely affect the price of the common shares.

Restrictions at Our Discretion. In addition to the restrictions described above, we reserve the right to prevent you from participating in the plan for any other reason. We have the sole discretion to exclude you from or terminate your participation in the plan.

 

  10. How do I enroll in the plan?

Record Owners. Record owners may join the plan by completing and signing an authorization form (please read Question 12) and returning it to the plan administrator, or by following the enrollment procedures specified on the plan administrator’s website at www.amstock.com. Authorization forms may be obtained at any time by written request, by contacting the plan administrator at the address and telephone number provided in Question 7, or via the Internet at the plan administrator’s website at www.amstock.com.

Beneficial Owners. A beneficial owner may request that the number of shares the beneficial owner wishes to be enrolled in the plan be registered by the broker, bank or other nominee in the beneficial owner’s own name as record owner in order to participate directly in the plan. Alternatively, beneficial owners who wish to join the plan may instruct their broker, bank or other nominee to arrange participation in the plan on the beneficial owner’s behalf. The broker, bank or other nominee should then make arrangements with its securities depository, and the securities depository will provide the plan administrator with the information necessary to allow the beneficial owner to participate in the plan.

To facilitate participation by beneficial owners, we have made arrangements with the plan administrator to reinvest dividends by record holders such as brokers, banks and other nominees, on behalf of beneficial owners. If you are an interested beneficial owner, be sure that your broker, bank or other nominee passes along the proceeds of any applicable discount to your account.

 

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Alternatively, a beneficial owner may simply request that the number of shares the beneficial owner wishes to be enrolled in the plan be re-registered by the broker, bank or other nominee in the beneficial owner’s own name as record owner in order to participate directly in the plan.

Non-Shareholders. A non-shareholder must first become a record owner before becoming eligible to participate in the plan.

 

  11. When will my participation in the plan begin?

If your authorization form (please read Question 12) is received by the plan administrator by the record date established for a particular dividend, reinvestment will commence with that dividend. If your authorization form is received after the record date established for a particular dividend, reinvestment will begin on the dividend payment date following the next record date if you are, or your broker, bank or other nominee is, still a record owner on such record date.

Once you enroll in the plan, you will remain enrolled in the plan until you withdraw from the plan, we terminate your participation in the plan or we terminate the plan.

 

  12. What does the authorization form provide?

The authorization form appoints the plan administrator as your agent and directs us to pay to the plan administrator, on the applicable record date, the cash dividends on your common shares that are enrolled in the dividend reinvestment program, including all whole and fractional common shares that are subsequently credited to your plan account, as they are added with each reinvestment. These cash dividends with respect to shares enrolled in the dividend reinvestment program will be automatically reinvested by the plan administrator in common shares. Any remaining cash dividends with respect to shares not enrolled in the dividend reinvestment program will be paid directly to you.

The authorization form provides for the purchase of additional common shares through the following investment options:

 

    “Full Dividend Reinvestment” – This option directs the administrator to reinvest cash dividends on all of the common shares owned by you then or in the future into additional common shares.

 

    “Partial Dividend Reinvestment” – This option directs the administrator to reinvest cash dividends paid on a specified number of common shares owned by you into additional common shares. We will continue to pay you cash dividends on shares that you own for which you do not elect dividend reinvestment, when and if such dividends are declared by our board of directors.

Unless you designate a specific amount of your shares for enrollment in the dividend reinvestment program, you will be enrolled as having selected the full dividend reinvestment option. In addition, if you return a properly executed authorization form to the plan administrator without electing an investment option, you will be enrolled as having selected the full dividend reinvestment option.

You may select any one of the options desired, and the designated options will remain in effect until you specify otherwise by indicating a different option on a new authorization form, by withdrawing some or all shares from the plan in favor of receiving cash dividends or in order to sell your common shares, or until the plan is terminated.

 

  13. What does the plan administrator’s website provide?

Instead of submitting an authorization form (please read Question 12), you can participate in the plan by accessing the plan administrator’s website at www.amstock.com. You may do the following online:

 

    enroll or terminate your participation in the plan;

 

    sell common shares;

 

    request a stock certificate for non-fractional common shares held in your plan account; and

 

    view your account history and balances.

 

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PURCHASES AND PRICES OF SHARES

 

  14. What will be the price of shares purchased under the plan?

Purchase Price and Discounts. The purchase price of common shares under the plan depends on whether we issue new shares to you or the plan administrator obtains your shares by purchasing them in the open market, and whether any discount is being offered by us at the time of the applicable common share purchase.

We may offer a discount off of the Market Price (as determined below) on shares purchased directly from us, which discount may not exceed 5% of the average of the high and low sales prices on the applicable investment date. The discount rate is set by our board of directors, and we are currently offering a discount of 3%. We may change or discontinue such discount rate at any time and without notice to the plan participants after we review current market conditions, the level of participation in the plan and our current projected capital needs. The purchase price for common shares acquired directly from us will be the Market Price of the common shares less any discount that we may elect to offer, but in no event will the discount exceed 5% of the average of the high and low sales prices on the applicable investment date.

The purchase price for common shares that the plan administrator purchases from parties other than us, either in the open market or in privately negotiated transactions, will be 100% of the “average price per share” actually paid by the plan administrator, excluding any brokerage commissions. We are not required to provide any notice to you as to the source of the common shares to be purchased under the plan.

Determination of “Market Price” and “Average Price Per Share.” For purposes of the calculation of the purchase price for shares purchased directly from us, “Market Price” is equal to the average of the daily high and low sales prices, computed to four decimal places, of our common shares on The New York Stock Exchange, as reported in The Wall Street Journal, during the five (5) days on which The New York Stock Exchange is open and for which trades in our common shares are reported immediately preceding the investment date, or, if no trading occurs in our common shares on one or more of such days, for the five (5) days immediately preceding the investment date for which trades are reported.

For purposes of the calculation of the purchase price for shares purchased from parties other than us, either on the open market or in privately negotiated transactions, “average price per share” is equal to the weighted average of the actual prices paid, computed to four decimal places, for all of the common shares purchased with all participants’ reinvested dividends.

Plan Administrator’s Control of Purchase Terms. When open market purchases are made by the plan administrator, these purchases may be made on any securities exchange where our common shares are traded, in the over-the-counter market or by negotiated transactions, and may be subject to the terms with respect to price, delivery and other matters to which the plan administrator agrees. We do not, and you will not, have any authorization or power to direct the time or price at which shares will be purchased or the selection of the broker or dealer through or from whom purchases are to be made by the plan administrator. However, when open market purchases are made by the plan administrator, the plan administrator will use its reasonable efforts to purchase the shares at the lowest possible price.

 

  15. How will the number of shares purchased for my account be determined?

Your account will be credited with the number of shares, including fractions computed to three decimal places, equal to the total amount to be invested on your behalf, divided by the applicable price per share, calculated pursuant to the methods described above, as applicable.

The total amount to be invested will depend on the amount of any dividends paid on the number of shares you own and have designated for reinvestment. Subject to the availability of common shares registered for issuance under the plan, there is no total maximum number of shares available for issuance pursuant to the reinvestment of dividends.

The amount of reinvested dividends to be invested will be reduced by any amount we are required to deduct for federal tax withholding purposes.

 

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  16. What is the source of common shares purchased under the plan?

The plan administrator will purchase common shares either directly from us or from parties other than us, either on the open market or through privately negotiated transactions, or by a combination of the foregoing. We will determine the source of the common shares to be purchased under the plan after a review of current market conditions and our current and projected capital needs. We and the plan administrator are not required to provide any prior notice to you as to the source of the common shares to be purchased under the plan.

 

  17. What are investment dates and when will dividends be invested?

Shares purchased under the plan will be purchased on the “investment date.” The investment date will be (a) if acquired directly from us, the quarterly dividend payment date declared by our board of directors or (b) in the case of open market purchases, as soon as practicable following the date or dates of actual investment.

