Shares Baltic Trading Limited Shares of Common Stock, Par Value $0.01 Per Share

EX-1.1 2 a2196876zex-1_1.htm EXHIBIT 1.1

Exhibit 1.1

Shares

Baltic Trading Limited

Shares of Common Stock, Par Value $0.01 Per Share

UNDERWRITING AGREEMENT

, 2010

, 2010

Morgan Stanley & Co. Incorporated

Dahlman Rose & Company, LLC

Jefferies & Company, Inc.

Lazard Capital Markets LLC

DnB NOR Markets, Inc.

c/o Morgan Stanley & Co. Incorporated

1585 Broadway

New York, New York 10036

and

c/o Dahlman Rose & Company, LLC

142 West 57th Street

New York, New York 10019

Ladies and Gentlemen:

Baltic Trading Limited, a Marshall Islands corporation (the “Company”), proposes to issue and sell to the several Underwriters named in Schedule I hereto (the “Underwriters”) for whom Morgan Stanley & Co. Incorporated and Dahlman Rose & Company, LLC (the “Representatives”) are acting as representatives shares of its Common Stock, par value $0.01 per share (the “Firm Shares”). The Company also proposes to issue and sell to the several Underwriters not more than an additional shares of its Common Stock, par value $0.01 per share (the “Additional Shares”) if and to the extent that you shall have determined to exercise, on behalf of the Underwriters, the right to purchase such shares of Common Stock granted to the Underwriters in Section 2 hereof. The Firm Shares and the Additional Shares are hereinafter collectively referred to as the “Shares.” The shares of Common Stock, par value $0.01 per share of the Company to be outstanding after giving effect to the sales contemplated hereby are hereinafter referred to as the “Common Stock.”

The Company has filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “Commission”) a registration statement on Form S-1 (File No. 333-162456), including a prospectus, relating to the Shares. The registration statement as amended at the time it becomes effective, including the information (if any) deemed to be part of the registration statement at the time of effectiveness pursuant to Rule 430A under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”), is hereinafter referred to as the “Registration Statement”; the prospectus in the form first used to confirm sales of Shares (or in the form first made available to the Underwriters by the Company to meet requests of purchasers pursuant to Rule 173 under the Securities Act) is hereinafter referred to as the “Prospectus.” If the Company has filed an abbreviated registration statement to register additional shares of Common Stock pursuant to Rule 462(b) under the Securities Act (the “Rule 462 Registration Statement”), then any reference herein to the term “Registration Statement” shall be deemed to include such Rule 462 Registration Statement.

In addition, for purposes of this Agreement, “free writing prospectus” has the meaning set forth in Rule 405 under the Securities Act, “Time of Sale Prospectus” means the preliminary prospectus identified in Schedule II hereto and “broadly available road show” means a “bona fide electronic road show” as defined in Rule 433(h)(5) under the Securities Act that has been made available without restriction to any person.

For purposes of this Agreement, “Class B Shares” means the shares of Class B Common Stock, par value $0.01 per share, of the Company to be issued and sold to Genco Investments

LLC (“Genco Investments”), a subsidiary of Genco Shipping & Trading Limited (the “Manager”), prior to the Closing Date (as defined in Section 4).

1. Representations and Warranties. The Company represents and warrants to and agrees with each of the Underwriters that:

(a) The Registration Statement has become effective; no stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement is in effect, and no proceedings for such purpose are pending before or threatened by the Commission.

(b) (i) The Registration Statement, when it became effective, did not contain and, as amended or supplemented, if applicable, will not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading, (ii) the Registration Statement and the Prospectus comply and, as amended or supplemented, if applicable, will comply in all material respects with the Securities Act and the applicable rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder, (iii) the Time of Sale Prospectus does not, and at the time of each sale of the Shares in connection with the offering when the Prospectus is not yet available to prospective purchasers and at the Closing Date (as defined in Section 4), the Time of Sale Prospectus, as then amended or supplemented by the Company, if applicable, will not, contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading, (iv) each broadly available road show, if any, when considered together with the Time of Sale Prospectus, does not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading and (v) the Prospectus does not contain and, as amended or supplemented, if applicable, will not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading, except that the representations and warranties set forth in this paragraph do not apply to statements or omissions in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Prospectus or the Prospectus based upon information relating to any Underwriter furnished to the Company in writing by such Underwriter through you expressly for use therein.

(c) The Company is not an “ineligible issuer” in connection with the offering pursuant to Rules 164, 405 and 433 under the Securities Act. Any free writing prospectus that the Company is required to file pursuant to Rule 433(d) under the Securities Act has been, or will be, filed with the Commission in accordance with the requirements of the Securities Act and the applicable rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder. Each free writing prospectus that the Company has filed, or is required to file, pursuant to Rule 433(d) under the Securities Act or that was prepared by or behalf of or used or referred to by the Company complies or will comply in all material respects with the requirements of the Securities Act and the applicable rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder. Except for the free writing prospectuses, if any, identified in Schedule II hereto, and electronic road shows, if any, each furnished to the Representatives before first use, the Company has not prepared, used or referred to, and will not, without the Representatives’ prior consent, prepare, use or refer to, any free writing prospectus.

(d) The Company has been duly incorporated, is validly existing as a corporation in good standing under the laws of the jurisdiction of its incorporation, has the corporate power and authority to own its property and to conduct its business as described in the Time of Sale Prospectus and is duly qualified to transact business and is in good standing in each jurisdiction in which the conduct of its business or its ownership or leasing of property requires such qualification, except to the extent that the

failure to be so qualified or be in good standing would not have a material adverse effect in the condition, financial or otherwise, or in the earnings, business, operations or prospects, whether or not arising from transactions in the ordinary course of business, on the Company and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole (a “Material Adverse Effect”).

(e) Each subsidiary of the Company, if any, has been duly incorporated, is validly existing as a corporation in good standing under the laws of the jurisdiction of its incorporation, has the corporate power and authority to own its property and to conduct its business as described in the Time of Sale Prospectus and is duly qualified to transact business and is in good standing in each jurisdiction in which the conduct of its business or its ownership or leasing of property requires such qualification, except to the extent that the failure to be so qualified or be in good standing would not have a Material Adverse Effect; all of the issued shares of capital stock of each subsidiary of the Company, if any, have been duly and validly authorized and issued, are fully paid and non-assessable and are owned directly by the Company, free and clear of all liens, encumbrances, equities or claims.

(f) No subsidiary of the Company, if any, is currently prohibited, directly or indirectly, from paying any cash dividends to the Company, from making any other distribution on such subsidiary’s capital stock, from repaying to the Company any loans or advances to such subsidiary from the Company or from transferring any of such subsidiary’s property or assets to the Company or any other subsidiary of the Company, except as described in the Time of Sale Prospectus.

(g) This Agreement has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by the Company.

(h) The authorized capital stock of the Company conforms as to legal matters to the description thereof contained in each of the Time of Sale Prospectus and the Prospectus.

(i) The Class B Shares outstanding prior to the issuance of the Shares have been duly authorized and will be validly issued, fully paid and non-assessable and not subject to any preemptive or similar rights.

(j) The Shares have been duly authorized and, when issued and delivered in accordance with the terms of this Agreement, will be validly issued, fully paid and non-assessable, and the issuance of such Shares will not be subject to any preemptive or similar rights.

(k) There are no restrictions on subsequent transfers of the Shares under the laws of the Marshall Islands.

(l) The execution and delivery by the Company of, and the performance by the Company of its obligations under, this Agreement will not contravene any provision of applicable law or the certificate of incorporation or by-laws of the Company or any agreement or other instrument binding upon the Company or any of its subsidiaries that is material to the Company and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole, or any judgment, order or decree of any governmental body, agency or court having jurisdiction over the Company or any subsidiary, and no consent, approval, authorization or order of, or qualification with, any governmental body or agency is required for the performance by the Company of its obligations under this Agreement, except such as may be required by the securities or Blue Sky laws of the various states in connection with the offer and sale of the Shares.