For the reinvestment of dividends, the record date is the record date declared by our board of directors for that dividend. Likewise, the dividend payment date declared by the board of directors constitutes the investment date. We historically have paid quarterly dividends in or around February, May, August and November. We cannot assure you that we will pay dividends according to this schedule in the future, and nothing contained in the plan obligates us to do so. Neither we nor the plan administrator will be liable when conditions, including compliance with the rules and regulations of the SEC, prevent the plan administrator from buying common shares or interfere with the timing of purchases. We pay dividends as and when declared by our board of directors. We cannot assure you that we will declare or pay a dividend in the future, and nothing contained in the plan obligates us to do so. The plan does not represent a guarantee of future dividends.

Shares will be allocated and credited to your plan accounts on the appropriate investment date.

No interest will be paid on cash dividends pending investment or reinvestment under the terms of the plan.

 

  18. Will I incur expenses in connection with my participation under the plan?

You will not pay brokerage commissions or service fees to purchase common shares through the plan. We will pay all other costs of administration of the plan. However, if you request that the plan administrator sell all or any portion of your shares or if you terminate your participation in the plan, you will incur fees as described under Questions 23 and 24, below. Additionally, if you elect to send certificates for any other of our common shares that you own to the plan administrator for safekeeping, you will incur a one-time fee of $7.50 for this service. This fee will be waived by the plan administrator if you are selling your certificated shares at the same time you are committing shares with the plan administrator for safekeeping.

REPORTS TO PARTICIPANTS

 

  19. How will I keep track of my investments?

You will receive a statement of your account following each purchase of additional shares. This detailed statement will provide you with the following information with respect to your plan account:

 

    price paid per common share;

 

    total number of common shares purchased, including fractional shares;

 

    date of stock purchases; and

 

    total number of common shares in your plan account.

You should retain these statements to determine the tax cost basis of the shares purchased for your account under the plan. In addition, you will receive copies of other communications sent to our shareholders, including our annual report to shareholders, the notice of annual meeting and proxy statement in connection with our annual meeting of shareholders and the U.S. Internal Revenue Service (the “IRS”) information for reporting dividends paid.

You can also view your account history and balance online by accessing the plan administrator’s website at www.amstock.com.

 

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DIVIDENDS ON FRACTIONS OF SHARES

 

  20. Will I be credited with dividends on fractions of shares?

Yes. Any fractional share held in your plan account (please read Question 15) that has been designated for participation in the dividend reinvestment program of the plan will receive a proportionate amount of any dividend declared on our common shares.

CERTIFICATES FOR SHARES

 

  21. Will I receive certificates for shares purchased?

Safekeeping of Certificates. Normally, common shares purchased for you under the plan will be held in the name of the plan administrator or its nominee. The plan administrator will credit the shares to your plan account in “book-entry” form. This service protects against loss, theft or destruction of certificates evidencing common shares.

You may also elect to deposit with the plan administrator certificates for other common shares that you own and that are registered in your name for safekeeping under the plan for a one-time fee of $7.50. This fee will be waived by the plan administrator if you are selling your certificate shares at the same time you are committing shares with the plan administrator for safekeeping. The plan administrator will credit the common shares represented by the certificates to your account in “book-entry” form and will combine the shares with any whole and fractional shares then held in your plan account. In addition to protecting against the loss, theft or destruction of your certificates, this service is convenient if and when you sell common shares through the plan. Because you bear the risk of loss in sending certificates to the plan administrator, you should send certificates by registered mail, return receipt requested, and properly insured to the address specified in Question 7 above.

Issuance of Certificates. No certificates will be issued to you for shares in the plan unless you submit a written request to the plan administrator or until your participation in the plan is terminated. At any time, you may request the plan administrator to send a certificate for some or all of the whole shares credited to your account. This request should be mailed to the plan administrator at the address set forth in the answer to Question 7 or made via www.amstock.com. There is no fee for this service. Any remaining whole shares and any fraction of a share will remain credited to your plan account. Certificates for fractional shares will not be issued under any circumstances.

 

  22. In whose name will certificates be registered when issued?

Your plan account will be maintained in the name in which your certificates were registered at the time of your enrollment in the plan. Stock certificates for those shares purchased under the plan will be similarly registered when issued upon your request. If your shares are held through a broker, bank or other nominee, such request must be placed through your broker, bank or other nominee.

SALE OF SHARES

 

  23. How do I sell shares held in my plan account?

You may contact the plan administrator to sell all or any part of the shares held in your plan account. After receipt of your request, the plan administrator will sell the shares through a designated broker or dealer. The plan administrator will mail to you a check for the proceeds of the sale, less applicable brokerage commissions, service charges and any taxes. The plan administrator will sell shares as often as daily but at least within five (5) business days of receipt of the sale request, at then current market prices through one or more brokerage firms. If you sell or transfer only a portion of the shares in your plan account, you will remain a participant in the plan and may continue to reinvest dividends. If you have elected to have your dividends reinvested, the plan administrator will continue to reinvest the dividends on the shares credited to your account unless you notify the plan administrator that you wish to withdraw from the plan.

The plan requires you to pay all costs associated with the sale of your shares under the plan. You will receive the proceeds of the sale, less a $15.00 service fee per transaction and a $0.10 per share brokerage commission paid to the plan administrator and any other applicable fees.

 

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If the plan administrator sells all shares held in your plan account, the plan administrator will automatically terminate your account. In this case, you will have to complete and file a new authorization form to rejoin the plan.

WITHDRAWALS AND TERMINATION

 

  24. When may I withdraw from the plan?

You may withdraw from the plan with respect to all or a portion of the shares held in your plan account at any time. If the request to withdraw is received prior to a dividend record date set by our board of directors for determining shareholders of record entitled to receive a dividend, the request will be processed on the first business day following receipt of the request by the plan administrator.

If the request to withdraw from the plan is received by the plan administrator at least three (3) business days prior to the dividend payable date, then that dividend will be paid out in cash to the participant. However, if the request to withdraw from the plan is received less than three (3) business days prior to the dividend payable date, then that dividend will be reinvested. However, all subsequent dividends will be paid out in cash on all balances. There is a $15.00 service fee and $0.10 per share commission for terminating your participation in the plan.

 

  25. How do I withdraw from the plan?

If you wish to withdraw from the plan with respect to all or a portion of the shares in your plan account, you must notify the plan administrator in writing at its mailing address or via its Internet address specified in the answer to Question 7 by utilizing the stub attached to our statement. Upon your withdrawal from the plan or our termination of the plan, certificates for the appropriate number of whole shares credited to your account under the plan will be issued free of charge. A cash payment will be made for any fraction of a share. You will be charged a $15.00 fee and a $0.10 per share commission.

Upon withdrawal from the plan, you may also request in writing that the plan administrator sell all or part of the shares credited to your plan account. (Please read Question 24.)

OTHER INFORMATION

 

  26. May shares in my account be pledged?

You may not pledge any of the common shares in your plan account. Any attempted pledge of these shares will be void. If you wish to pledge shares, you must first withdraw them from the plan.

 

  27. What happens if Seaspan declares a dividend payable in shares or declares a share split?

Any dividend payable in shares and any additional shares distributed by us in connection with a share split in respect of shares credited to your plan account will be added to that account. Share dividends or split shares which are attributable to shares registered in your own name and not in your plan account will be mailed directly to you as in the case of shareholders not participating in the plan.

Transaction processing may be curtailed or suspended until the completion of any stock dividend, stock split or similar corporate action.

 

  28. How will shares held by the plan administrator be voted at meetings of shareholders?

If you are a record owner, you will receive a proxy card covering both directly held shares and shares held in the plan. If you hold your shares through a broker, bank or other nominee, you should receive a proxy covering shares held in the plan from your broker, bank or other nominee.

If a proxy is returned properly signed and marked for voting, all of the shares covered by the proxy will be voted as marked. If a proxy is returned properly signed but no voting instructions are given, all of your shares will be voted in accordance with recommendations of our board of directors, unless applicable laws require otherwise. If the proxy is not returned, or if it is returned unexecuted or improperly executed, shares registered in your name may be voted only by you and only in person.

 

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  29. What are Seaspan’s responsibilities and those of the plan administrator under the plan?

Neither we, nor our Manager, nor any of our or our Manager’s agents, nor the plan administrator, will be liable in administering the plan for any act done in good faith or required by applicable law or for any good faith omission to act, including, without limitation, any claim of liability (a) arising out of failure to terminate your account upon your death or judgment of incompetence prior to the plan administrator’s receipt of notice in writing of such death or judgment of incompetence, (b) with respect to the price at which shares are purchased or sold and/or the times when such purchases or sales are made, or (c) relating to any fluctuation in the market value of the common shares.

Neither we, nor our Manager, nor any of our or our Manager’s agents, nor the plan administrator, will have any duties, responsibilities or liabilities other than those expressly set forth in the plan or as imposed by applicable laws, including federal securities laws. Since the plan administrator has assumed all responsibility for administering the plan, we specifically disclaim any responsibility for any of the plan administrator’s actions or inactions in connection with the administration of the plan. Neither we, nor our Manager nor any of our or its directors, officers, employees or shareholders will have any personal liability under the plan.

We, our Manager, any of our or our Manager’s agents and the plan administrator will be entitled to rely on completed forms and the proof of due authority to participate in the plan, without further responsibility of investigation or inquiry.

 

  30. What will be my responsibilities under the plan?

You should notify the plan administrator promptly in writing of any change of address. The plan administrator will address account statements and other communications to you at the last address of record you provide to the plan administrator.

You will have no right to draw checks or drafts against your plan account or to instruct the plan administrator with respect to any common shares or cash held by the plan administrator except as expressly provided herein.

 

  31. May the plan be changed or discontinued?

Yes. We may suspend, terminate, or amend the plan at any time in our sole discretion. Notice will be sent to you of any suspension or termination, or of any amendment that alters the plan terms and conditions, as soon as practicable after we take such an action. We may also substitute another agent in place of the current plan administrator at any time; you will be promptly informed of any such substitution. We will determine any questions of interpretation arising under the plan and any such determination will be final.

 

  32. Are there any risks associated with the plan?

Your investment in shares held in your plan account is no different from your investment in shares held directly. Neither we nor the plan administrator can assure you a profit or protect you against a loss on the shares that you purchase. You bear the risk of any loss and enjoy the benefits of any gain from market price changes with respect to such shares. You should read carefully the risk factors described in our filings with the SEC before investing in our common shares.

 

  33. How will you interpret and regulate the plan?

We will interpret, regulate and take any other action in connection with the plan that we deem reasonably necessary to carry out the plan. We may adopt rules and regulations to facilitate the administration of the plan. As a participant in the plan, you will be bound by any actions taken by us or the plan administrator.

 

  34. What law governs the plan?

The terms and conditions of the plan and its operation will be governed by the laws of the Republic of the Marshall Islands.

 

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CERTAIN MATERIAL UNITED STATES FEDERAL INCOME TAX CONSIDERATIONS

The following is a summary of certain U.S. federal income tax considerations that may be relevant to a U.S. Holder (as defined below) that participates in the plan (a “U.S. Participant”) and, unless otherwise noted in the following discussion, is the opinion of Perkins Coie LLP, our U.S. counsel, insofar as it relates to matters of U.S. federal income tax law and legal conclusions with respect to those matters. The opinion of our counsel is dependent on the accuracy of representations made by us to them, including descriptions of our operations contained herein.

This summary is for general information purposes only and does not take into account the individual facts and circumstances of any particular U.S. Holder that may affect the U.S. federal income tax consequences to such U.S. Holder of participation in the plan. Accordingly, this summary is not intended to be, and should not be construed as, legal or U.S. federal income tax advice with respect to any U.S. Holder. U.S. Holders should consult their own tax advisors regarding the U.S. federal income, U.S. state and local and non-U.S. tax consequences of such holder’s participation in the plan.

This summary is based on the U.S. Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Code”), final and temporary Treasury Regulations promulgated thereunder, legislative history, judicial authority and administrative interpretations,, all in effect on the date hereof and all of which are subject to change, possibly with retroactive effect. This summary is not binding on the IRS or the U.S. courts, and no assurance can be given that the conclusions reached in this summary will not be challenged by the IRS or will be sustained by a U.S. court if so challenged.

This summary does not address the U.S. federal income tax consequences to certain categories of U.S. Holders subject to special rules, including U.S. Holders that (a) are banks, financial institutions or insurance companies, (b) are regulated investment companies or real estate investment trusts, (c) are brokers or dealers in securities or currencies or traders in securities or currencies that elect to apply a mark-to-market accounting method, (d) are tax-exempt organizations, qualified retirement plans, individual retirement accounts or other tax-deferred accounts, (e) own our common shares as part of a straddle, hedge, constructive sale, conversion transaction or other integrated investment, (f) acquired our common shares in connection with the exercise of employee options or otherwise as compensation for services, (g) have a “functional currency” other than the U.S. dollar, (h) are liable for the “alternative minimum tax” under the Code, (i) do not hold our common shares as capital assets (generally, property held for investment), (j) own or have owned directly, indirectly or constructively, 10 percent or more, by voting power or value, of our outstanding equity interests, (k) are U.S. expatriates or (l) are partnerships or other pass-through entities or holders of interests therein. In addition, this summary does not address any U.S. federal income tax consequences that may be applicable to U.S. Holders that incur fees with respect to their broker, investment dealer, financial institution or other nominee in connection with participation in the plan. As used herein, the term “U.S. Holder” means a beneficial owner of our common shares that is, for U.S. federal income tax purposes: (w) a U.S. citizen or U.S. resident alien, (x) 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, (y) an estate whose income is subject to U.S. federal income taxation regardless of its source or (z) 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.

Receipt of Common Shares pursuant to the Distribution Reinvestment Component of the Plan

The following discussion is applicable except to the extent that the rules relating to passive foreign investment companies (“PFICs”) (discussed below in “—Passive Foreign Investment Company Considerations”) apply and provide otherwise. A U.S. Participant generally will be treated, for U.S. federal income tax purposes, as having received a distribution in an amount equal to the fair market value, determined as of the dividend payment date, of the common shares acquired pursuant to the plan. If a U.S. Participant’s reinvested dividends are used to purchase common shares on the open market, the amount of the distribution will be equal to the amount of the dividend used to purchase the common shares and to pay any brokerage fees or other expenses. The fair market value of the common shares on the dividend payment date may be higher or lower than the Market Price or “average price per share,” as applicable, used to determine the number of common shares acquired pursuant to the plan.

 

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The distribution will be includable in a U.S. Participant’s income as a taxable dividend , which may be taxable as ordinary income or “qualified dividend income” as described in more detail below, to the extent of our current and accumulated earnings and profits allocated to the U.S. Participant’s common shares, as determined under U.S. federal income tax principles. Distributions in excess of our current and accumulated earnings and profits allocated to the U.S. Participant’s common shares will be treated first as a nontaxable return of capital to the extent of the U.S. Participant’s tax basis in our common shares and thereafter as capital gain, which will be either long-term or short-term capital gain depending upon whether the U.S. Participant has held the common shares for more than one year. U.S. Participants that are corporations generally will not be entitled to claim a dividends received deduction with respect to any distributions they receive from us. For purposes of computing allowable foreign tax credits for U.S. federal income tax purposes, dividends received with respect to our common shares will be treated as foreign source income and generally will be treated as “passive category income.”

Under current law, subject to holding-period requirements and certain other limitations, dividends received with respect to our common shares by a U.S. Participant who is an individual, trust or estate (a “Non-Corporate U.S. Participant”) generally will be treated as qualified dividend income that is taxable to such Non-Corporate U.S. Participant at preferential capital gain tax rates (provided we are not classified as a PFIC for the taxable year during which the dividend is paid or the immediately preceding taxable year).