(m) There has not occurred any material adverse change, or any development involving a prospective material adverse change, in the condition, financial or otherwise, or in the earnings, business or operations of the Company and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole, from that set forth in the Time of Sale Prospectus.

(n) There are no legal or governmental proceedings pending or threatened to which the Company or any of its subsidiaries, if any, is a party or to which any of the properties of the Company or any of its subsidiaries, if any, is subject (i) other than proceedings accurately described in all material respects in the Time of Sale Prospectus and proceedings that would not have a Material Adverse Effect, or on the power or ability of the Company to perform its obligations under this Agreement or to consummate the transactions contemplated by the Time of Sale Prospectus or (ii) that are required to be described in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus and are not so described; and there are no statutes, regulations, contracts or other documents that are required to be described in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus or to be filed as exhibits to the Registration Statement that are not described or filed as required.

(o) The execution, delivery and performance of this Agreement, and the issuance and sale of the Shares will not result in a breach or violation of any of the terms and provisions of, or constitute a default or a Debt Repayment Triggering Event (as defined below) under, or result in the imposition of any lien, charge or encumbrance upon any property or assets of the Company or any of its subsidiaries or the Manager pursuant to (i) the charter or by-laws of the Company and any of its subsidiaries or the Manager, (ii) any statute, rule, regulation or order of any governmental agency or body or any court, domestic or foreign, having jurisdiction over the Company and any of its subsidiaries or the Manager or any of their properties, or (iii) any agreement or instrument to which the Company or any of its subsidiaries or the Manager is a party or by which the Company or any of its subsidiaries or the Manager is bound or to which any of the properties of the Company or any of its subsidiaries or the Manager is subject, except for such breach, violation or default which would not result in a Material Adverse Effect or a material adverse effect in the condition, financial or otherwise, or in the earnings, business, operations or prospects, whether or not arising from transactions in the ordinary course of business, on the Manager and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole (a “Manager Material Adverse Effect”), as the case may be; a “Debt Repayment Triggering Event” means any event or condition that gives, or with the giving of notice or lapse of time would give, the holder of any note, debenture, or other evidence of indebtedness (or any person acting on such holder’s behalf) the right to require the repurchase, redemption or repayment of all or a portion of such indebtedness by the Company or any of its subsidiaries or the Manager or any of its subsidiaries.

(p) Neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries is in (i) violation of its respective charter or by-laws or in (ii) default (or with the giving of notice or lapse of time would be in default) under any existing obligation, agreement, covenant or condition contained in any indenture, loan agreement, mortgage, lease or other agreement or instrument to which any of them is a party or by which any of them is bound or to which any of the properties of any of them is subject, except such violations or defaults that would not, individually or in the aggregate, result in a Material Adverse Effect.

(q) Each preliminary prospectus filed as part of the registration statement as originally filed or as part of any amendment thereto, or filed pursuant to Rule 424 under the Securities Act, complied when so filed in all material respects with the Securities Act and the applicable rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder.

(r) The Company is not, and after giving effect to the offering and sale of the Shares and the application of the proceeds thereof as described in the Prospectus will not be, required to register as an “investment company” as such term is defined in the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended.

(s) Except as disclosed in the Time of Sale Prospectus, (A)(i) neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries nor the Manager is in violation of, or has any liability under, any United States federal, state, local or non-U.S. statute, law, rule, regulation, ordinance, code, other requirement or rule of law (including common law), or decision or order of any domestic or foreign governmental agency, governmental body or court applicable to them, relating to pollution, to the use, handling, transportation, treatment, storage, discharge, disposal or release of Hazardous Substances, to the protection or restoration of the environment or natural resources (including biota), to health and safety including as such relates to exposure to Hazardous Substances, and to natural resource damages (collectively, “Environmental Laws”), (ii) neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries nor the Manager occupies, operates or uses any real property contaminated with Hazardous Substances, (iii) neither the Company, nor any of its subsidiaries nor the Manager is conducting or funding any investigation, remediation, remedial action or monitoring of actual or suspected Hazardous Substances in the environment, (iv) neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries nor the Manager is liable or allegedly liable for any release or threatened release of Hazardous Substances, including at any off-site treatment, storage or disposal site, (v) neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries nor the Manager is subject to any claim by any governmental agency or governmental body or person relating to Environmental Laws or Hazardous Substances, and (vi) the Company and its subsidiaries and the Manager have received and are in compliance with all, and have no liability under any, permits, licenses, authorizations, identification numbers or other approvals required under applicable Environmental Laws to conduct their respective businesses, except in each case covered by clauses (i) — (vi) such as would not individually or in the aggregate have a Material Adverse Effect; (B) to the Company’s knowledge there are no facts or circumstances that would reasonably be expected to result in a violation of, liability under, or claim pursuant to any Environmental Law that would have a Material Adverse Effect; and (C) to the Company’s knowledge there are no requirements proposed for adoption or implementation under any Environmental Law that would reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect. For purposes of this subsection “Hazardous Substances” means (x) petroleum and petroleum products, by-products or breakdown products, radioactive materials, asbestos-containing materials, polychlorinated biphenyls and mold, and (y) any other chemical, material or substance defined or regulated as toxic or hazardous or as a pollutant, contaminant or waste under Environmental Laws.

(t) The Company has not incurred any costs or liabilities associated with Environmental Laws (including, without limitation, any capital or operating expenditures required for clean-up, closure of properties or compliance with Environmental Laws or any permit, license or approval, any related constraints on operating activities and any potential liabilities to third parties) which would, individually or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect or a Manager Material Adverse Effect.

(u) The statements under the headings Management,” “Business—Environmental and Other Regulations,” “Description of Capital Stock,” “Material U.S. Federal Income Tax Considerations” insofar as such statements summarize legal matters, agreements, documents or proceedings discussed therein, are accurate and fair summaries of such legal matters, agreements, documents or proceedings and present the information required to be shown.

(v) Neither the Company nor, to the Company’s knowledge, any of its affiliates (within the meaning of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”)) has taken, directly or indirectly, any action which constitutes or is designed to cause or result in, or which would reasonably

be expected to constitute, cause or result in the stabilization or manipulation of the price of any security of the Company to facilitate the sale or resale of the Shares, or which is otherwise prohibited by Regulation M under the Exchange Act.

(w) Any third-party statistical and market-related data included in the Time of Sale Prospectus are based on or derived from sources that the Company believes to be reliable and accurate.

(x) Except as disclosed in the Time of Sale Prospectus, there are no contracts, agreements or understandings between the Company and any person that would give rise to a valid claim against the Company or any Underwriter for a brokerage commission, finder’s fee or other like payment in connection with this offering.

(y) Except as disclosed in the Time of Sale Prospectus, there are no contracts, agreements or understandings between the Company and any person granting such person the right to require the Company to file a registration statement under the Securities Act with respect to any securities of the Company or to require the Company to include such securities with the Shares registered pursuant to the Registration Statement.

(z) The Company has applied to list the Shares on the New York Stock Exchange.

(aa) Neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries or affiliates, nor any director, officer, or employee, nor the Manager, nor, to the Company’s knowledge, any agent or representative of the Company or of any of its subsidiaries or affiliates or the Manager, has taken or will take any action in furtherance of an offer, payment, promise to pay, or authorization or approval of the payment or giving of money, property, gifts or anything else of value, directly or indirectly, to any “government official” (including any officer or employee of a government or government-owned or controlled entity or of a public international organization, or any person acting in an official capacity for or on behalf of any of the foregoing, or any political party or party official or candidate for political office) to influence official action or secure an improper advantage; and the Company and its subsidiaries and affiliates and the Manager have conducted their businesses in compliance with applicable anti-corruption laws and have instituted and maintain and will continue to maintain policies and procedures designed to promote and achieve compliance with such laws and with the representation and warranty contained herein.