The tax basis of a common share acquired by a U.S. Participant pursuant to the plan will be equal to the amount treated as a distribution to you, less the amount of any taxes withheld, as discussed below. The IRS, pursuant to Treasury Regulations on broker reporting of sales of securities and on the cost basis of securities, now requires administrators of dividend reinvestment plans to retain and accurately report cost basis information to shareholders and to the IRS. U.S. Participants should consult their tax advisors regarding any applicable elections that may be appropriate for them. The holding period for such common share will begin on the day following the dividend payment date.

Disposition of Common Shares

A U.S. Participant generally will recognize a taxable gain or loss upon a sale, exchange or other disposition of our common shares whether the sale, exchange or other disposition is made at the U.S. Participant’s request upon withdrawal from the plan or takes place after withdrawal from or termination of the plan and, in the case of a fractional share, when the U.S. Participant receives or is entitled to receive a cash payment for a fraction of a share credited to its account. The amount of such gain or loss will be the difference between the amount a U.S. Participant receives for its common share or fractional common share and the adjusted tax basis of such common share or fractional common share. Such gain or loss generally will be treated as (a) long-term capital gain or loss if the U.S. Participant’s holding period is greater than one year at the time of the sale, exchange or other disposition, or short-term capital gain or loss otherwise and (b) U.S. source income or loss, as applicable, for foreign tax credit purposes. Non-Corporate U.S. Participant’s may be eligible for preferential rates of U.S. federal income tax in respect of long-term capital gains. A U.S. Participant’s ability to deduct capital losses is subject to certain limitations.

Passive Foreign Investment Company Considerations

Special, generally unfavorable, rules apply to the ownership and disposition of the stock of a PFIC. In general, we will be treated as a PFIC for any taxable year in which either (a) at least 75% of our gross income (including the gross income of certain of our subsidiaries) consists of passive income or (b) at least 50% of the average value of our assets (including the assets of certain of our subsidiaries) is attributable to assets that produce, or are held for the production of, passive income.

In the absence of any election, if we were to be treated as a PFIC for any year during which a U.S. Participant held our common shares, the U.S. Participant would be taxed under generally unfavorable rules with respect to distributions received from us or gain on the sale or other disposition of our common shares. Among the unfavorable rules are a loss of favorable capital gains rates and the imposition of an interest charge. We do not believe that we have been a PFIC for any of our prior taxable years and, based on our current operations and projections, do not believe that we are or will become a PFIC in the foreseeable future. We note, however, that PFIC status is fundamentally factual in nature, generally cannot be determined until the close of the taxable year in question and is determined annually. Consequently, we can provide no assurance that we will not be a PFIC for either the current taxable year or for any subsequent taxable year. U.S. Participants are urged to consult their own tax advisors regarding our possible classification as a PFIC and the consequences of that classification under their own circumstances.

 

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Medicare Tax on Unearned Income

Certain Non-Corporate U.S. Holders are subject to a 3.8% tax on certain investment income, including dividends and gain from the sale or other disposition of our common shares. Non-Corporate U.S. Holders should consult their tax advisors regarding the effect, if any, of this tax on their ownership and disposition of our common shares.

Information Reporting and Backup Withholding

Distributions on our common shares are subject to information reporting and may be subject to backup withholding, currently at a 28% rate. Backup withholding will not apply, however, to a holder who furnishes a correct taxpayer identification number, certifies (under penalties of perjury) that such holder is not subject to backup withholding on an IRS Form W-9 and otherwise complies with applicable requirements of the backup withholding rules. Backup withholding does not apply with respect to payments made to certain exempt recipients, such as corporations. Information reporting and backup withholding may also apply to the cash proceeds of a sale or other taxable disposition of common shares.

If a distribution is subject to backup withholding, backup withholding will be withheld from the distribution before the distribution is reinvested under the plan and the amount of tax withheld will be included in determining the amount of dividend income.

Backup withholding is not an additional tax. Rather, a holder generally may obtain a credit for any amount withheld against its liability for U.S. federal income tax (and obtain a refund of any amounts withheld in excess of such liability) by accurately completing and timely filing a U.S. federal income tax return with the IRS.

NON-UNITED STATES TAX CONSIDERATIONS

Marshall Islands Tax Considerations

The following discussion is the opinion of Reeder & Simpson, P.C., our counsel as to matters 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 shareholder. In addition, you will not be subject to Marshall Islands stamp, capital gains or other taxes on the purchase, ownership or disposition of shares and you will not be required by the Republic of the Marshall Islands to file a tax return relating to the shares.

Each prospective shareholder 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 shareholder to file all state, local and non-U.S., as well as U.S. federal tax returns that may be required of it.

Canadian Federal Income Tax Considerations

The following discussion is the opinion of Blake, Cassels & Graydon LLP, our Canadian tax counsel, as to the material Canadian federal income tax considerations under the Income Tax Act (Canada) (the “Canada Tax Act”), as of the date of this prospectus, that we believe are relevant to holders of Class A common shares acquired in this offering who are, at all relevant times, for the purposes of the Canada Tax Act and the Canada-United States Tax Convention 1980 (the “Canada-U.S. Treaty”) resident only in the United States, who are “qualifying persons” for purposes of the Canada-U.S. Treaty and who deal at arm’s length with us (“U.S. Resident Holders”). This disclosure may not apply to United States limited liability companies; accordingly, such holders should consult their own tax advisors. The opinion of our counsel is dependent on the accuracy of representations made by us to them, including descriptions of our operations contained herein.

 

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Subject to the assumptions below, under the Canada Tax Act, no taxes on income (including taxable capital gains and withholding tax on dividends) are payable by U.S. Resident Holders in respect of the acquisition, holding, disposition or redemption of our common shares. This opinion is based upon the assumptions that we are not a resident of Canada and such U.S. Resident Holders do not have, and have not had, for the purposes of the Canada-U.S. Treaty, a permanent establishment in Canada to which such shares pertain and, in addition, do not use or hold and are not deemed or considered to use or hold such shares in the course of carrying on a business in Canada.

Our place of residence, under Canadian law, would generally be determined on the basis of where our central management and control are, in fact, exercised. It is not our current intention that our central management and control be exercised in Canada but, even if it were, there is a specific statutory exemption under the Canada Tax Act that provides that a corporation incorporated, or otherwise formed, under the laws of a country other than Canada will not be resident in Canada in a taxation year if its principal business in that year is “international shipping,” all or substantially all of its gross revenue for that year consists of gross revenue from “international shipping,” and it was not granted articles of continuance in Canada before the end of that year. “International shipping” is defined as the operation of ships that are owned or leased by an operator and that are used primarily in transporting passengers or goods in international traffic and includes the chartering of ships; provided that, one or more persons related to the operator (if the operator and each such person is a corporation), or persons or partnerships affiliated with the operator (in any other case), has complete possession, control and command of the ship. The leasing of a ship by a lessor to a lessee that has complete possession, control and command of the ship is excluded from the international shipping definition, unless the lessor, or a corporation, trust or partnership affiliated with the lessor, has an eligible interest in the lessee.

The definition of “international shipping” was introduced following industry consultation, with the intent of providing shipping companies with flexibility in the manner in which they structure their intra-group chartering contracts. Based on our operations and our understanding of the foregoing intention of the definition of “international shipping,” we do not believe that we are, nor do we expect to be, resident in Canada for purposes of the Canada Tax Act as it is currently enacted, and we intend that our affairs will be conducted and operated in a manner such that we do not become a resident of Canada under the Canada Tax Act. However, if we were or become resident in Canada, we would be or become subject under the Canada Tax Act to Canadian income tax on our worldwide income and our non-Canadian resident shareholders would be or become subject to Canadian withholding tax on dividends paid in respect of our shares.