(bb) The operations of the Company and its subsidiaries and the Manager and its subsidiaries are and have been conducted at all times in material compliance with all applicable financial recordkeeping and reporting requirements, including those of the Bank Secrecy Act, as amended by Title III of the Uniting and Strengthening America by Providing Appropriate Tools Required to Intercept and Obstruct Terrorism Act of 2001 (USA PATRIOT Act), and the applicable anti-money laundering statutes of jurisdictions where the Company and its subsidiaries and the Manager conduct business, the rules and regulations thereunder and any related or similar rules, regulations or guidelines, issued, administered or enforced by any governmental agency (collectively, the “Anti-Money Laundering Laws”), and no action, suit or proceeding by or before any court or governmental agency, authority or body or any arbitrator involving the Company or any of its subsidiaries or the Manager with respect to the Anti-Money Laundering Laws is pending or, to the best knowledge of the Company, threatened.

(cc) (i) The Company represents that neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries nor the Manager (collectively, the “Entity”) or, to the knowledge of the Entity, any director, officer, employee, agent, affiliate or representative of the Entity, is an individual or entity (“Person”) that is, or is owned or controlled by a Person that is:

(A) the subject of any sanctions administered or enforced by the U.S. Department of Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (“OFAC”), the United Nations Security Council (“UNSC”), the European Union (“EU”), Her Majesty’s Treasury (“HMT”), or other relevant sanctions authority (collectively, “Sanctions”), nor

(B) located, organized or resident in a country or territory that is the subject of Sanctions (including, without limitation, Burma/Myanmar, Cuba, Iran, North Korea, Sudan and Syria).

(ii) The Entity represents and covenants that it will not, directly or indirectly, use the proceeds of the offering, or lend, contribute or otherwise make available such proceeds to any subsidiary, joint venture partner or other Person:

(A) to fund or facilitate any activities or business of or with any Person or in any country or territory that, at the time of such funding or facilitation, is the subject of Sanctions; or

(B) in any other manner that will result in a violation of Sanctions by any Person (including any Person participating in the offering, whether as underwriter, advisor, investor or otherwise).

(iii) The Entity represents and covenants that, for the past year, it has not knowingly engaged in, is not now knowingly engaged in, and will not engage in, any dealings or transactions with any Person, or in any country or territory, that at the time of the dealing or transaction is or was the subject of Sanctions.

(dd) Subsequent to the respective dates as of which information is given in each of the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Prospectus and the Prospectus, (i) the Company and its subsidiaries have not incurred any material liability or obligation, direct or contingent, nor entered into any material transaction; (ii) the Company has not purchased any of its outstanding capital stock, nor declared, paid or otherwise made any dividend or distribution of any kind on its capital stock other than ordinary and customary dividends; and (iii) there has not been any material change in the capital stock, short term debt or long term debt of the Company and its subsidiaries, except in each case as described in each of the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Prospectus and the Prospectus, respectively.

(ee) The Company and its subsidiaries have good and marketable title in fee simple to all real property and good and marketable title to all personal property owned by them which is material to the business of the Company and its subsidiaries, in each case free and clear of all liens, encumbrances and defects except such as are described in the Time of Sale Prospectus or such as do not materially affect the value of such property and do not interfere with the use made and proposed to be made of such property by the Company and its subsidiaries; and any real property and buildings held under lease by the Company and its subsidiaries are held by them under valid, subsisting and enforceable leases with such exceptions as are not material and do not interfere with the use made and proposed to be made of such property and buildings by the Company and its subsidiaries, in each case except as described in the Time of Sale Prospectus.

(ff) The Company and its subsidiaries own or possess, or can acquire on reasonable terms, all material patents, patent rights, licenses, inventions, copyrights, know-how (including trade secrets and other unpatented and/or unpatentable proprietary or confidential information, systems or procedures),

trademarks, service marks and trade names currently employed by them in connection with the business now operated by them, and neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries has received any notice of infringement of or conflict with asserted rights of others with respect to any of the foregoing which, singly or in the aggregate, if the subject of an unfavorable decision, ruling or finding, would have a Material Adverse Effect.

(gg) No material labor dispute with the employees of the Company or any of its subsidiaries exists, except as described in the Time of Sale Prospectus, or, to the knowledge of the Company, is imminent; and the Company is not aware of any existing, threatened or imminent labor disturbance by the employees of any of its principal suppliers, manufacturers or contractors that could have a Material Adverse Effect.

(hh) The Company and each of its subsidiaries will be insured by insurers of recognized financial responsibility against such losses and risks and in such amounts as are prudent and customary in the businesses in which they are engaged; neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries has been refused any insurance coverage sought or applied for; and neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries has any reason to believe that it will not be able to renew its existing insurance coverage as and when such coverage expires or to obtain similar coverage from similar insurers as may be necessary to continue its business at a cost that would not have a Material Adverse Effect, except as described in the Time of Sale Prospectus.

(ii) The Company and its subsidiaries will possess all certificates, authorizations and permits issued by the appropriate federal, state or foreign regulatory authorities necessary to conduct their respective businesses, and neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries has received any notice of proceedings relating to the revocation or modification of any such certificate, authorization or permit which, singly or in the aggregate, if the subject of an unfavorable decision, ruling or finding, would have a Material Adverse Effect, except as described in the Time of Sale Prospectus.

(jj) The Company and its subsidiaries own, possess or can acquire on reasonable terms, or have the right to use, adequate trademarks, trade names and other rights to inventions, know-how, patents, copyrights, confidential information and other intellectual property (collectively, “intellectual property rights”) necessary to conduct the business now operated by them, or presently employed by them, and neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries has received any notice of infringement of or conflict with asserted rights of others with respect to any intellectual property rights that, if determined adversely to the Company or any of its subsidiaries, would individually or in the aggregate have a Material Adverse Effect.

(kk) The Company and each of its subsidiaries and the Manager maintain a system of internal accounting controls sufficient to provide reasonable assurance that (i) transactions are executed in accordance with management’s general or specific authorizations; (ii) transactions are recorded as necessary to permit preparation of financial statements in conformity with generally accepted accounting principles and to maintain asset accountability; (iii) access to assets is permitted only in accordance with management’s general or specific authorization; and (iv) the recorded accountability for assets is compared with the existing assets at reasonable intervals and appropriate action is taken with respect to any differences. Except as described in the Time of Sale Prospectus, since December 31, 2009, there has been (i) no material weakness in the Company’s internal control over financial reporting (whether or not remediated) and (ii) no change in the Company’s internal control over financial reporting that has materially affected, or is reasonably likely to materially affect, the Company’s internal control over financial reporting (each an “Internal Control Event”).

(ll) Neither the Company’s independent auditors nor its internal auditors have recommended that the Board of Directors review or investigate, (i) adding to, deleting, changing the application of, or changing the Company’s disclosure with respect to, any of the Company’s material accounting policies; (ii) any matter which could result in a restatement of the Company’s audited balance sheet included in the Registration Statement; or (iii) any Internal Control Event.

(mm) The financial statements included in the Time of Sale Prospectus, together with the related notes thereto, present fairly in all material respects the financial position of the Company as of the date shown, and such financial statements have been prepared in conformity with the generally accepted accounting principles in the United States, applied on a consistent basis throughout the periods involved; and the schedules included in the Time of Sale Prospectus, if any, present fairly the information required to be stated therein. The selected financial data and the summary financial information included in the Time of Sale Prospectus present fairly the information shown therein and have been compiled on a basis consistent with that of the audited and unaudited financial statements included in the Time of Sale Prospectus.

(nn) The Company is not a “passive foreign investment company” (“PFIC”) as defined in Section 1297 of the United States Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, and, based on the Company’s current projected income, assets and activities, the Company does not expect to be classified as a PFIC for any taxable year subsequent to the date hereof.

(oo) Except as disclosed in the Time of Sale Prospectus, under current laws and regulations of the Marshall Islands and any political subdivision thereof, any amounts payable with respect to the Shares upon liquidation of the Company or upon redemption thereof and dividends and other distributions declared and payable on the Shares may be paid by the Company to the holder thereof in United States dollars that may be freely transferred out of the Marshall Islands and all such payments made to holders thereof or therein who are non-residents of the Marshall Islands will not be subject to income, withholding or other taxes under laws and regulations of the Marshall Islands or any political subdivision or taxing authority thereof or therein and will otherwise be free and clear of any other tax, duty, withholding or deduction in the Marshall Islands or any political subdivision or taxing authority thereof or therein and without the necessity of obtaining any governmental authorization in the Marshall Islands or any political subdivision or taxing authority thereof or therein.

(pp) The Company and its subsidiaries have filed all United States federal, state and local and non-U.S. tax returns that are required to be filed or have requested extensions thereof (except in any case in which the failure so to file would not, individually or in the aggregate, have a material adverse effect); except as set forth in the Time of Sale Prospectus, the Company and its subsidiaries have paid all taxes (including any assessments, fines or penalties that are currently owed and due) required to be paid by them and that are currently owed and due, except for any such taxes, assessments, fines or penalties currently being contested in good faith or as would not, individually or in the aggregate, have a material adverse effect; and no capital gains, income, withholding or other taxes or stamp or other issuance or transfer taxes or duties or similar fees or charges are payable by or on behalf of the Underwriters to the Marshall Islands or to any political subdivision or taxing authority thereof or therein in connection with the sale and delivery by the Company of the Shares or the Class B Shares to or for the respective accounts of the Underwriters or the sale and delivery by the Underwriters of the Shares to the initial purchasers thereof.

(qq) Neither the Company nor its subsidiaries, nor any of their properties or assets, has any immunity from the jurisdiction of any court or from any legal process (whether through service or notice,

attachment prior to judgment, attachment in aid of execution or otherwise) under the laws of the United States, the Marshall Islands or any political subdivisions thereof.

(rr) The minute books of the Company and each of its subsidiaries have been made available to the Underwriters and counsel for the Underwriters, and such books (A) contain a complete summary of all meetings and actions of the Board (including each board committee) and shareholders (or analogous governing bodies and interest holders, as applicable) of the Company and each of its subsidiaries since the time of its respective incorporation through the date of the latest meeting and action, and (B) accurately reflect in all material respects all transactions referred to in such minutes.

(ss) No forward-looking statement (within the meaning of Section 27A of the Act and Section 21E of the Exchange Act) contained in the Time of Sale Prospectus has been made or reaffirmed without a reasonable basis or has been disclosed other than in good faith.

(tt) The Company has taken all necessary actions to ensure that it is in compliance with all applicable corporate governance requirements of the New York Stock Exchange that are, or will be, applicable to the Company, except for such requirements that have been waived and disclosed in the Time of Sale Prospectus, and is actively taking steps to ensure that it will be in compliance with other applicable corporate governance requirements of the New York Stock Exchange not currently in effect upon and all times after the effectiveness of such requirements and when such provisions become applicable to the Company.

(uu) Neither the Company nor any of its affiliates directly, or indirectly through one or more intermediaries, controls, or is controlled by, or is under common control with, or is a person associated with (within the meaning of Article I (dd) of the By-laws of the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (the “FINRA”)), any member firm of the FINRA.

(vv) There are no business relationships or related-party transactions involving the Company or any other person required to be described in the Time of Sale Prospectus that have not been described as required.

(ww) There are no outstanding loans, advances (except normal advances for business expenses in the ordinary course of business) or guarantees or indebtedness by the Company, directly or indirectly, including through a subsidiary, to or for the benefit of any of the officers or directors of the Company, except as disclosed in the Time of Sale Prospectus.

(xx) Deloitte & Touche LLP, who have expressed their opinion with respect to the financial statements and related notes thereto filed with the Commission as a part of the Time of Sale Prospectus are independent registered public accountants with respect to the Company as required by the Act.

(yy) Neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries has any off-balance sheet arrangements.

(zz) Except as described in the Time of Sale Prospectus, the Company has not sold, issued or distributed any shares of Common Stock during the six-month period preceding the date hereof, including any sales pursuant to Rule 144A under, or Regulation D or S of, the Securities Act, other than shares issued pursuant to employee benefit plans, qualified stock option plans or other employee compensation plans or pursuant to outstanding options, rights or warrants.

(aaa) Each of the Memoranda of Agreement (the “MoAs” and each, an “MoA”) to purchase the vessels described in the Time of Sale Prospectus (the “Identified Vessels”) and filed as exhibits to the Registration Statement has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by the respective parties thereto, and is a valid and binding agreement of each such party enforceable against each such party in accordance with its terms, subject to applicable bankruptcy, insolvency, fraudulent transfer, reorganization, moratorium and similar laws relating to or affecting creditors’ rights generally and by general principles of equity (regardless of whether such enforceability is considered in proceeding in equity or at law). Any required consent in connection with the transactions contemplated by any MoA described in the Time of Sale Prospectus for each of the Identified Vessels and filed as an exhibit to the Registration Statement has been obtained. The Time of Sale Prospectus contains a summary of the terms of each MoA, which summaries are accurate and fair in all material respects.

(bbb) Identified Vessels. (i) Upon delivery to and acceptance by the Company, or a subsidiary of the Company, under the MoAs described in the Time of Sale Prospectus, each of the Identified Vessels specified as being under contract for delivery to and acceptance by the Company or such subsidiary will be duly registered as a vessel under the laws of its jurisdiction in the sole ownership of the Company or such subsidiary, on such date, the Company or each such subsidiary will have good title to the applicable Identified Vessel, free and clear of all mortgages, pledges, liens, security interests, claims and all defects of the title of record, except for any mortgages, pledges, liens, security interests or claims arising from any financing arrangement which the Company or such subsidiary may enter to finance the acquisition of the Identified Vessel and except such encumbrances which would not, in the aggregate, result in a Material Adverse Effect; and each such Identified Vessel will be in good standing with respect to the payment of past and current taxes, fees and other amounts payable under the laws of the jurisdiction where it is registered as would affect its registry with the ship registry of such jurisdiction.

(ii) The Company and each applicable subsidiary are, and with respect to the Identified Vessels will be, qualified to own or lease, as the case may be, and operate such vessels under all applicable international, national, state and local conventions, laws, regulations, orders, governmental licenses and other requirements (including, without limitation, all applicable Environmental Laws) and maritime guidelines, including the laws, regulations and orders of each such vessel’s flag state, except where such failure to be so qualified would not have, individually or in the aggregate, a Material Adverse Effect.

(iii) Each Identified Vessel will be classed by any of Lloyd’s Register of Shipping, American Bureau of Shipping, Det Norske Veritas or a classification society which is a full member of the International Association of Classification Societies and the Company will use commercially reasonable efforts to ensure each Identified Vessel will be, in class with valid class and trading certificates, without any overdue recommendations.

2. Agreements to Sell and Purchase. The Company hereby agrees to sell to the several Underwriters, and each Underwriter, upon the basis of the representations and warranties herein contained, but subject to the conditions hereinafter stated, agrees, severally and not jointly, to purchase from the Company the respective numbers of Firm Shares set forth in Schedule I hereto opposite its name at $ a share (the “Purchase Price”).