Generally, a corporation that is not resident in Canada will be taxable in Canada on income it earns from carrying on a business in Canada and on gains from the disposition of property used in a business carried on in Canada. However, there are specific statutory exemptions under the Canada Tax Act that provide that income earned in Canada by a non-resident corporation from international shipping, and gains realized from the disposition of ships used principally in international traffic, are not included in the non-resident corporation’s income for Canadian tax purposes where the corporation’s country of residence grants substantially similar relief to a Canadian resident. A Canadian resident corporation that carries on an international shipping business, as described in the previous sentence, in the Republic of the Marshall Islands is exempt from income tax under the current laws of the Republic of the Marshall Islands.

Subject to the below assumption, we expect that we will qualify for these statutory exemptions under the Canada Tax Act as it is currently enacted. Based on our operations, we do not believe that we are, nor do we expect to be, carrying on a business in Canada for purposes of the Canada Tax Act other than a business that would provide us with these statutory exemptions from Canadian income tax. Our opinion is based upon the assumption that we are a resident of the Republic of the Marshall Islands. These statutory exemptions are contingent upon reciprocal treatment being provided under the laws of the Republic of the Marshall Islands. If in the future as a non-resident of Canada, we are carrying on a business in Canada that is not exempt from Canadian income tax, or these statutory exemptions are not accessible due to changes in the laws of the Republic of the Marshall Islands or otherwise, we would be subject to Canadian income tax on our non-exempt income earned in Canada which could reduce our earnings available for distribution to shareholders.

 

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Certain of our subsidiaries are residents of Canada for purposes of the Canada Tax Act. These subsidiaries are subject to Canadian tax on their worldwide income, and we will be subject to Canadian withholding tax on dividends we will receive from those subsidiaries. Based on the nature and extent of the operations of these subsidiaries, we do not expect the amount of Canadian income and withholding tax to be significant in relation to our earnings.

Each prospective shareholder 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 Canada, of its investment in us. Further, it is the responsibility of each shareholder to file all state, local and non-U.S., as well as U.S. federal tax returns that may be required of it.

ENFORCEABILITY OF CIVIL LIABILITIES

We are a Marshall Islands corporation, and our principal executive offices are located outside of the United States in Hong Kong. A majority of our directors and officers and some of the experts named in this prospectus reside outside of the United States. In addition, a substantial portion of our assets and the assets of our directors, officers and experts are located outside of the United States. As a result, you may have difficulty serving legal process within the United States upon us or any of these persons. You may also have difficulty enforcing, both in and outside the United States, judgments you may obtain in U.S. courts against us or those persons in any action, including actions based upon the civil liability provisions of U.S. federal or state securities laws, and, with regard to the Marshall Islands, compliance with certain statutory provisions regarding enforcement of foreign judgments.

In addition, the courts of the Marshall Islands or Hong Kong may not (a) enter judgments in original actions brought in those courts predicated on U.S. federal or state securities laws or (b) recognize or enforce against us or any of our officers, directors or experts judgments of courts of the United States predicated on U.S. federal or state securities laws. Insofar as indemnification for liabilities arising under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”), may be permitted to directors, officers or persons controlling the registrant pursuant to the foregoing provisions, we have been informed that in the opinion of the SEC such indemnification is against public policy as expressed in the Securities Act and is therefore unenforceable.

PLAN OF DISTRIBUTION

Except to the extent the plan administrator purchases common shares in the open market or in privately negotiated transactions with third parties, the common shares acquired under the plan will be sold directly by us through the plan. We may sell our common shares to owners of shares (including brokers or dealers) who, in connection with any resales of such shares, may be deemed to be underwriters. These shares may be resold in market transactions (including coverage of short positions) on any national security exchange or automated quotation system on which our common shares are traded or quoted, or in privately negotiated transactions. Our common shares are currently listed on The New York Stock Exchange. Under certain circumstances, it is expected that the common shares available for issuance under the plan will be issued at a discount to the Market Price. The difference between the price owners who may be deemed to be underwriters pay us for our common shares acquired under the plan, after deduction of the applicable discount from the Market Price, and the price at which such shares are resold, may be deemed to constitute underwriting commissions received by these owners in connection with such transactions.

Certain of our major shareholders, directors or members of our management, supervisory or administrative bodies may participate in the plan.

Subject to the availability of common shares registered for issuance under the plan, there is no total maximum number of shares that can be issued pursuant to the reinvestment of dividends. From time to time, financial intermediaries may engage in positioning transactions in order to benefit from the discount from the Market Price acquired through the reinvestment of dividends under the plan.

Except with respect to sales of common shares relating to reinvested dividends, we will pay any and all brokerage commissions and related expenses incurred in connection with purchases of common shares under the plan. Upon your withdrawal from the plan by the sale of common shares held under the plan, you will receive the proceeds of such sale less a $15.00 service fee per transaction and a $0.10 per share brokerage commission to the plan administrator and any other applicable fees.

 

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Common shares may not be available under the plan in all states. This prospectus does not constitute an offer to sell, or a solicitation of an offer to buy, any common shares or other securities in any state or any other jurisdiction to any person to whom it is unlawful to make such offer in such jurisdiction.

DESCRIPTION OF THE COMMON SHARES

The following is a description of certain material terms of our common shares. For additional information about our authorized capital, including our common shares, we refer you to our articles of incorporation, which are incorporated by reference into this prospectus.

Number of Shares

Under our amended articles of incorporation, our authorized shares consist of 200,000,000 Class A common shares, par value $0.01 per share, 25,000,000 Class B common shares, par value $0.01 per share, 100 Class C common shares, par value $0.01 per share, and 150,000,000 shares of preferred shares, par value $0.01 per share. As of March 1, 2015, no Series A preferred shares, no Series B preferred shares, 13,665,531 Series C preferred shares, 5,105,000 Series D preferred shares, 5,400,000 Series E preferred shares, no Series R preferred shares, 97,696,880 Class A common shares, no Class B common shares and no Class C common shares were issued and outstanding.

Dividends

Declaration and payment of any dividends on our common shares are subject to the discretion of our board of directors. The time and amount of dividends will depend upon our financial condition, our operations, our cash requirements and availability, debt repayment obligations, capital expenditure needs, restrictions in our debt instruments, industry trends, the provisions of Marshall Islands law affecting the payment of distributions to shareholders and other factors. The Marshall Islands Business Corporations Act generally prohibits the payment of dividends other than from paid-in capital in excess of par value and our earnings or while we are insolvent or would be rendered insolvent on paying the dividend.

Voting

Our common shares each have one vote. A majority of the Class A common shares constitutes a quorum at meetings of the shareholders.

Anti-takeover Effects of Certain Provisions of Our Articles of Incorporation and Bylaws

Certain provisions of our articles of incorporation and bylaws, which are summarized in the following paragraphs, may have an anti-takeover effect and may delay, defer or prevent a tender offer or takeover attempt that a shareholder might consider in its best interest, including those attempts that might result in a premium over the market price for the shares held by shareholders.

Classified Board of Directors

Our articles of incorporation provide for a board of directors serving staggered, three-year terms. Approximately one-third of our board of directors is elected each year. This classified board provision could discourage a third party from making a tender offer for our common shares or attempting to obtain control of us. It could also delay shareholders who do not agree with the policies of the board of directors from removing a majority of the board of directors for two years.

Removal of Directors; Vacancies

Our articles of incorporation and bylaws provide that directors may be removed with cause upon the affirmative vote of holders of a majority of the common shares entitled to vote generally in the election of directors, voting together as a single class. In addition, our articles of incorporation and bylaws also provide that any vacancies on our board of directors and newly created directorships will be filled only by the affirmative vote of a majority of the remaining directors then in office, although less than a quorum.

 

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No Cumulative Voting

The BCA provides that shareholders are not entitled to the right to cumulate votes in the election of directors unless our articles of incorporation provides otherwise. Our articles of incorporation prohibit cumulative voting.