On the basis of the representations and warranties contained in this Agreement, and subject to its terms and conditions, the Company agrees to sell to the Underwriters the Additional Shares, and the Underwriters shall have the right to purchase, severally and not jointly, up to Additional Shares at the Purchase Price, provided, however, that the amount paid by the Underwriters for any Additional

Shares shall be reduced by an amount per share equal to any dividends declared by the Company and payable on the Firm Shares but not payable on such Additional Shares. You may exercise this right on behalf of the Underwriters in whole or from time to time in part by giving written notice not later than 30 days after the date of this Agreement. Any exercise notice shall specify the number of Additional Shares to be purchased by the Underwriters and the date on which such shares are to be purchased. Each purchase date must be at least one business day after the written notice is given and may not be earlier than the closing date for the Firm Shares nor later than ten business days after the date of such notice. Additional Shares may be purchased as provided in Section 4 hereof solely for the purpose of covering over-allotments made in connection with the offering of the Firm Shares. On each day, if any, that Additional Shares are to be purchased (an “Option Closing Date”), each Underwriter agrees, severally and not jointly, to purchase the number of Additional Shares (subject to such adjustments to eliminate fractional shares as you may determine) that bears the same proportion to the total number of Additional Shares to be purchased on such Option Closing Date as the number of Firm Shares set forth in Schedule I hereto opposite the name of such Underwriter bears to the total number of Firm Shares.

3. Terms of Public Offering. The Company is advised by you that the Underwriters propose to make a public offering of their respective portions of the Shares as soon after the Registration Statement and this Agreement have become effective as in your judgment is advisable. The Company is further advised by you that the Shares are to be offered to the public initially at $ a share (the “Public Offering Price”) and to certain dealers selected by you at a price that represents a concession not in excess of $ a share under the Public Offering Price, and that any Underwriter may allow, and such dealers may reallow, a concession, not in excess of $ a share, to any Underwriter or to certain other dealers.

4. Payment and Delivery. Payment for the Firm Shares shall be made to the Company in Federal or other funds immediately available in New York City against delivery of such Firm Shares for the respective accounts of the several Underwriters at 10:00 a.m., New York City time, on , 2010 or at such other time on the same or such other date, not later than , 2010 as shall be designated in writing by you. The time and date of such payment are hereinafter referred to as the “Closing Date.”

Payment for any Additional Shares shall be made to the Company in Federal or other funds immediately available in New York City against delivery of such Additional Shares for the respective accounts of the several Underwriters at 10:00 a.m., New York City time, on the date specified in the corresponding notice described in Section 2 or at such other time on the same or on such other date, in any event not later than , 2010 as shall be designated in writing by you.

The Firm Shares and Additional Shares shall be registered in such names and in such denominations as you shall request in writing not later than one full business day prior to the Closing Date or the applicable Option Closing Date, as the case may be. The Firm Shares and Additional Shares shall be delivered to you on the Closing Date or an Option Closing Date, as the case may be, for the respective accounts of the several Underwriters, with any transfer taxes payable in connection with the transfer of the Shares to the Underwriters duly paid, against payment of the Purchase Price therefor.

5. Conditions to the Underwriters’ Obligations. The obligations of the Company to sell the Shares to the Underwriters and the several obligations of the Underwriters to purchase and pay for the Shares on the Closing Date are subject to the condition that the Registration Statement shall have become effective not later than (New York City time) on the date hereof.

The several obligations of the Underwriters are subject to the following further conditions:

(a) Subsequent to the execution and delivery of this Agreement and prior to the Closing Date:

(i) there shall not have occurred any downgrading, nor shall any notice have been given of any intended or potential downgrading or of any review for a possible change that does not indicate the direction of the possible change, in the rating accorded any of the securities of the Company or any of its subsidiaries by any “nationally recognized statistical rating organization,” as such term is defined for purposes of Rule 436(g)(2) under the Securities Act; and

(ii) there shall not have occurred any change, or any development involving a prospective change, in the condition, financial or otherwise, or in the earnings, business or operations of the Company and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole, from that set forth in the Time of Sale Prospectus as of the date of this Agreement that, in your judgment, is material and adverse and that makes it, in your judgment, impracticable to market the Shares on the terms and in the manner contemplated in the Time of Sale Prospectus.

(b) The Underwriters shall have received on the Closing Date a certificate, dated the Closing Date and signed by an executive officer of the Company, to the effect set forth in Section 5(a)(i) above and to the effect that the representations and warranties of the Company contained in this Agreement are true and correct as of the Closing Date and that the Company has complied with all of the agreements and satisfied all of the conditions on its part to be performed or satisfied hereunder on or before the Closing Date.

The officer signing and delivering such certificate may rely upon the best of his or her knowledge as to proceedings threatened.

(c) The Underwriters shall have received on the Closing Date an opinion and statement of Kramer Levin Naftalis & Frankel LLP, outside counsel for the Company, dated the Closing Date, to the effect set forth in Exhibit A hereto.

(d) The Underwriters shall have received on the Closing Date an opinion of Reeder & Simpson P.C, Marshall Islands counsel for the Company, dated the Closing Date, to the effect set forth in Exhibit B hereto.

(e) The Underwriters shall have received on the Closing Date an opinion of Seward & Kissel LLP, special U.S. maritime environmental counsel for the Company, dated the Closing Date, to the effect set forth in Exhibit C hereto.

(f) The Underwriters shall have received on the Closing Date an opinion and statement of Morgan, Lewis & Bockius LLP, counsel for the Underwriters, dated the Closing Date, with respect to such matters as may be requested by the Underwriters.

(g) The Underwriters shall have received, on each of the date hereof and the Closing Date, a letter dated the date hereof or the Closing Date, as the case may be, in form and substance satisfactory to the Underwriters, from Deloitte & Touche LLP, independent public accountants, containing statements and information of the type ordinarily included in accountants’ “comfort letters” to underwriters with respect to the financial statements and certain financial information contained in the Registration

Statement, the Time of Sale Prospectus and the Prospectus; provided that the letter delivered on the Closing Date shall use a “cut-off date” not earlier than the date hereof.

(h) The Shares shall have been approved for listing on the New York Stock Exchange, and satisfactory evidence thereof shall have been provided to you.

(i) FINRA shall have raised no objection to the fairness and reasonableness of the underwriting terms and arrangements.

(j) The Company shall have issued and sold to Genco Investments the Class B Shares for an aggregate purchase price of $75,000,000 and shall have received such amount in cash as consideration therefor.

(k) The “lock-up” agreements, each substantially in the form of Exhibit D hereto, between you and certain shareholders, officers and directors of the Company relating to sales and certain other dispositions of shares of Common Stock or certain other securities, delivered to you on or before the date hereof, shall be in full force and effect on the Closing Date.

The several obligations of the Underwriters to purchase Additional Shares hereunder are subject to the delivery to you on the applicable Option Closing Date of such documents as you may reasonably request with respect to the good standing of the Company, the due authorization and issuance of the Additional Shares to be sold on such Option Closing Date and other matters related to the issuance of such Additional Shares.

6. Covenants of the Company. The Company covenants with each Underwriter as follows:

(a) To furnish to you, without charge, three (3) signed copies of the Registration Statement (including exhibits thereto) and for delivery to each other Underwriter a conformed copy of the Registration Statement (without exhibits thereto) and to furnish to you in New York City, without charge, prior to 10:00 a.m. New York City time on the business day next succeeding the date of this Agreement and during the period mentioned in Section 6(e) or 6(f) below, as many copies of the Time of Sale Prospectus, the Prospectus and any supplements and amendments thereto or to the Registration Statement as you may reasonably request.

(b) Before amending or supplementing the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Prospectus or the Prospectus, to furnish to you a copy of each such proposed amendment or supplement and not to file any such proposed amendment or supplement to which you reasonably object, and to file with the Commission within the applicable period specified in Rule 424(b) under the Securities Act any prospectus required to be filed pursuant to such Rule.

(c) To furnish to the Representatives a copy of each proposed free writing prospectus to be prepared by or on behalf of, used by, or referred to by the Company and not to use or refer to any proposed free writing prospectus to which the Representatives reasonably object.

(d) Not to take any action that would result in an Underwriter or the Company being required to file with the Commission pursuant to Rule 433(d) under the Securities Act a free writing prospectus prepared by or on behalf of the Underwriter that the Underwriter otherwise would not have been required to file thereunder.

(e) If the Time of Sale Prospectus is being used to solicit offers to buy the Shares at a time when the Prospectus is not yet available to prospective purchasers and any event shall occur or condition exist as a result of which it is necessary to amend or supplement the Time of Sale Prospectus in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances, not misleading, or if any event shall occur or condition exist as a result of which the Time of Sale Prospectus conflicts with the information contained in the Registration Statement then on file, or if, in the opinion of counsel for the Underwriters, it is necessary to amend or supplement the Time of Sale Prospectus to comply with applicable law, forthwith to prepare, file with the Commission and furnish, at its own expense, to the Underwriters and to any dealer upon request, either amendments or supplements to the Time of Sale Prospectus so that the statements in the Time of Sale Prospectus as so amended or supplemented will not, in the light of the circumstances when the Time of Sale Prospectus is delivered to a prospective purchaser, be misleading or so that the Time of Sale Prospectus, as amended or supplemented, will no longer conflict with the Registration Statement, or so that the Time of Sale Prospectus, as amended or supplemented, will comply with applicable law.

(f) If, during such period after the first date of the public offering of the Shares as in the opinion of counsel for the Underwriters the Prospectus (or in lieu thereof the notice referred to in Rule 173(a) of the Securities Act) is required by law to be delivered in connection with sales by an Underwriter or dealer, any event shall occur or condition exist as a result of which it is necessary to amend or supplement the Prospectus in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances when the Prospectus (or in lieu thereof the notice referred to in Rule 173(a) of the Securities Act) is delivered to a purchaser, not misleading, or if, in the opinion of counsel for the Underwriters, it is necessary to amend or supplement the Prospectus to comply with applicable law, forthwith to prepare, file with the Commission and furnish, at its own expense, to the Underwriters and to the dealers (whose names and addresses you will furnish to the Company) to which Shares may have been sold by you on behalf of the Underwriters and to any other dealers upon request, either amendments or supplements to the Prospectus so that the statements in the Prospectus as so amended or supplemented will not, in the light of the circumstances when the Prospectus (or in lieu thereof the notice referred to in Rule 173(a) of the Securities Act) is delivered to a purchaser, be misleading or so that the Prospectus, as amended or supplemented, will comply with applicable law.

(g) To endeavor to qualify the Shares for offer and sale under the securities or Blue Sky laws of such jurisdictions as you shall reasonably request.

(h) To make generally available to the Company’s security holders and to you as soon as practicable an earning statement covering a period of at least twelve months beginning with the first fiscal quarter of the Company occurring after the date of this Agreement which shall satisfy the provisions of Section 11(a) of the Securities Act and the rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder.

(i) Whether or not the transactions contemplated in this Agreement are consummated or this Agreement is terminated, to pay or cause to be paid all expenses incident to the performance of its obligations under this Agreement, including: (i) the fees, disbursements and expenses of the Company’s counsel and the Company’s accountants in connection with the registration and delivery of the Shares under the Securities Act and all other fees or expenses in connection with the preparation and filing of the Registration Statement, any preliminary prospectus, the Time of Sale Prospectus, the Prospectus, any free writing prospectus prepared by or on behalf of, used by, or referred to by the Company, and amendments and supplements to any of the foregoing, including all printing costs associated therewith, and the mailing and delivering of copies thereof to the Underwriters and dealers, in the quantities hereinabove specified, (ii) all costs and expenses related to the transfer and delivery of the Shares to the Underwriters, including

any transfer or other taxes payable thereon, (iii) the cost of printing or producing any Blue Sky or Legal Investment memorandum in connection with the offer and sale of the Shares under state securities laws and all expenses in connection with the qualification of the Shares for offer and sale under state securities laws as provided in Section 6(g) hereof, including filing fees and the reasonable fees and disbursements of counsel for the Underwriters (not to exceed $5,000) in connection with such qualification and in connection with the Blue Sky or Legal Investment memorandum, (iv) all filing fees and the reasonable fees and disbursements of counsel to the Underwriters (not to exceed $5,000) incurred in connection with the review and qualification of the offering of the Shares by FINRA (v) all fees and expenses in connection with the preparation and filing of the registration statement on Form 8-A relating to the Common Stock and all costs and expenses incident to listing the Shares on the New York Stock Exchange, (vi) the cost of printing certificates representing the Shares, (vii) the costs and charges of any transfer agent, registrar or depositary, (viii) the costs and expenses of the Company relating to investor presentations on any “road show” undertaken in connection with the marketing of the offering of the Shares, including, without limitation, expenses associated with the preparation or dissemination of any electronic road show, expenses associated with the production of road show slides and graphics, fees and expenses of any consultants engaged in connection with the road show presentations with the prior approval of the Company, travel and lodging expenses of the representatives and officers of the Company and any such consultants, and the cost of any aircraft chartered in connection with the road show, (ix) the document production charges and expenses associated with printing this Agreement and (x) all other costs and expenses incident to the performance of the obligations of the Company hereunder for which provision is not otherwise made in this Section. It is understood, however, that except as provided in this Section, Section 8 entitled “Indemnity and Contribution” and the last paragraph of Section 10 below, the Underwriters will pay all of their costs and expenses, including fees and disbursements of their counsel, stock transfer taxes payable on resale of any of the Shares by them and any advertising expenses connected with any offers they may make. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Underwriters will reimburse the Company for the costs and expenses of the kind set forth in Item 13 of Part II of the Registration Statement (excluding any financial advisory services fee expenses) incurred by the Company in connection with the transactions contemplated by this Agreement in the amount of % of the aggregate gross proceeds from the sale of the Shares. Such reimbursement shall be made by wire transfer of immediately available funds by the Underwriters to such account or accounts designated by the Company or such other method as agreed to by the parties to this Agreement.

The Company also covenants with each Underwriter that, without the prior written consent of Morgan Stanley & Co. Incorporated and Dahlman Rose & Company, LLC on behalf of the Underwriters, it will not, during the period ending 180 days after the date of the Prospectus, (1) offer, pledge, sell, contract to sell, sell any option or contract to purchase, purchase any option or contract to sell, grant any option, right or warrant to purchase, lend, or otherwise transfer or dispose of, directly or indirectly, any shares of Common Stock or any securities convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for Common Stock or (2) enter into any swap or other arrangement that transfers to another, in whole or in part, any of the economic consequences of ownership of the Common Stock, whether any such transaction described in clause (1) or (2) above is to be settled by delivery of Common Stock or such other securities, in cash or otherwise or (3) file any registration statement with the Commission relating to the offering of any shares of Common Stock or any securities convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for Common Stock.

The restrictions contained in the preceding paragraph shall not apply to (a) the Shares to be sold hereunder, (b) the issuance by the Company of shares of Common Stock upon the exercise of an option or warrant or the conversion of any shares of Class B Stock or any other security outstanding on the date hereof of which the Underwriters have been advised in writing, (c) the issuance by the Company of shares of Common Stock, or options therefor, under the Company’s 2009 Equity Incentive Plan or upon the exercise of any option or other award under the Company’s 2009 Equity Incentive Plan, or (d) the establishment of a trading plan pursuant to Rule 10b5-1 under the Exchange Act for the transfer of shares of Common Stock, provided that such plan does not provide for the transfer of Common Stock during the 180—day restricted period. Notwithstanding the foregoing, if (1) during the last 17 days of the 180-day restricted period the Company issues an earnings release or material news or a material event relating to the Company occurs; or (2) prior to the expiration of the 180—day restricted period, the Company announces that

it will release earnings results during the 16-day period beginning on the last day of the 180-day period, the restrictions imposed by this agreement shall continue to apply until the expiration of the 18-day period beginning on the issuance of the earnings release or the occurrence of the material news or material event. The Company shall promptly notify you of any earnings release, news or event that may give rise to an extension of the initial 180-day restricted period.