Calling of Special Meetings of Shareholders

Our bylaws provide that special meetings of our shareholders may be called only by the chairman of our board of directors, by resolution of our board of directors or, if applicable, by the longest serving co-chairman of our board of directors.

Advance Notice Requirements for Shareholder Proposals and Director Nominations

Our bylaws provide that shareholders seeking to nominate candidates for election as directors or to bring business before an annual meeting of shareholders must provide timely notice of their proposal in writing to the corporate secretary.

To be timely, notice of a shareholder’s proposal, other than in respect of a director nomination, must be received at our principal executive offices not less than 90 days nor more than 120 days prior to the first anniversary date of the date on which we first mailed our proxy materials for the previous year’s annual meeting. A shareholder’s notice in respect of a director nomination must be received not less than 90 days nor more than 120 days prior to the anniversary date of the immediately preceding annual meeting.

Our bylaws also specify requirements as to the form and content of a shareholder’s notice. These provisions may impede shareholders’ ability to bring matters before an annual meeting of shareholders or make nominations for directors at an annual meeting of shareholders.

Amendments to Our Bylaws

Our articles of incorporation and bylaws grant our board of directors the authority to amend and repeal our bylaws without a shareholder vote in any manner not inconsistent with the laws of the Republic of the Marshall Islands and our articles of incorporation. Shareholders may amend our bylaws by a vote of not less than 80% of the shares entitled to vote.

Business Combinations

Our articles of incorporation contain provisions that prohibit us from engaging in a business combination with an interested shareholder for a period of three years following the date of the transaction in which the person became an interested shareholder, unless, in addition to any other approval that may be required by applicable law:

 

    prior to the date of the transaction that resulted in the shareholder becoming an interested shareholder, our board of directors approved either the business combination or the transaction that resulted in the shareholder becoming an interested shareholder;

 

    upon consummation of the transaction that resulted in the shareholder becoming an interested shareholder, the interested shareholder owned at least 85% of our voting shares outstanding at the time the transaction commenced, excluding for purposes of determining the number of shares outstanding those shares owned (a) by persons who are directors and officers and (b) employee stock plans in which employee participants do not have the right to determine confidentially whether shares held subject to the plan will be tendered in a tender or exchange offer;

 

    after the date of the transaction that resulted in the shareholder becoming an interested shareholder, the business combination is approved by our board of directors and authorized at an annual or special meeting of shareholders, and not by written consent, by the affirmative vote of at least 66 2/3% of our outstanding voting shares that are not owned by the interested shareholder;

 

    the shareholder became an interested shareholder prior to the completion of our initial public offering; or

 

    the interested shareholder is Gerry Wang, Graham Porter, Dennis Washington, Kyle Washington or any of their affiliates, or any person that purchases shares from any of those individuals or any of their affiliates, provided, the person that purchased such shares does not own more than 1% of our outstanding shares at the time of such acquisition or acquire more than an additional 1% of our outstanding shares other than from those individuals or any of their affiliates.

 

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Generally, a “business combination” includes any merger or consolidation of us or any direct or indirect majority-owned subsidiary of ours with (a) the interested shareholder or any of its affiliates or (b) with any corporation, partnership, unincorporated association or other entity if the merger or consolidation is caused by the interested shareholder. Generally, an “interested shareholder” is any person or entity that (a) owns 15% or more of our outstanding voting shares, (b) is an affiliate or associate of us and was the owner of 15% or more of our outstanding voting shares at any time within the three-year period immediately prior to the date on which it is sought to be determined whether such person is an interested shareholder or (c) the affiliates and associates of any person listed in (a) or (b), except that any person who owns 15% or more of our outstanding voting shares, as a result of action taken solely by us shall not be an interested shareholder unless such person acquires additional voting shares, except as a result of further action by us, not caused, directly or indirectly, by such person.

Dissenters’ Rights of Appraisal and Payment

Under the BCA, our shareholders have the right to dissent from various corporate actions, including any merger or consolidation or sale of all or substantially all of our assets not made in the usual course of our business, and receive payment of the fair value of their shares. In the event of any further amendment of our articles of incorporation, a shareholder also has the right to dissent and receive payment for his or her shares if the amendment alters certain rights in respect of those shares. The dissenting shareholder must follow the procedures set forth in the BCA to receive payment. In the event that we and any dissenting shareholder fail to agree on a price for the shares, the BCA procedures involve, among other things, the institution of proceedings in the high court of the Republic of the Marshall Islands or in any appropriate court in any jurisdiction in which our common shares are primarily traded on a local or national securities exchange.

Shareholders’ Derivative Actions

Under the BCA, any of our shareholders may bring an action in our name to procure a judgment in our favor, also known as a derivative action, provided that the shareholder bringing the action is a holder of common shares both at the time the derivative action is commenced and at the time of the transaction to which the action relates.

Limitations on Liability and Indemnification of Officers and Directors

The BCA authorizes corporations to limit or eliminate the personal liability of directors and officers to corporations and their shareholders for monetary damages for breaches of directors’ fiduciary duties. Our articles of incorporation include a provision that eliminates the personal liability of directors or officers for monetary damages for actions taken as a director or officer to the fullest extent permitted by law.

Our articles of incorporation provide that we must indemnify our directors and officers to the fullest extent authorized by law. We are also expressly authorized to advance certain expenses (including attorneys’ fees and disbursements and court costs) to our directors and offices and carry directors’ and officers’ insurance providing indemnification for our directors, officers and certain employees for some liabilities. We believe that these indemnification provisions and insurance are useful to attract and retain qualified directors and executive officers.

The limitation of liability and indemnification provisions in our articles of incorporation may discourage shareholders from bringing a lawsuit against directors for breach of their fiduciary duty. These provisions may also have the effect of reducing the likelihood of derivative litigation against directors and officers, even though such an action, if successful, might otherwise benefit us and our shareholders. In addition, your investment may be adversely affected to the extent we pay the costs of settlement and damage awards against directors and officers pursuant to these indemnification provisions.

 

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Shareholder Rights Plan

Pursuant to a rights agreement between us and American Stock Transfer & Trust Company, LLC, as rights agent, our board of directors declared a dividend of one common share purchase right, or a right, that, upon the occurrence of certain events, will become exercisable and entitle the holder (other than any person or group that attempts to acquire us without the approval of our board of directors) to purchase from us common shares with a value equal to twice the exercise price of the right. Until a right is exercised, the holder of a right will have no rights to vote or receive dividends or any other shareholder rights.

The rights may have anti-takeover effects. The rights will cause substantial dilution to any person or group that attempts to acquire us without the approval of our board of directors. As a result, the overall effect of the rights may be to render more difficult or discourage any attempt to acquire us. Because our board of directors can approve a redemption of the rights or a permitted offer, the rights should not interfere with a merger or other business combination approved by our board of directors.

For additional information about the rights, we refer you to our amended and restated rights agreement and amendment no. 1 and amendment no. 2 to such agreement, copies of which have been filed as exhibits to our Form 8-A/A on January 30, 2012 and December 27, 2012, respectively, and incorporated by reference into this prospectus.

Exchange Listing

Our common shares are listed on The New York Stock Exchange, where they trade under the symbol “SSW.”

Transfer Agent and Registrar

American Stock Transfer and Trust Company, LLC serves as registrar and transfer agent for our common shares.

PRICE RANGE OF THE COMMON SHARES AND DIVIDENDS

The following table sets forth, for the periods indicated, the high and low sales price per common share, as reported on The New York Stock Exchange, and the amount of quarterly cash dividends declared per share. The closing sales price of our common shares on The New York Stock Exchange on March 10, 2015 was $18.21 per share.