7. Covenants of the Underwriters. Each Underwriter severally covenants with the Company not to take any action that would result in the Company being required to file with the Commission under Rule 433(d) a free writing prospectus prepared by or on behalf of such Underwriter that otherwise would not be required to be filed by the Company thereunder, but for the action of the Underwriter.

8. Indemnity and Contribution. (a) The Company agrees to indemnify and hold harmless each Underwriter, each person, if any, who controls any Underwriter within the meaning of either Section 15 of the Securities Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act and each affiliate of any Underwriter within the meaning of Rule 405 under the Securities Act from and against any and all losses, claims, damages and liabilities (including, without limitation, any legal or other expenses reasonably incurred in connection with defending or investigating any such action or claim) caused by any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in the Registration Statement or any amendment thereof, any preliminary prospectus, the Time of Sale Prospectus, any issuer free writing prospectus as defined in Rule 433(h) under the Securities Act, any Company information that the Company has filed, or is required to file, pursuant to Rule 433(d) under the Securities Act, or the Prospectus or any amendment or supplement thereto, or caused by any omission or alleged omission to state therein a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading, except insofar as such losses, claims, damages or liabilities are caused by any such untrue statement or omission or alleged untrue statement or omission based upon information relating to any Underwriter furnished to the Company in writing by such Underwriter through the Representatives expressly for use therein.

(b) Each Underwriter agrees, severally and not jointly, to indemnify and hold harmless the Company, its directors, its officers who sign the Registration Statement and each person, if any, who controls the Company within the meaning of either Section 15 of the Securities Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act to the same extent as the foregoing indemnity from the Company to such Underwriter, but only with reference to information relating to such Underwriter furnished to the Company in writing by such Underwriter through the Representatives expressly for use in the Registration Statement, any preliminary prospectus, the Time of Sale Prospectus, any issuer free writing prospectus or the Prospectus or any amendment or supplement thereto.

(c) In case any proceeding (including any governmental investigation) shall be instituted involving any person in respect of which indemnity may be sought pursuant to Section 8(a) or 8(b), such person (the “indemnified party”) shall promptly notify the person against whom such indemnity may be sought (the “indemnifying party”) in writing and the indemnifying party, upon request of the indemnified party, shall retain counsel reasonably satisfactory to the indemnified party to represent the indemnified party and any others the indemnifying party may designate in such proceeding and shall pay the fees and disbursements of such counsel related to such proceeding. In any such proceeding, any indemnified party shall have the right to retain its own counsel, but the fees and expenses of such counsel shall be at the expense of such indemnified party unless (i) the indemnifying party and the indemnified party shall have mutually agreed to the retention of such counsel or (ii) the named parties to any such proceeding (including any impleaded parties) include both the indemnifying party and the indemnified party and representation of both parties by the same counsel would be inappropriate due to actual or potential differing interests between them. It is understood that the indemnifying party shall not, in

respect of the legal expenses of any indemnified party in connection with any proceeding or related proceedings in the same jurisdiction, be liable for the fees and expenses of more than one separate firm (in addition to any local counsel) for all such indemnified parties and that all such fees and expenses shall be reimbursed as they are incurred. Such firm shall be designated in writing by Morgan Stanley & Co. Incorporated Dahlman Rose & Company, LLC in the case of parties indemnified pursuant to Section 8(a), and by the Company, in the case of parties indemnified pursuant to Section 8(b). The indemnifying party shall not be liable for any settlement of any proceeding effected without its written consent, but if settled with such consent or if there be a final judgment for the plaintiff, the indemnifying party agrees to indemnify the indemnified party from and against any loss or liability by reason of such settlement or judgment. Notwithstanding the foregoing sentence, if at any time an indemnified party shall have requested an indemnifying party to reimburse the indemnified party for fees and expenses of counsel as contemplated by the second and third sentences of this paragraph, the indemnifying party agrees that it shall be liable for any settlement of any proceeding effected without its written consent if (i) such settlement is entered into more than 30 days after receipt by such indemnifying party of the aforesaid request and (ii) such indemnifying party shall not have reimbursed the indemnified party in accordance with such request prior to the date of such settlement. No indemnifying party shall, without the prior written consent of the indemnified party, effect any settlement of any pending or threatened proceeding in respect of which any indemnified party is or could have been a party and indemnity could have been sought hereunder by such indemnified party, unless such settlement includes an unconditional release of such indemnified party from all liability on claims that are the subject matter of such proceeding.

(d) To the extent the indemnification provided for in Section 8(a) or 8(b) is unavailable to an indemnified party or insufficient in respect of any losses, claims, damages or liabilities referred to therein, then each indemnifying party under such paragraph, in lieu of indemnifying such indemnified party thereunder, shall contribute to the amount paid or payable by such indemnified party as a result of such losses, claims, damages or liabilities (i) in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect the relative benefits received by the Company on the one hand and the Underwriters on the other hand from the offering of the Shares or (ii) if the allocation provided by clause 8(d)(i) above is not permitted by applicable law, in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect not only the relative benefits referred to in clause 8(d)(i) above but also the relative fault of the Company on the one hand and of the Underwriters on the other hand in connection with the statements or omissions that resulted in such losses, claims, damages or liabilities, as well as any other relevant equitable considerations. The relative benefits received by the Company on the one hand and the Underwriters on the other hand in connection with the offering of the Shares shall be deemed to be in the same respective proportions as the net proceeds from the offering of the Shares (before deducting expenses) received by the Company and the total underwriting discounts and commissions received by the Underwriters, in each case as set forth in the table on the cover of the Prospectus, bear to the aggregate Public Offering Price of the Shares. The relative fault of the Company on the one hand and the Underwriters on the other hand shall be determined by reference to, among other things, whether the untrue or alleged untrue statement of a material fact or the omission or alleged omission to state a material fact relates to information supplied by the Company or by the Underwriters and the parties’ relative intent, knowledge, access to information and opportunity to correct or prevent such statement or omission. The Underwriters’ respective obligations to contribute pursuant to this Section 8 are several in proportion to the respective number of Shares they have purchased hereunder, and not joint.

(e) The Company and the Underwriters agree that it would not be just or equitable if contribution pursuant to this Section 8 were determined by pro rata allocation (even if the Underwriters were treated as one entity for such purpose) or by any other method of allocation that does not take account of the equitable considerations referred to in Section 8(d). The amount paid or payable by an

indemnified party as a result of the losses, claims, damages and liabilities referred to in Section 8(d) shall be deemed to include, subject to the limitations set forth above, any legal or other expenses reasonably incurred by such indemnified party in connection with investigating or defending any such action or claim. Notwithstanding the provisions of this Section 8, no Underwriter shall be required to contribute any amount in excess of the amount by which the total price at which the Shares underwritten by it and distributed to the public were offered to the public exceeds the amount of any damages that such Underwriter has otherwise been required to pay by reason of such untrue or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged omission. No person guilty of fraudulent misrepresentation (within the meaning of Section 11(f) of the Securities Act) shall be entitled to contribution from any person who was not guilty of such fraudulent misrepresentation. The remedies provided for in this Section 8 are not exclusive and shall not limit any rights or remedies which may otherwise be available to any indemnified party at law or in equity.

(f) The indemnity and contribution provisions contained in this Section 8 and the representations, warranties and other statements of the Company contained in this Agreement shall remain operative and in full force and effect regardless of (i) any termination of this Agreement, (ii) any investigation made by or on behalf of any Underwriter, any person controlling any Underwriter or any affiliate of any Underwriter or by or on behalf of the Company, its officers or directors or any person controlling the Company and (iii) acceptance of and payment for any of the Shares.