 

     Price Ranges      Quarterly Cash
Dividends(1)
 
     High      Low     

Years Ended

        

December 31, 2014

   $ 24.36       $ 16.81      

December 31, 2013

   $ 25.10       $ 16.46      

December 31, 2012

   $ 19.98       $ 13.50      

December 31, 2011

   $ 21.33       $ 10.21      

December 31, 2010

   $ 15.05       $ 9.27      

Quarters Ended

        

March 31, 2015(2)

   $ 19.10       $ 17.04      

December 31, 2014

   $ 21.44       $ 16.81       $ 0.3450   

September 30, 2014

   $ 24.36       $ 21.45       $ 0.3450   

June 30, 2014

   $ 24.08       $ 21.10       $ 0.3450   

March 31, 2014

   $ 23.69       $ 21.32       $ 0.3450   

December 31, 2013

   $ 25.10       $ 19.45       $ 0.3125   

September 30, 2013

   $ 24.66       $ 19.90       $ 0.3125   

June 30, 2013

   $ 23.52       $ 19.75       $ 0.3125   

March 31, 2013

   $ 20.95       $ 16.46       $ 0.3125   

Months Ended

        

March 31, 2015(2)

   $ 19.10       $ 18.17      

February 28, 2015

   $ 18.86       $ 17.65      

 

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     Price Ranges      Quarterly Cash
Dividends(1)
     High      Low     

January 31, 2015

   $  18.49       $  17.04      

December 31, 2014

   $ 20.01       $ 17.76      

November 30, 2014

   $ 20.88       $ 19.54      

October 31, 2014

   $ 21.44       $ 16.81      

September 30, 2014

   $ 23.34       $ 21.45      

August 31, 2014

   $ 23.45       $ 21.97      

 

(1) Dividends are shown for the quarter with respect to which they were declared.
(2) Period ending March 10, 2015.

LEGAL MATTERS

The validity of the common shares and certain other legal matters with respect to the laws of the Republic of the Marshall Islands will be passed upon for us by Dennis J. Reeder, Reeder & Simpson, P.C. Certain other legal matters will be passed upon for us by Perkins Coie LLP, Portland, Oregon and by Blake, Cassels & Graydon LLP, Vancouver, British Columbia. Perkins Coie LLP and Blake, Cassels & Graydon LLP may rely on the opinions of Dennis J. Reeder, Reeder & Simpson, P.C. for all matters of Marshall Islands law.

EXPERTS

The consolidated financial statements of Seaspan Corporation as of December 31, 2014 and 2013, and for each of the years in the three-year period ended December 31, 2014, and management’s assessment of the effectiveness of internal control over financial reporting as of December 31, 2014, have been incorporated by reference herein in reliance upon the reports of KPMG LLP, independent registered public accounting firm, incorporated by reference herein, and upon the authority of such firm as experts in accounting and auditing.

EXPENSES

The following table sets forth costs and expenses we expect to incur in connection with the issuance and distribution of the securities covered by this prospectus. All amounts are estimated except the SEC registration fee.

 

U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission registration fee

   $  10,835.65   

Legal fees and expenses

     35,000.00   

Accounting fees and expenses

     5,000.00   

Plan administrator fees

     5,000.00 (1) 

Miscellaneous

     4,164.35   
  

 

 

 

Total

$ 60,000.00   

 

(1) One-time fee paid at the time the plan was initially adopted.

 

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PART II

INFORMATION NOT REQUIRED IN PROSPECTUS

 

ITEM 8. Indemnification of Directors and Officers

Seaspan Corporation’s articles of incorporation provide that it must indemnify its directors and officers to the fullest extent authorized by law against expenses, judgments, fines and amounts paid in settlement. Seaspan Corporation is also expressly authorized to advance certain expenses (including attorneys’ fees and disbursements and court costs) to its directors and offices and carry directors’ and officers’ insurance providing indemnification for our directors, officers and certain employees for some liabilities.

 

ITEM 9. Exhibits and Financial Statement Schedules

(a) Exhibits

 

Exhibit

Number

  

Description

  4.1

   Amended and Restated Articles of Incorporation of Seaspan Corporation (incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 3.1 to Seaspan Corporation’s Amendment No. 2 to Form F-1 (File No. 333-126762), filed with the SEC on August 4, 2005)

  4.2

   Articles of Amendment to the Amended and Restated Articles of Incorporation of Seaspan Corporation (incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 3.2 to Seaspan Corporation’s Form 8-A12B (File No. 1-32591), filed with the SEC on February 13, 2014)

  4.3

   Amended and Restated Bylaws of Seaspan Corporation (incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 1.2 to Seaspan Corporation’s Form 20-F (File No. 333-32591), filed with the SEC on March 23, 2012)

  4.4

   Specimen of Share Certificate of Seaspan Corporation (incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 4.1 to Seaspan Corporation’s Registration Statement on Form F-1 (File No. 333-126762), filed with the SEC on July 21, 2005)

  5.1

   Opinion of Reeder & Simpson, P.C., relating to the legality of the securities being registered

  8.1

   Opinion of Perkins Coie LLP, relating to tax matters

  8.2

   Opinion of Reeder & Simpson, P.C., relating to tax matters

  8.3

   Opinion of Blake, Cassels & Graydon LLP, relating to tax matters

23.1

   Consent of KPMG LLP

23.2

   Consent of Reeder & Simpson, P.C. (contained in Exhibit 5.1)

23.3

   Consent of Perkins Coie LLP (contained in Exhibit 8.1)

23.4

   Consent of Blake, Cassels & Graydon LLP (contained in Exhibit 8.3)

24.1

   Power of Attorney (included on signature pages)

(b) Financial Statement Schedules.

All supplemental schedules are omitted because of the absence of conditions under which they are required or because the information is shown in the financial statements or notes thereto.

(c) Reports, Opinions, and Appraisals

The following reports, opinions, and appraisals are included herein: None.

 

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ITEM 10. Undertakings

The Registrant hereby undertakes:

 

  1. To file, during any period in which offers or sales are being made, a post-effective amendment to this registration statement:

 

  a. to include any prospectus required by section 10(a)(3) of the Securities Act of 1933;

 

  b. to reflect in the prospectus any facts or events arising after the effective date of the registration statement (or the most recent post-effective amendment thereof) which, individually or in the aggregate, represent a fundamental change in the information set forth in the registration statement. Notwithstanding the foregoing, any increase or decrease in volume of securities offered (if the total dollar value of securities offered would not exceed that which was registered) and any deviation from the low or high end of the estimated maximum offering range may be reflected in the form of prospectus filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b) if, in the aggregate, the changes in volume and price represent no more than a 20% change in the maximum aggregate offering price set forth in the “Calculation of Registration Fee” table in the effective registration statement;

 

  c. to include any material information with respect to the plan of distribution not previously disclosed in the registration statement or any material change to such information in the registration statement;

provided, however, that paragraphs 1(a), 1(b) and 1(c) of this section do not apply if the information required to be included in a post-effective amendment by those paragraphs is contained in reports filed with or furnished to the SEC by the Registrant pursuant to section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 that are incorporated by reference in the registration statement, or is contained in a form of prospectus filed pursuant to Rule 424(b) that is part of the registration statement.

 

  2. That, for the purpose of determining any liability under the Securities Act of 1933, each such post-effective amendment shall be deemed to be a new registration statement relating to the securities offered therein, and the offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona fide offering thereof.

 

  3. To remove from registration by means of a post-effective amendment any of the securities being registered which remain unsold at the termination of the offering.

 

  4. To file a post-effective amendment to the registration statement to include any financial statements required by Item 8.A. of Form 20-F at the start of any delayed offering or throughout a continuous offering. Financial statements and information otherwise required by section 10(a)(3) of the Securities Act of 1933 need not be furnished, provided that the registrant includes in the prospectus, by means of a post-effective amendment, financial statements required pursuant to this paragraph 4 and other information necessary to ensure that all other information in the prospectus is at least as current as the date of those financial statements. Notwithstanding the foregoing, with respect to registration statements on Form F-3, a post-effective amendment need not be filed to include financial statements and information required by section 10(a)(3) of the Securities Act of 1933 or section 210.3-19 of this chapter if such financial statements and information are contained in periodic reports filed with or furnished to the SEC by the registrant pursuant to section 13 or section 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 that are incorporated by reference in the Form F-3.

 

  5. That, for the purpose of determining liability under the Securities Act of 1933 to any purchaser:

 

  a. each prospectus filed by the registrant pursuant to Rule 424(b)(3) shall be deemed to be part of the registration statement as of the date the filed prospectus was deemed part of and included in the registration statement; and

 

  b.

each prospectus required to be filed pursuant to Rule 424(b)(2), (b)(5), or (b)(7) as part of a registration statement in reliance on Rule 430B relating to an offering made pursuant to Rule 415(a)(1)(i), (vii) or (x) for the purpose of providing the information required by section 10(a) of the Securities Act of 1933 shall be deemed to be part of and included in the registration statement as of the earlier of the date such form of prospectus is first used after effectiveness or the date of the first contract of sale of securities in the offering described in the

 

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  prospectus. As provided in Rule 430B, for liability purposes of the issuer and any person that is at that date an underwriter, such date shall be deemed to be a new effective date of the registration statement relating to the securities in the registration statement to which that prospectus relates, and the offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona fide offering thereof. Provided, however, that no statement made in a registration statement or prospectus that is part of the registration statement or made in a document incorporated or deemed incorporated by reference into the registration statement or prospectus that is part of the registration statement will, as to a purchaser with a time of contract of sale prior to such effective date, supersede or modify any statement that was made in the registration statement or prospectus that was part of the registration statement or made in any such document immediately prior to such effective date.

 

  6. That, for the purpose of determining liability of the registrant under the Securities Act of 1933 to any purchaser in the initial distribution of the securities, the undersigned registrant undertakes that in a primary offering of securities of the undersigned registrant pursuant to this registration statement, regardless of the underwriting method used to sell the securities to the purchaser, if the securities are offered or sold to such purchaser by means of any of the following communications, the undersigned registrant will be a seller to the purchaser and will be considered to offer or sell such securities to such purchaser:

 

  a. any preliminary prospectus or prospectus of the Registrant relating to the offering required to be filed pursuant to Rule 424;

 

  b. any free writing prospectus relating to the offering prepared by or on behalf of the Registrant or used or referred to by the Registrant;

 

  c. the portion of any other free writing prospectus relating to the offering containing material information about the Registrant or its securities provided by or on behalf of the Registrant; and

 

  d. any other communication that is an offer in the offering made by the Registrant to the purchaser.

The Registrant hereby undertakes that, for purposes of determining any liability under the Securities Act of 1933, each filing of the Registrant’s annual report pursuant to section 13(a) or section 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act that is incorporated by reference in the registration statement shall be deemed to be a new registration statement relating to the securities offered therein, and the offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona fide offering thereof.

Insofar as indemnification for liabilities arising under the Securities Act of 1933 may be permitted to directors, officers and controlling persons of the Registrant pursuant to the foregoing provisions, or otherwise, the Registrant has been advised that in the opinion of the Securities and Exchange Commission such indemnification is against public policy as expressed in the Securities Act of 1933 and is, therefore, unenforceable. In the event that a claim for indemnification against such liabilities (other than the payment by the Registrant of expenses incurred or paid by a director, officer or controlling person of the registrant in the successful defense of any action, suit or proceeding) is asserted by such director, officer or controlling person in connection with the securities being registered, the Registrant will, unless in the opinion of its counsel the matter has been settled by controlling precedent, submit to a court of appropriate jurisdiction the question whether such indemnification by it is against public policy as expressed in the Securities Act of 1933 and will be governed by the final adjudication of such issue.

 

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SIGNATURES

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, the undersigned registrant certifies that it has reasonable grounds to believe that it meets all of the requirements for filing on Form F-3 and has duly caused this Registration Statement to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized, in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, on March 12, 2015.

 

SEASPAN CORPORATION
By:  

/s/ SAI W. CHU

Name:   Sai W. Chu
Title:  

Chief Financial Officer

(Principal Financial and Accounting Officer)

 

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POWER OF ATTORNEY

Each person whose signature appears below appoints Gerry Wang and Sai W. Chu, and each of them, any of whom may act without the joinder of the other, as his true and lawful attorneys-in-fact and agents, with full power of substitution and re-substitution, for him and in his name, place and stead, in any and all capacities, to sign any and all amendments (including post-effective amendments) to this Registration Statement under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and to file the same, with all exhibits thereto, and all other documents in connection therewith, with the Securities and Exchange Commission, granting unto said attorneys-in-fact and agents, and each of them, full power and authority to do and perform each and every act and thing requisite and necessary to be done, as fully to all intents and purposes as he might or would do in person, hereby ratifying and confirming all that said attorneys-in-fact and agents or any of them or their or his substitute and substitutes, may lawfully do or cause to be done by virtue hereof.

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, this Registration Statement has been signed by the following persons in the capacities indicated on March 12, 2015.

 

Signature

  

Title

/s/ KYLE R. WASHINGTON

Kyle R. Washington

   Co-Chairman of the Board of Directors

/s/ GERRY WANG

Gerry Wang

   Co-Chairman of the Board of Directors and Chief Executive Officer (Principal Executive Officer)

/s/ SAI W. CHU

Sai W. Chu

  

Chief Financial Officer

(Principal Financial and Accounting Officer)

/s/ JOHN C. HSU

John C. Hsu

   Director

/s/ GEORGE H. JUETTEN

George H. Juetten

   Director

/s/ HARALD H. LUDWIG

Harald H. Ludwig

   Director

/s/ DAVID LYALL

David Lyall

   Director

/s/ NICHOLAS A. PITTS-TUCKER

Nicholas A. Pitts-Tucker

   Director

/s/ GRAHAM PORTER

Graham Porter

   Director

/s/ PETER S. SHAERF

Peter S. Shaerf

   Director

 

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AUTHORIZED REPRESENTATIVE

Pursuant to the requirement of the Securities Act of 1933, the undersigned, the duly undersigned representative in the United States of the Registrant, has signed this Registration Statement in the City of Newark, State of Delaware, on March 12, 2015.

 

PUGLISI & ASSOCIATES
By:  

/s/ DONALD J. PUGLISI

Name:   Donald J. Puglisi
  Authorized Representative in the United States

 

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INDEX TO EXHIBITS

 

Exhibit

Number

  

Description

  4.1    Amended and Restated Articles of Incorporation of Seaspan Corporation (incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 3.1 to Seaspan Corporation’s Amendment No. 2 to Form F-1 (File No. 333-126762), filed with the SEC on August 4, 2005)
  4.2    Articles of Amendment to the Amended and Restated Articles of Incorporation of Seaspan Corporation (incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 3.2 to Seaspan Corporation’s Form 8-A12B (File No. 1-32591), filed with the SEC on February 13, 2014)
  4.3    Amended and Restated Bylaws of Seaspan Corporation (incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 1.2 to Seaspan Corporation’s Form 20-F (File No. 333-32591), filed with the SEC on March 23, 2012)
  4.4    Specimen of Share Certificate of Seaspan Corporation (incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 4.1 to Seaspan Corporation’s Registration Statement on Form F-1 (File No. 333-126762), filed with the SEC on July 21, 2005)
  5.1    Opinion of Reeder & Simpson, P.C., relating to the legality of the securities being registered
  8.1    Opinion of Perkins Coie LLP, relating to tax matters
  8.2    Opinion of Reeder & Simpson, P.C., relating to tax matters
  8.3    Opinion of Blake, Cassels & Graydon LLP, relating to tax matters
23.1    Consent of KPMG LLP
23.2    Consent of Reeder & Simpson, P.C. (contained in Exhibit 5.1)
23.3    Consent of Perkins Coie LLP (contained in Exhibit 8.1)
23.4    Consent of Blake, Cassels & Graydon LLP (contained in Exhibit 8.3)
24.1    Power of Attorney (included on signature pages)

 

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