9. Termination. The Underwriters may terminate this Agreement by notice given by you to the Company, if after the execution and delivery of this Agreement and prior to the Closing Date (i) trading generally shall have been suspended or materially limited on, or by, as the case may be, any of the New York Stock Exchange, the American Stock Exchange, the NASDAQ Global Market, the Chicago Board of Options Exchange, the Chicago Mercantile Exchange or the Chicago Board of Trade or other relevant exchanges, (ii) trading of any securities of the Company shall have been suspended on any exchange or in any over-the-counter market, (iii) a material disruption in securities settlement, payment or clearance services in the United States or other relevant jurisdiction shall have occurred, (iv) any moratorium on commercial banking activities shall have been declared by Federal or New York State authorities or (v) there shall have occurred any outbreak or escalation of hostilities, or any change in financial markets or any calamity or crisis that, in your judgment, is material and adverse and which, singly or together with any other event specified in this clause (v), makes it, in your judgment, impracticable or inadvisable to proceed with the offer, sale or delivery of the Shares on the terms and in the manner contemplated in the Time of Sale Prospectus or the Prospectus.

10. Effectiveness; Defaulting Underwriters. This Agreement shall become effective upon the execution and delivery hereof by the parties hereto.

If, on the Closing Date or an Option Closing Date, as the case may be, any one or more of the Underwriters shall fail or refuse to purchase Shares that it has or they have agreed to purchase hereunder on such date, and the aggregate number of Shares which such defaulting Underwriter or Underwriters agreed but failed or refused to purchase is not more than one-tenth of the aggregate number of the Shares to be purchased on such date, the other Underwriters shall be obligated severally in the proportions that the number of Firm Shares set forth opposite their respective names in Schedule I bears to the aggregate number of Firm Shares set forth opposite the names of all such non-defaulting Underwriters, or in such other proportions as you may specify, to purchase the Shares which such defaulting Underwriter or Underwriters agreed but failed or refused to purchase on such date; provided that in no event shall the number of Shares that any Underwriter has agreed to purchase pursuant to this Agreement be increased pursuant to this Section 10 by an amount in excess of one-ninth of such number of Shares without the

written consent of such Underwriter. If, on the Closing Date, any Underwriter or Underwriters shall fail or refuse to purchase Firm Shares and the aggregate number of Firm Shares with respect to which such default occurs is more than one-tenth of the aggregate number of Firm Shares to be purchased on such date, and arrangements satisfactory to you and the Company for the purchase of such Firm Shares are not made within 36 hours after such default, this Agreement shall terminate without liability on the part of any non-defaulting Underwriter or the Company. In any such case either you or the Company shall have the right to postpone the Closing Date, but in no event for longer than seven days, in order that the required changes, if any, in the Registration Statement, in the Time of Sale Prospectus, in the Prospectus or in any other documents or arrangements may be effected. If, on an Option Closing Date, any Underwriter or Underwriters shall fail or refuse to purchase Additional Shares and the aggregate number of Additional Shares with respect to which such default occurs is more than one-tenth of the aggregate number of Additional Shares to be purchased on such Option Closing Date, the non-defaulting Underwriters shall have the option to (i) terminate their obligation hereunder to purchase the Additional Shares to be sold on such Option Closing Date or (ii) purchase not less than the number of Additional Shares that such non-defaulting Underwriters would have been obligated to purchase in the absence of such default. Any action taken under this paragraph shall not relieve any defaulting Underwriter from liability in respect of any default of such Underwriter under this Agreement.

If this Agreement shall be terminated by the Underwriters, or any of them, because of any failure or refusal on the part of the Company to comply with the terms or to fulfill any of the conditions of this Agreement, or if for any reason the Company shall be unable to perform its obligations under this Agreement, the Company will reimburse the Underwriters or such Underwriters as have so terminated this Agreement with respect to themselves, severally, for all out-of-pocket expenses (including the fees and disbursements of their counsel) reasonably incurred by such Underwriters in connection with this Agreement or the offering contemplated hereunder.

11. Entire Agreement. (a) This Agreement, together with any contemporaneous written agreements and any prior written agreements (to the extent not superseded by this Agreement) that relate to the offering of the Shares, represents the entire agreement between the Company and the Underwriters with respect to the preparation of any preliminary prospectus, the Time of Sale Prospectus, the Prospectus, the conduct of the offering, and the purchase and sale of the Shares.

(b) The Company acknowledges that in connection with the offering of the Shares: (i) the Underwriters have acted at arms length, are not agents of, and owe no fiduciary duties to, the Company or any other person, (ii) the Underwriters owe the Company only those duties and obligations set forth in this Agreement and prior written agreements (to the extent not superseded by this Agreement), if any, and (iii) the Underwriters may have interests that differ from those of the Company. The Company waives to the full extent permitted by applicable law any claims it may have against the Underwriters arising from an alleged breach of fiduciary duty in connection with the offering of the Shares.

12. Counterparts. This Agreement may be signed in two or more counterparts, each of which shall be an original, with the same effect as if the signatures thereto and hereto were upon the same instrument.

13. Applicable Law. This Agreement and the transactions contemplated hereby shall be governed by, and this Agreement and the rights and obligations of the parties with respect hereto and the transactions contemplated hereby, shall be construed in accordance with, the laws of the State of New York. The Company hereby submits to the non-exclusive jurisdiction of the United States federal and state courts in the Borough of Manhattan in The City of New York (a “New York Court”) in any suit or

proceeding arising out of or relating to this Agreement or the transactions contemplated hereby. The Company irrevocably and unconditionally waives any objection to the laying of venue of any suit or proceeding arising out of or relating to this Agreement or the transactions contemplated hereby in a New York Court and irrevocably and unconditionally waives and agrees not to plead or claim in any such court that any such suit or proceeding in any such court has been brought in an inconvenient forum.

The obligation of the Company pursuant to this Agreement in respect of any sum due to any Underwriter shall, notwithstanding any judgment in a currency other than United States dollars, not be discharged until the first business day, following receipt by such Underwriter of any sum adjudged to be so due in such other currency, on which (and only to the extent that) such Underwriter may in accordance with normal banking procedures purchase United States dollars with such other currency; if the United States dollars so purchased are less than the sum originally due to such Underwriter hereunder, the Company agrees, as a separate obligation and notwithstanding any such judgment, to indemnify such Underwriter against such loss. If the United States dollars so purchased are greater than the sum originally due to such Underwriter hereunder, such Underwriter agrees to pay to the Company an amount equal to the excess of the dollars so purchased over the sum originally due to such Underwriter hereunder.

14. Headings. The headings of the sections of this Agreement have been inserted for convenience of reference only and shall not be deemed a part of this Agreement.

15. Notices. All communications hereunder shall be in writing and effective only upon receipt and if to the Underwriters shall be delivered, mailed or sent care of (i) Morgan Stanley & Co. Incorporated, 1585 Broadway, New York, New York 10036, Attention: Equity Syndicate Desk, with a copy to the Legal Department with a copy to Morgan, Lewis & Bockius, LLP, 101 Park Avenue, New York, New York 10178, Attention: Stephen P. Farrell, Esq.; and if to the Company shall be delivered, mailed or sent to 299 Park Avenue, 20th Floor, New York, New York 10171, Attention: John C. Wobensmith with a copy to Kramer Levin Naftalis & Frankel LLP, 1177 Avenue of the Americas, New York, New York 10036, Attention: Thomas E. Molner, Esq. and (ii) Dahlman Rose & Company, LLC, 142 West 57th Street New York, New York 10019, Attention: Chief Executive Officer.

		Very truly yours,

		Baltic Trading Limited


		By:
			Name:
			Title:

Accepted as of the date hereof

Morgan Stanley & Co. Incorporated


By:
	Name:
	Title:


Dahlman Rose & Company, LLC


By:
	Name:
	Title: