Term Loan and Credit Facility Agreement among Bully 1, Ltd., Lenders, and Arrangers (US$465,000,000 Secured Facility)
This agreement, dated December 21, 2007, is between Bully 1, Ltd. (the borrower), several banks and financial institutions (the lenders), and Standard Chartered Bank, Bank of Scotland PLC, and NIBC Bank N.V. (the arrangers, with NIBC also acting as agent and security trustee). It provides Bully 1, Ltd. with a secured credit facility totaling $465 million to help finance the construction of a drillship. The agreement outlines the terms for borrowing, repayment, interest, security, and the obligations of all parties, including conditions for default and collateral requirements.
PROVIDING FOR A
US$465,000,000
SECURED CREDIT FACILITY
HERETO,
AND
BANK OF SCOTLAND PLC,
AS ARRANGERS
SECTION | PAGE | |||
1. DEFINITIONS | 2 | |||
1.1 Specific Definitions | 2 | |||
1.2 Computations of Time Periods; Other Definitional Provisions | 21 | |||
1.3 Accounting Terms | 22 | |||
1.4 Certain Matter Regarding Materiality | 22 | |||
1.5 Forms of Documents | 22 | |||
2. REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES | 22 | |||
2.1 Representations and Warranties | 22 | |||
3. AMOUNT AND TERMS OF THE FACILITIES | 29 | |||
3.1 Purposes | 29 | |||
3.2 Making the Facilities | 30 | |||
3.3 The Notes | 31 | |||
3.4 Drawdown Notice | 31 | |||
3.5 Effect of Drawdown Notice | 31 | |||
4. CONDITIONS | 31 | |||
4.1 Conditions Precedent to the Effectiveness of this Agreement | 31 | |||
4.2 Conditions Precedent to the Delivery Date | 36 | |||
4.3 Further Conditions Precedent | 37 | |||
4.4 Breakfunding Indemnity | 39 | |||
4.5 Post-Closing Satisfaction | 39 | |||
5. REPAYMENT AND PREPAYMENT | 40 | |||
5.1 Repayment | 40 | |||
5.2 Prepayment; Enforceability | 40 | |||
5.3 Mandatory Prepayment; Sale, Loss or Cancellation of any Construction Contract | 41 | |||
5.4 Voluntary Prepayment | 41 | |||
5.5 Repayments and Prepayments Generally | 41 |
(Continued)
SECTION | PAGE | |||
6. INTEREST AND RATE | 41 | |||
6.1 Floating Rate | 41 | |||
6.2 Applicable Rate; Default Rate | 42 | |||
6.3 Interest Payments | 42 | |||
6.4 Banking Days | 42 | |||
6.5 360 Day Year | 42 | |||
7. PAYMENTS | 43 | |||
7.1 Borrower Payments | 43 | |||
7.2 Advances | 43 | |||
7.3 Other Manner of Payment | 43 | |||
7.4 Sharing of Setoffs | 43 | |||
8. EVENTS OF DEFAULT | 44 | |||
8.1 Events of Default | 44 | |||
8.2 Indemnity | 47 | |||
8.3 Application of Moneys | 47 | |||
9. COVENANTS | 48 | |||
9.1 Affirmative Covenants | 48 | |||
9.2 Negative Covenants | 54 | |||
10. ACCOUNTS | 57 | |||
10.1 Earnings Account, MDO Account and all other Accounts | 57 | |||
10.2 Application of Earnings Account, MDO Account and all other Accounts | 58 | |||
11. ASSIGNMENT AND CERTIFICATIONS | 58 | |||
11.1 Benefit of Agreement | 58 | |||
11.2 Assignment by the Lenders | 58 | |||
11.3 Syndication | 58 | |||
11.4 Register | 58 | |||
11.5 Status of Lenders | 59 | |||
11.6 Treatment of Certain Refunds | 59 |
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(Continued)
SECTION | PAGE | |||
12. ILLEGALITY, INCREASED COST, NON-AVAILABILITY, ETC | 60 | |||
12.1 Illegality | 60 | |||
12.2 Increased Costs | 60 | |||
12.3 Interest Rate Determination | 61 | |||
12.4 Agents Certificate | 62 | |||
12.5 Compensation for Losses | 62 | |||
13. CURRENCY INDEMNITIES | 62 | |||
13.1 Currency Conversion | 62 | |||
13.2 Currency Indemnity | 62 | |||
13.3 Additional Debt Due | 62 | |||
13.4 Rate of Exchange | 62 | |||
14. FEES AND EXPENSES | 63 | |||
14.1 Fee Letter and Underwriting Letter | 63 | |||
14.2 Commitment Fee | 63 | |||
14.3 Expenses | 63 | |||
15. APPLICABLE LAW AND JURISDICTION | 63 | |||
15.1 Governing Law | 63 | |||
15.2 Submission to Jurisdiction | 63 | |||
15.3 WAIVER OF JURY TRIAL | 64 | |||
16. THE AGENT | 64 | |||
16.1 Appointment of Agent | 64 | |||
16.2 Distribution of Payments | 64 | |||
16.3 Assume Receipt | 64 | |||
16.4 Holder of Interest in Note | 65 | |||
16.5 No Duty to Examine, etc | 65 | |||
16.6 Agent as Lender | 65 | |||
16.7 Acts of the Agent | 65 | |||
16.8 Assumption re: Events of Default | 66 |
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(Continued)
SECTION | PAGE | |||
16.9 Limitation of Liability | 66 | |||
16.10 Indemnity | 67 | |||
16.11 Consultation with Counsel | 67 | |||
16.12 Resignation | 67 | |||
16.13 Lender Representations | 67 | |||
16.14 Notification of Event of Default | 68 | |||
16.15 No Agency or Trusteeship if NIBC only Lender | 68 | |||
17. THE SECURITY TRUSTEE | 68 | |||
17.1 Appointment of Security Trustee | 68 | |||
18. NOTICES AND DEMANDS | 68 | |||
18.1 Addresses | 68 | |||
18.2 Receipt | 69 | |||
19. MISCELLANEOUS | 69 | |||
19.1 Time of Essence | 69 | |||
19.2 Severability | 69 | |||
19.3 References | 70 | |||
19.4 Further Assurances | 70 | |||
19.5 Headings | 70 | |||
19.6 Entire Agreement | 70 | |||
19.7 WAIVER OF IMMUNITY | 70 | |||
19.8 USA Patriot Act Notice; OFAC and Bank Secrecy Act | 71 |
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EXHIBITS | ||
A B-1 B-2 B-3 C D E F G H-1 H-2 I | FORM OF DRAWDOWN NOTICE FORM OF SENIOR TERM LOAN NOTE FORM OF SENIOR REVOLVER NOTE FORM OF JUNIOR TERM LOAN NOTE FORM OF MARSHALL ISLANDS MORTGAGE FORM OF ASSIGNMENT OF EARNINGS FORM OF ASSIGNMENT OF INSURANCES FORM OF ASSIGNMENT OF CONSTRUCTION CONTRACTS FORM OF SHARE PLEDGE AGREEMENT FORM OF ACCOUNT PLEDGE FORM OF NOTICE OF PLEDGE OF ACCOUNTS FORM OF ASSIGNMENT OF COLLATERAL PLEDGE |
SCHEDULES | ||
1 | THE LENDERS AND THE COMMITMENTS | |
2 | CONSTRUCTION PLAN |
AND CREDIT FACILITY AGREEMENT
Acceptable Accounting Firm | means Deloitte & Touche or such internationally recognized accounting firm as shall be approved by the Majority Lenders, such approval not to be unreasonably withheld; | |
Account Pledges | means any pledge of any Account, to be in form and substance satisfactory to the Agent in its sole discretion; | |
Accounts | means any account, including the Earnings Account and the MDO Account, maintained by the Borrower or the Operating Entity with the Agent or another financial institution into which the Assigned Moneys shall be deposited in accordance with Section 10.1; | |
Advance(s) | means any amount advanced to the Borrower with respect to the Facilities or (as the context may require) the aggregate amount of all such Advances for the time being outstanding; | |
Agent | has the meaning ascribed thereto in the preamble; | |
Agreement | means this Term Loan and Credit Facility Agreement as the same shall be amended, modified or supplemented from time to time; | |
Applicable Margin | means, (i) for the Senior Term Loan and the Senior Revolver, for the period prior to the completion of Construction and the delivery and acceptance of the Vessel by Shell under the MDO Contract and commencement of Shells obligation to make payment of one of the Operating Rates, 2.50% per annum and 1.50% per annum after such acceptance, provided however, that if the Vessel has a Utilization Rate of at least 95% (as verified by the Agent in its sole discretion, following consultation with the Technical Advisor) during the first year after its acceptance, such rate shall be 1.25% per annum; and (ii) for the Junior Term Loan, for the period prior to the completion of Construction and the delivery |
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and acceptance of the Vessel by Shell under the MDO Contract and commencement of Shells obligation to make payment of one of the Operating Rates, 3.50% per annum and 2.50% per annum after such acceptance, provided however, that if the Vessel has a Utilization Rate of at least 95% (as verified by the Agent in its sole discretion, following consultation with the Technical Advisor) during the first year after its acceptance, such rate shall be 2.25% per annum; | ||
Applicable Rate | means any rate of interest on the Facility Balance from time to time applicable pursuant to the first sentence of Section 6.2; | |
Approved Joint Venture | means the joint venture between, Shell EP Offshore Ventures Limited, and Frontier Drillships described in that certain Joint Venture Agreement dated October 11, 2007; | |
Arrangers | shall have the meaning ascribed thereto in the preamble; | |
Assigned Moneys | means sums received by the Lenders or the Agent pursuant to the Assignments or any of them; | |
Assignments | means each of the Assignments of Earnings, the Assignments of Insurances, the Assignments of Construction Contracts and the Assignment of Collateral Pledge; | |
Assignment Notices | means notices by the Borrower to be given pursuant to the respective Assignments, to be in form and substance satisfactory to the Agent in its sole discretion; | |
Assignment of Collateral Pledge | means the first priority assignment of the Collateral Pledge to be made by the Borrower in favor of the Security Trustee, substantially in the form of Exhibit I; | |
Assignments of Construction Contracts | means each of the first priority assignments of the Construction Contracts and other material contracts of the Borrower associated with the construction and outfitting of the Vessel including manufacturers warranties and guaranties in favor of the Security Trustee in respect of the Vessel, substantially in the form of Exhibit F; |
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Assignment(s) of Earnings | means first priority assignments of earnings and charterparties (including, without limitation, the Bareboat Charter), to be made by the Borrower in favor of the Security Trustee, in respect of the earnings of the Vessel, including earnings under the MDO Contract, and the mobilization fee of $15,000,000 to be paid by Shell under the MDO Contract, after completion of the Construction, substantially in the form of Exhibit D; | |
Assignment(s) of Insurances | means first priority assignments of insurances, to be made by the Borrower, and consented to by the Operating Entity, pursuant to the terms of the Bareboat Charter in favor of the Security Trustee, in respect of the insurances covering the Vessel, substantially in the form of Exhibit E; | |
Banking Day(s) | means days on which banks are open for the transaction of business of the nature required by this Agreement in New York, New York, Houston, Texas, Amsterdam, The Netherlands and London, England; | |
Bareboat Charter | means the bareboat charter dated December ___, 2007, entered into between the Borrower, as owner, and the Operating Entity, as charterer, with respect to the Vessel; | |
Borrower | has the meaning ascribed thereto in the preamble, and any permitted successor or assign; | |
Builders | means each of (i) Shanghai Shipyard Co. Ltd., (ii) Keppel and (iii) Huisman Special Lifting Equipment B.V.; | |
Capital Contribution Funding | means the capital contribution funding to be provided by the Joint Venturers in a maximum aggregate principal amount of One Hundred Fifteen Million Dollars ($115,000,000), Forty Eight Million Dollars ($48,000,000) of which shall have been made as of the date of this Agreement and Sixty Seven Million Dollars ($67,000,000) of which shall be made pursuant to the terms of the Contribution Agreement; | |
Capital Expenditures | means, for any Person for any period, the sum of, without duplication, (a) all expenditures relating to the Vessel made, directly or indirectly, by such Person or |
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any of its Subsidiaries during such period for equipment, fixed assets, real property or improvements, or for replacements or substitutions therefore or additions thereto, that have been or should be, in accordance with GAAP, reflected as additions to property, plant or equipment on a Consolidated balance sheet of such Person or have a useful life of more than one (1) year plus (b) the aggregate principal amount of all Indebtedness (including obligations under Capitalized Leases) assumed or incurred in connection with any such expenditures. For purposes of this definition, the purchase price of equipment that is purchased simultaneously with the trade-in of existing equipment or with insurance proceeds shall be included in Capital Expenditures only to the extent of the gross amount of such purchase price less the credit granted by the seller of such equipment for the equipment being traded in at such time or the amount of such proceeds, as the case may be; | ||
Capitalized Leases | means all leases that have been or should be, in accordance with GAAP, recorded as capitalized leases; | |
Cash Equivalents | means any of the following having a maturity of not greater than 180 days from the date of acquisition thereof: (a) readily marketable direct obligations of the Government of the United States or any agency or instrumentality thereof or obligations unconditionally guaranteed by the full faith and credit of the Government of the United States, (b) certificates of deposit of or time deposits with any commercial bank that is a Lender or a member of the Federal Reserve System, issues (or the parent of which issues) commercial paper rated as described in clause (c) below, is organized under the laws of the United States or any State thereof and has combined capital and surplus of at least $1,000,000,000, (c) commercial paper in an aggregate amount of no more than $5,000,000 per issuer outstanding at any time, issued by any corporation organized under the laws of any State of the United States and rated at least Prime-1 (or the then equivalent grade) by Moodys or A-1 (or the equivalent grade) by S&P or (d) Investments, classified in accordance with GAAP as Current Assets of the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries, in money market |
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funds that are registered under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended, the portfolios of which are limited solely to Investments of the character, quality and maturity described in clauses (a), (b) and (c) of this definition; | ||
Classification Society | means Det Norske Veritas in Houston, Texas with whom the Vessel is or will be entered and who has conducted or will conduct periodic physical surveys and/or inspections of the Vessel; | |
Code | means the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, and any successor statute and regulations promulgated thereunder; | |
Collateral Pledge | means the first priority pledge made by the Operating Entity in favor of the Borrower pursuant to the terms of the Bareboat Charter in respect of the MDO Contract, the MDO Account and the insurances covering the Vessel, in the form attached to the Bareboat Charter; | |
Commitment(s) | means, with respect to any Lender, the portion of the Facilities set out opposite its name on Schedule 1 hereto or, as the case may be, pursuant to any assignment made pursuant to Section 11, which portion may be reduced in accordance with the terms of this Agreement; | |
Consolidated | refers to the consolidation of accounts in accordance with GAAP; | |
Consolidated Net Income | means, with respect to the Borrower and its Subsidiaries for any period, the net income (or loss) of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries, determined on a Consolidated basis in accordance with GAAP, after allowances for taxes for such period; provided, however that the following shall be excluded from such net income (or loss): (a) the net income of any Person in which the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries has an interest (which interest does not cause the net income of such Person to be Consolidated with the net income of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries in accordance with GAAP), except to the extent of the amount of dividends or distributions actually paid in cash during such period by such Person to the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries, (b) the net income during such |
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period of any Subsidiary of the Borrower that is not a Security Party to the extent that the declaration or payment or dividends or similar distributions by that Subsidiary is not at the time permitted by operation of the terms of its charter or any agreement, instrument or governmental authorization (which has not been obtained) applicable to such Subsidiary, unless such restriction with respect to the payment of dividends or similar distributions has been legally waived, (c) any extraordinary non-cash gains or losses during such period and (d) any gains or losses attributable to write-ups or write-downs of assets; provided further that if the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries shall acquire or dispose of any material property during such period, then Consolidated Net Income shall be calculated after giving pro forma effect to such acquisition or disposition, as if such acquisition or disposition had occurred on the first day of such period; | ||
Construction | means the construction of the Vessel by the Builders, which began on June 23, 2007, pursuant to the Construction Plan; | |
Construction Contracts | means each of the contracts in excess of $15,000,000 between the Security Parties and a shipyard or third party vendor relating to the construction of the Vessel, including, but not limited to (i) the Contract for the Construction of the Vessel, entered into by and between Shanghai Shipyard Co., Ltd. and the Borrower, dated June 23, 2007; (ii) the Agreement for the integration of the Vessel, entered into by and between Keppel Shipyard Limited and the Borrower, dated June 28, 2007; and (iii) the agreement between Huisman Special Lifting Equipment B.V. and the Borrower in respect of the construction of the drill tower on the Vessel dated April 13, 2007, in each case including any refund guarantees, performance guarantees, completion guarantees and/or performance bonds associated therewith; | |
Construction Plan | means the plan relating to the construction of the Vessel, including the timing and budget for the construction, attached hereto as Schedule 2 as it may be amended or supplemented in accordance with this Agreement; |
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Contribution Agreement | means the Capital Contribution and Note Purchase Agreement dated as the date hereof between Borrower and the Joint Venturers in respect of the obligation of the Joint Venturers to (i) make additional capital contributions to the Borrower in connection with the Capital Contribution Funding in the aggregate amount of $67,000,000 and (ii) the Cost Overrun Notes, such notes to be fully subordinated on a cash basis and a security basis to the obligations of the Borrower to the Lenders hereunder and under the Security Documents; | |
Cost Overrun Note(s) | means a promissory note of the Borrower substantially in the form of Exhibit A to the Contribution Agreement; | |
Current Assets | of any Person means all assets (other than non-cash obligations under FAS 133) of such Person that would, in accordance with GAAP, be classified as current assets on a Consolidated balance sheet of a company conducting a business the same as or similar of that of such Person, after deducting adequate reserves in each case in which a reserve is proper in accordance with GAAP; | |
Current Liabilities | of any Person means (a) all Indebtedness of such Person except Funded Debt, (b) all amounts of Funded Debt of such Person required to be paid or prepaid within one year after such date and (c) all other items (including taxes accrued as estimated but excluding non-cash obligations under FAS 133) that in accordance with GAAP would be classified as current liabilities on a Consolidated balance sheet of such Person; | |
Default Rate | has the meaning ascribed thereto in Section 6.2; | |
Delivery Date | that date which is the Banking Day on which the Vessel is delivered to and accepted by Shell under the MDO Contract, provided such day occurs no later than December 30, 2010; | |
Depositary | means the Agent or such other bank as the Agent shall designate; | |
DOC | means a document of compliance issued to an Operator in accordance with Rule 13 of the ISM Code; |
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Dollars and the sign $ | means the legal currency, at any relevant time hereunder, of the United States of America and, in relation to all payments hereunder, in same day funds settled through the New York Clearing House Interbank Payments System (or such other Dollar funds as may be determined by the Lenders to be customary for the settlement in New York City of banking transactions of the type herein involved); | |
Drawdown Dates | means collectively the Senior Term Loan Drawdown Dates, the Senior Revolver Drawdown Dates and the Junior Term Loan Drawdown Dates; | |
Drawdown Notice | has the meaning ascribed thereto in Section 3.4; | |
Earnings Account | means the account, to be maintained by the Borrower with the Agent or another financial institution acceptable to the Agent into which all earnings relating to the Bareboat Charter shall be deposited in accordance with Section 10.1; | |
Environmental Approvals | has the meaning ascribed thereto in Section 2.1(u); | |
Environmental Claim | has the meaning ascribed thereto in Section 2.1(u); | |
Environmental Laws | has the meaning ascribed thereto in Section 2.1(u); | |
ERISA | means the Employment Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as amended; | |
ERISA Affiliate | means a trade or business (whether or not incorporated) which is under common control with the Borrower within the meaning of Sections 414(b), (c), (m) or (o) of the Code; | |
Event(s) of Default | means any of the events set out in Section 8.1; | |
Excess Cash Flow | means, for any period, without duplication, (a) the sum of: (i) Consolidated Net Income of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries for such period plus (ii) the aggregate amount of all non cash charges deducted in arriving at such Consolidated Net Income plus (iii) if there was a net increase in Consolidated Current Liabilities (excluding any |
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short-term borrowing or current maturities of long-term Indebtedness) of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries during such period, the amount of such net increase plus (iv) if there was a net decrease in Consolidated Current Assets (excluding cash and Cash Equivalents) of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries during such period, the amount of such net decrease; less | ||
(b) the sum of: (i) the aggregate amount of all non cash credits included in arriving at such Consolidated Net Income plus (ii) if there was a net decrease in Consolidated Current Liabilities (excluding any short-term borrowing or current maturities of long-term Indebtedness) of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries during such period, the amount of such net decrease plus (iii) if there was a net increase in Consolidated Current Assets (excluding cash and Cash Equivalents) of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries during such period, the amount of such net increase plus (iv) the aggregate amount of Capital Expenditures of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries paid in cash during such period solely to the extent permitted by this Agreement plus (v) the aggregate amount of all regularly scheduled principal payments of Funded Debt made during such period plus (vi) the aggregate principal amount of all commitment reductions in the Revolving Credit Facility during such period; | ||
Facility(ies) | means the credit facility, consisting of each of the Senior Term Loan, the Senior Revolver and the Junior Term Loan, to be made available to the Borrower by the Lenders pursuant to Section 3.2 in the maximum principal amount of Four Hundred Sixty Five Million Dollars ($465,000,000); | |
Facility Balance | means the aggregate Dollar amount of the Facilities, including unpaid costs and accrued but unpaid interest, at any relevant time then outstanding; | |
Fee Letter | means the letter dated July 2, 2007, entered into by and between the Borrower and the Agent, on behalf of the Lenders, in respect of the fees referred to therein; |
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Final Payment Date | means the date which is the earlier of (i) five (5) years after the Delivery Date (or such earlier date as the Commitments shall have been terminated in accordance with the terms herein), or (ii) December 31, 2015; provided, that if such date is not a Banking Day, then the Final Payment Date shall be the next following Banking Day unless such next following Banking Day falls in the following month, in which case the Final Payment Date shall be the immediately preceding Banking Day; | |
FDR Holdings | means FDR Holdings Limited, an exempt company incorporated in the Cayman Islands; | |
Foreign Lender | means any Lender that is organized under the laws of a jurisdiction other than the United States; | |
Frontier Drillships | means Frontier Drillships, Ltd., an exempt company incorporated in the Cayman Islands; | |
Funded Debt | of any Person means Indebtedness in respect of the Facilities, in the case of the Borrower, and all other Indebtedness of such Person that by its terms matures more than one (1) year after the date of determination or matures within one (1) year from such date but is renewable or extendible, at the option of such Person, to a date more than one (1) year after such date or arises under a revolving credit or similar agreement that obligates the lender or lenders to extend credit during a period of more than one (1) year after such date, including, without limitation, all amounts of Funded Debt of such Person required to be paid or prepaid within one (1) year after the date of determination; | |
GAAP | has the meaning given to it in Section 1.3 below; | |
Hedging Agreement | means any interest rate future agreement, interest rate option agreement, interest rate swap agreement, interest rate cap agreement, interest rate collar agreement, interest rate hedge agreement, currency hedging agreement or other similar agreement or arrangement entered into between the Borrower and the Arrangers, or another financial institution reasonably acceptable to the |
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Arrangers, which is designed to protect the Borrower against fluctuations in interest rates or currency rates applicable under this Agreement, to or under which the Borrower is a party or a beneficiary on the date of this Agreement or becomes a party or a beneficiary hereafter which will be covered by a 1992 or 2002 multicurrency cross border ISDA Master Agreement (ISDA Master Agreement), issued by the International Swaps and Derivatives Association, entered into by the Borrower and an Arranger or another financial institution as aforesaid, provided however that, notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained herein or in any of the Security Documents, only Hedging Agreements entered into by and between the Borrower, the Arrangers or any Lender shall be secured on a pari passu basis; | ||
Hedging Counterparty(ies) | means any hedging counterparty under any Hedging Agreement; | |
Hedging Exposure | means, at any relevant date and in relation to a Hedging Counterparty, the amount certified by the Hedging Counterparty to the Agent to be the aggregate net amount in Dollars which would be payable by the Borrowers to the Hedging Counterparty under (and calculated in accordance with) section 6(e) (Payments on Early Termination) of the ISDA Master Agreements entered into by each of the Hedging Counterparties with the Borrower; | |
Indebtedness | means, with respect to any Person at any date of determination (without duplication), (i) all indebtedness of such Person for borrowed money, (ii) all obligations of such Person evidenced by bonds, debentures, notes or other similar instruments, (iii) all obligations of such Person in respect of letters of credit or other similar instruments (including reimbursement obligations with respect thereto), (iv) all obligations of such Person to pay the deferred and unpaid purchase price of property or services, which purchase price is due more than six months after the date of placing such property in service or taking delivery thereof or the completion of such services, except trade payables, (v) all obligations on account of principal of such Person as lessee under capitalized leases, (vi) all indebtedness of other Persons |
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secured by a lien on any asset of such Person, whether or not such indebtedness is assumed by such Person; provided that the amount of such indebtedness shall be the lesser of (a) the fair market value of such asset at such date of determination and (b) the amount of such indebtedness, and (vii) all indebtedness of other Persons guaranteed by such Person to the extent guaranteed; the amount of Indebtedness of any Person at any date shall be the outstanding balance at such date of all unconditional obligations as described above and, with respect to contingent obligations, the maximum liability upon the occurrence of the contingency giving rise to the obligation; provided that the amount outstanding at any time of any indebtedness issued with original issue discount is the face amount of such indebtedness less the remaining unamortized portion of the original issue discount of such indebtedness at such time as determined in conformity with GAAP; and; provided further that Indebtedness shall not include (i) any liability for current or deferred federal, state, local or other taxes, (ii) any trade payables or (iii) the Cost Overrun Notes issued pursuant to the Contribution Agreement; | ||
Initial Advance | means that portion of the Senior Term Loan to be advanced on the Initial Drawdown Date; | |
Initial Drawdown Date | means the Drawdown Date on which the first Advance under the Facility shall be drawn down pursuant to Section 3; | |
Initial Payment Date | means that day which is the last Banking Day of the first complete fiscal quarter after the Delivery Date; | |
Interest Bearing Debt | means the aggregate Indebtedness of the Borrower, less any existing shareholders notes and loans, so long as interest accrued thereon is not paid; | |
Interest Period | means periods of one, (1) three (3) or six (6) months selected by the Borrower pursuant to Section 6.1, or such other period selected by the Borrower and agreed to by the Agent; | |
Investment | means as to any Person any loan or advance to such Person, any purchase or other acquisition of any equity |
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interests or debt or the assets comprising a division or business unit (including any vessel) or a substantial part of all of the business of such Person, any capital contribution to such Person or any other direct or indirect investment in such Person, including, without limitation, any acquisition by way of a merger or consolidation (or similar transaction) and any arrangement pursuant to which the investor incurs Indebtedness in respect of such Person; | ||
ISM Code | means the International Safety Management Code for the Safe Operating of Ships and for Pollution Prevention constituted pursuant to Resolution A. 741(18) of the International Maritime Organization and incorporated into the Safety of Life at Sea Convention and includes any amendments or extensions thereto and any regulation issued pursuant thereto; | |
ISPS Code | means the International Ship and Port Facility Code adopted by the International Maritime Organization at a conference in December 2002 and amending the Safety of Life at Sea Convention and includes any amendments or extensions thereto and any regulation issued pursuant thereto; | |
ISSC | means the International Ship Security Certificate issued pursuant to the ISPS Code; | |
Joint Venturers | means Frontier Drillships and Shell EP Offshore Ventures Limited as the shareholders of the Borrower; | |
Junior Lenders | means the Lenders providing the Junior Term Loan and identified as such on Schedule 1; | |
Junior Term Loan | has the meaning ascribed thereto in Section 3.1(a); | |
Junior Term Loan Drawdown Date(s) | means the dates, each being a Banking Day, upon which the Borrower has requested that an Advance under the Junior Term Loan be made available to the Borrower, and such Advance is made, as provided in Section 3; | |
Junior Term Loan Note | means the promissory note to be executed by the Borrower to evidence the Junior Term Loan, substantially in the form of Exhibit B-3; |
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Keppel | means Keppel Shipyard Limited of Singapore; | |
Lender(s) | has the meaning ascribed thereto in the preamble; | |
LIBOR | means, with respect to any Interest Period, the rate per annum determined by the Agent to be equal to the quotient of (a) (i) the interest rate at which Dollar deposits are offered in the London Interbank Eurodollar Market for the applicable Interest Period determined in accordance with Section 6.1 as displayed at approximately 11:00 a.m. London time on the second Banking Day preceding the first day of such Interest Period on Page 3750 of the Telerate Service (or such other display as may replace Page 3750 on the Telerate Service) or (ii) if no such rate is displayed, the interest rate at which Dollar deposits are offered to the Agent in the London Interbank Eurodollar Market for the applicable Interest Period determined in accordance with Section 6.1 divided by (b) a number equal to 1.00 minus the LIBOR Rate Reserve Percentage; | |
LIBOR Rate Reserve Percentage | means, for any day, the maximum percentage (expressed as a decimal) specified from time to time by the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System (or any successor) for determining the maximum reserve requirements (including, but not limited to supplemental, marginal or emergency reserves) with respect to eurocurrency funding of a member bank in such system or a similar requirement of the applicable regulatory agency having jurisdiction over a Lender; | |
Majority Lenders | means Senior Lenders whose Commitments exceed sixty-six and two-thirds percent (66 2/3%) of the total Commitments; | |
MDO Account | means the account, to be maintained with a bank acceptable to the Agent into which all earnings relating to the MDO Contract shall be deposited in accordance with the Bareboat Charter; | |
MDO Contract | means the marine drilling order dated as of June 4, 2007 between Shell and Frontier Drillships and assigned to the Borrower, and subsequently assigned to the Operating Entity and the marine drilling agreement dated |
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December 19, 2005 between Shell Exploration & Production and FDR Holdings; | ||
Mortgage | means the first preferred mortgage to cover the Vessel under the laws of the Republic of the Marshall Islands, to be granted by the Borrower in favor of the Security Trustee, substantially in the form of Exhibit C, as set out in Section 9.1(s); | |
Notes | means collectively, the Senior Term Loan Note, the Senior Revolver Note and the Junior Term Loan Note; | |
Notice of Pledge of Earnings Account | means the notice of pledge of Earnings Account to be executed by the Borrower and consented to by the Agent, substantially in the form of Exhibit H-2; | |
Operating Entity | means Bully Drilling, Ltd., an exempt company incorporated in the Cayman Islands, and any permitted successor or assign; | |
Operating Rate | means the Operating Rate, Reduced Operating Rate, the Re-Drill Rate and the Force Majeure Rate (each as defined in the MDO Contract); | |
Operator | means, with respect to the Vessel, the Borrower or an affiliate of the Borrower, or, subject to the sole discretion of the Agent, such Person(s) with whom the Borrower has contracted to be concerned with the operation of the Vessel and falls within the definition of Company set out in rule 1.1.2 of the ISM Code; | |
Payment Dates | means the Initial Payment Date and the dates falling at quarterly intervals thereafter, the last of which is the Final Payment Date; provided, that if any such date is not a Banking Day, then the relevant Payment Date shall be the next following Banking Day unless such next following Banking Day falls in the following month, in which case such Payment Date shall be the immediately preceding Banking Day; | |
Permitted Indebtedness | means (i) Indebtedness under this Facility, (ii) Indebtedness under the Contribution Agreement, (iii) trade debt incurred in the ordinary course of business which is not more than thirty (30) days past due or is being disputed in good faith and (iv) Indebtedness |
16
to fund any cost overruns not funded by the Standby Funding or the Junior Term Loan; provided that the Borrower requests and receives the prior written consent of the Agent, in its sole discretion, and any such Indebtedness is fully subordinated on a cash basis and a security basis to the obligations of the Borrower to the Lenders hereunder and under the Security Documents on terms acceptable to the Agent on behalf of the Lenders; | ||
Permitted Liens | means: | |
(i) liens for Taxes not at the time delinquent or thereafter payable without penalty or being contested in good faith, provided provision is made to the extent required by GAAP for the eventual payment thereof in the event it is found that such are payable by the Borrower; | ||
(ii) liens of carriers, warehousemen, mechanics, materialmen and landlords, including, but not limited to, trade credit under industry standard terms, incurred in the ordinary course of business for sums not overdue or being contested in good faith, provided provision is made to the extent required by GAAP for the eventual payment thereof in the event it is found that such sums are payable by the Borrower; | ||
(iii) maritime liens: | ||
(a) arising in the ordinary course of business by operation of law in respect of sums which are not overdue or of which the Borrower is unaware or that are being contested in good faith by appropriate proceedings and for which reserves have been made to the reasonable satisfaction of the Agent; or | ||
(b) arising in connection with salvage and general average; or | ||
(c) arising in connection with crew wages claimed but not paid; | ||
(iv) liens incurred in the ordinary course of business |
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in connection with workers compensation, unemployment insurance or other forms of governmental insurance or benefits, or to secure performance of tenders and statutory obligations entered into in the ordinary course of business or to secure obligations on surety or appeal bonds in the ordinary course of business or easements, rights of way and similar encumbrances incurred in the ordinary course of business and not interfering with the ordinary conduct of the business of the Borrower; | ||
(v) liens incurred in connection with Permitted Indebtedness; and | ||
(vi) liens required by the terms of this Agreement; | ||
Person | means any individual, sole proprietorship, corporation, partnership (general or limited), limited liability company, business trust, bank, trust company, joint venture, association, joint stock company, trust or other unincorporated organization, whether or not a legal entity, or any government or agency or political subdivision thereof; | |
Plan | means any employee benefit plan covered by Title IV of ERISA; | |
Pledge of Earnings Account | means the pledge or assignment executed or to be executed by the Borrower in favor of the Security Trustee in respect of the Earnings Account, substantially in the form of the Account Pledge set out in Exhibit H-1; | |
Pledgor(s) | means each of the Borrower, Frontier Drillships and Shell EP Offshore Ventures Limited and any party acquiring an ownership stake in the Borrower in connection with the Approved Joint Venture; | |
Purchasers | means each of the purchasers identified in the Sponsor Purchase Agreement; | |
Reset Letter | means the letter dated July 2, 2007, entered into by and between the Borrower and the Agent, on behalf of the Lenders, in respect of the Approved Joint Venture; |
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Scheduled Debt Service | means, with respect to the Borrower, the periodic payments necessary to meet principal and interest requirements of the Borrowers Indebtedness; | |
Security Document(s) | means the Mortgage, the Assignments, the Share Pledge Agreements, the Pledge of Earnings Account, the Collateral Pledge or any documents required by the Agent in substitution for any of the foregoing and any other documents that may be executed as security for the repayment of the Facilities; | |
Security Party(ies) | means the Borrower and the Pledgors or any of them, as the context may require; | |
Security Period | means the period from the Initial Drawdown Date to the date upon which the Facilities and all other amounts due to the Lenders pursuant to this Agreement, the Notes and the Security Documents becomes repayable and is repaid in full or prepaid in full; | |
Security Trustee | has the meaning ascribed thereto in the preamble; | |
Senior Facility | means the Senior Term Loan and the Senior Revolver; | |
Senior Lenders | means those Lenders providing the Senior Term Loan and Senior Revolver and identified as such on Schedule 1; | |
Senior Revolver | has the meaning ascribed thereto in Section 3.1(a); | |
Senior Revolver Drawdown Date(s) | means the dates, each being a Banking Day, upon which the Borrower has requested that an Advance under the Senior Revolver be made available to the Borrower, and such Advance is made, as provided in Section 3; | |
Senior Revolver Note | means the promissory note to be executed by the Borrower to evidence the Senior Revolver, substantially in the form of Exhibit B-2; | |
Senior Term Loan | has the meaning ascribed thereto in Section 3.1(a); | |
Senior Term Loan Drawdown Date | means the date, being a Banking Day, upon which the Borrower has requested that the Senior Term Loan be made available to the Borrower, and such Advance is made, as provided in Section 3; |
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Senior Term Loan Note | means the promissory note to be executed by the Borrower to evidence the Senior Term Loan, substantially in the form of Exhibit B-1; | |
Share Pledge Agreement(s) | means the pledge of ordinary shares of the Borrower and the Operating Entity to be executed by the Pledgors in favor of the Security Trustee pursuant to Section 4.1(d) hereof substantially in the form of Exhibit G; | |
Shell | means Shell Offshore Inc., a corporation organized under the laws of the State of Delaware; | |
Shell EP Offshore Ventures Limited | means Shell EP Offshore Ventures Limited, a company organized under the laws of the United Kingdom and a 100% subsidiary of Enterprise Oil Limited; | |
SMC | means a safety management certificate issued in respect of the Vessel in accordance with Rule 13 of the ISM Code; | |
Sponsor Purchase Agreement | means the Preferred Shares, Notes and Ordinary Shares Purchase Agreement dated as of October 30, 2007 between FDR Holdings, Frontier Drillships and the Purchasers in respect of the obligation of the Purchasers to purchase securities of Frontier Drillships and FDR Holdings in connection with (i) the Capital Contribution Funding in the aggregate amount of $33,500,000 and (ii) the Standby Funding in the aggregate principal amount of up to $50,000,000, all on the terms and conditions provided therein; | |
Standby Funding | means the committed standby funding to be provided by the Joint Venturers pursuant to the Contribution Agreement to fund cost overruns in the maximum aggregate principal amount of One Hundred Million Dollars ($100,000,000); provided, however that such commitment may be reduced to Fifty Million Dollars ($50,000,000) if after arrival of the Vessel at Keppel and the arrival of all major equipment and components to be incorporated into the Vessel (other than the blow-out preventer and drilling riser) the Technical Advisor shall confirm to the Agent that the Construction is still |
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scheduled to be completed on time and within budget materially in accordance with the Construction Plan; | ||
Subsidiary(ies) | means, with respect to any Person, any business entity of which more than 50% of the outstanding voting stock or other equity interest is owned directly or indirectly by such Person and/or one or more other Subsidiaries of such Person; | |
Taxes | means any present or future income or other taxes, levies, duties, charges, fees, deductions, or withholdings of any nature now or hereafter imposed, levied, collected, withheld, or assessed by any taxing authority whatsoever, except for (i) taxes on or measured by the overall net income, gross income, gross receipts or capital of the Agent or a Lender (however denominated or franchise taxes imposed in lieu of such a tax) imposed by the national, state or local jurisdiction in which a Lender is organized, or in which its principal office is located, or in which the Facilities are booked, or imposed by any governmental subdivision or taxing authority of any thereof or by the jurisdiction selected by a Lender (or any political subdivision or taxing authority thereof) in which the Facility Balance is from time to time payable, (ii) any branch profits taxes imposed by the United States of America or any similar tax imposed by any other jurisdiction, (iii) such taxes as are levied as a result of business transactions of the Agent or any Lender that are unrelated to the transactions contemplated by this Agreement and (iv) any withholding tax to the extent it is attributable to such Foreign Lenders failure or inability (other than as a result of a change in law) to comply with Section 11.5; | |
Technical Advisor | means Det Norske Veritas AS in Oslo, Norway who shall advise the Agent and Lenders in connection with the Construction; | |
Total Loss | has the meaning ascribed thereto in the Mortgage; | |
Underwriting Letter | means the letter dated the date hereof, entered into by and between the Borrower and the Agent in respect of the fees referred to therein; |
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Utilization Rate | means the percentage obtained by dividing (i) the number of days the Operating Entity is entitled to receive compensation at the Operating Rate for a given period by (ii) the actual number of days in such period; and | |
Vessel | means the drillship to be named Frontier Bully I to be constructed in accordance with the Construction Contracts and registered under the laws and flag of the Republic of the Marshall Islands. |
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(a) | Use of Proceeds. The Borrower requires the Facilities for use in connection with its lawful corporate purposes and for no other purposes and the Borrowers use of the Facilities does not contravene any law, official requirement or other regulatory measure or procedure implemented to combat money laundering (as defined in Article 1 of the Directive (91/308/EEC) of the Council of the European Communities) and comparable United States Federal and state laws; | ||
(b) | Corporate Status. Each of the Security Parties is a company duly organized and validly existing under the laws of its jurisdiction of formation, and are qualified to do business in each jurisdiction wherein the nature of the business transacted thereby makes such qualification necessary; | ||
(c) | Corporate Authority. Each of the Security Parties has full power and authority to, and all necessary consents and authorities have been obtained to permit the Borrower to carry on its business as now being conducted and enter into and perform its obligations under this Agreement, the Notes and the Security Documents to which it is a party and to borrow, service and repay the Facilities and no further consents or authorities are necessary for the service and repayment of the Facilities or any part thereof; | ||
(d) | MDO Contract Validity. The MDO Contract constitutes a legal, valid and binding obligation of the Operating Entity and, to the best of the Borrowers knowledge, Shell, enforceable in accordance with its terms, subject, however, to the effect of insolvency or bankruptcy laws affecting generally the enforcement of creditors rights; | ||
(e) | Enforceability. Each of this Agreement, the Notes and the Security Documents constitutes the legal, valid and binding obligation of each of the Security Parties as is a party thereto, enforceable thereagainst in |
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accordance with its terms, subject, however, to the effect of insolvency or bankruptcy laws affecting generally the enforcement of creditors rights; | |||
(f) | Filings; Stamp Taxes. Other than the recording of the Mortgage with the Maritime Administrator of the Republic of the Marshall Islands in New York on the Delivery Date and the filing of UCC Financing Statements with the Recorder of Deeds in Washington, D.C. in respect of the Security Documents, and fees consequent thereto, it is not necessary for the legality, validity, enforceability or admissibility into evidence of this Agreement, the Notes or the Security Documents that any of them or any document relating thereto be registered, filed recorded or enrolled with any court or authority in any relevant jurisdiction or that any stamp, registration or similar Taxes be paid on or in relation to this Agreement, the Notes or any of the Security Documents; | ||
(g) | Approvals; Consents. All consents, licenses, approvals and authorizations required, whether by statute or otherwise, in connection with the entry into and performance by each of the Security Parties, and the validity and enforceability against each of the Security Parties, of this Agreement, the Notes and the Security Documents to which it is a party have been obtained and are in full force and effect; | ||
(h) | Violation of Law, Contracts. The execution and delivery of, the performance of its obligations under, and compliance by each of the Security Parties with the provisions of this Agreement, the Notes and the Security Documents to which they are parties do not, and will not during the Security Period, contravene (i) any applicable law or regulation existing at the date hereof, (ii) any contractual restriction binding each of the Security Parties or their assets or (iii) the constituting instruments of the Borrower the Operating Entity or the Pledgors; | ||
(i) | Litigation. No action, suit or proceeding is pending or threatened against any Security Party which is likely to affect adversely the ability of any Security Party to perform its obligations hereunder; | ||
(j) | Defaults. Neither the Borrower nor the Operating Entity is in default under any material agreement by which it is bound, nor is it in default in respect of any material financial commitments or obligations. No material default has occurred and is continuing or would result from the consummation of the transaction contemplated by this Agreement or any other Security Document; |
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(k) | Investment Company. None of the Security Parties are required to be registered as an investment company (as defined in the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended); | ||
(l) | Margin Stock. None of the proceeds of the Facilities will be used to purchase or carry margin stock or extend credit to others for the purpose of purchasing or carrying margin stock within the meanings of Regulations T, U or X of the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System; neither the Borrower nor the Pledgors is engaged in the business of extending credit for the purpose of purchasing or carrying margin stock within the meaning of Regulations T, U or X of the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System; | ||
(m) | Financial Information. All information and other data furnished by the Security Parties to the Agent or the Lenders are complete and correct and accurately and fairly represent the financial condition of the Borrower or the Operating Entity, as the case may be, as of the date or respective dates thereof and the results of operations thereof for the period or respective periods covered by such financial information, and there has been no material adverse change in the financial condition or results of operations thereof other than as previously disclosed to the Agent in writing; neither the Borrower nor the Operating Entity has any contingent obligations, liabilities for taxes or other outstanding financial obligations which are material in the aggregate except as disclosed in such statements, information and data; | ||
(n) | The Vessel. |
(i) | During Construction, the Vessel will be insured in accordance with Section 9.1(l). | ||
(ii) | After completion of the Construction: |
(a) | the Vessel will be classed in the highest classification and rating for vessels of the same age and type with the relevant Classification Society without any material outstanding overdue recommendations affecting class; | ||
(b) | the Vessel will be in every material way fit for its intended services; | ||
(c) | the Vessel will comply with all relevant laws, regulations and requirements (including environmental laws, regulations and requirements), statutory or otherwise, as are applicable to (A) vessels documented under Marshall |
25
Islands flag and (B) vessels engaged in a trade or operations similar to that to be performed by the Vessel, except where the failure to so comply would not have a material adverse effect on the operation of the Vessel in its intended trade or the financial condition of the Borrower; | |||
(d) | the Facility will be secured by the Mortgage, entered into by the Borrower in favor of the Security Trustee; and | ||
(e) | the Vessel will be insured in accordance with the provisions of the Mortgage and Section 9.1(l) herein. |
(o) | Ownership. (i) All of the outstanding ordinary shares of the Operating Entity are owned by the Borrower, (ii) 50% of the outstanding ordinary shares of the Borrower are owned by Frontier Drillships and (iii) 50% of the outstanding ordinary shares of the Borrower are owned by Shell EP Offshore Ventures Ltd., and (iv) all of the outstanding ordinary shares of Frontier Drillships are owned by FDR Holdings. None of such ordinary shares or capital stock is, other than as provided in the Sponsor Purchase Agreement or the Approved Joint Venture, subject to any existing option, warrant, call, right, commitment or other agreement of any character to which either the Borrower, the Operating Entity or the Pledgors is a party requiring, and there are no securities or interests of the Borrower outstanding which upon conversion or exchange would require, the issuance, sale or transfer of any additional equity interests of the Borrower or the Operating Entity or other securities convertible into, exchangeable for or evidencing the right to subscribe for or purchase partnership interests, ordinary shares or other equity securities of the Borrower or the Operating Entity, as the case may be. There are no shareholder agreements or other written agreements among the Borrowers shareholders other than as contemplated by the Sponsor Purchase Agreement, the Contribution Agreement or the Approved Joint Venture; | ||
(p) | Foreign Assets Control Regulation. None of the transactions contemplated herein will violate any of the provisions of the Foreign Assets Control Regulations of the United States of America (Title 31, Code of Federal Regulations, Chapter V, Part 500, as amended), any of the provisions of the Cuban Assets Control Regulations of the United States of America (Title 31, Code of Federal Regulations, Chapter V, Part 515, as amended), any of the provisions of the Iranian Assets Control Regulations (Title 31, Code of Federal Regulations, Chapter V, Part 560, as amended) or any provisions of Executive Order No. 12810, or any of the provisions of the Regulations of the United States of |
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America Governing Transactions in Foreign Shipping of Merchandise (Title 31, Code of Federal Regulations, Chapter V, Part 505, as amended); | |||
(q) | Offices. The registered office of each of the Borrower and the Operating Entity is located at Appleby Trust (Cayman) Ltd., Clifton House, 75 Fort Street, P.O. Box 1350, Grand Cayman KY1-1108, Cayman Islands; | ||
(r) | ERISA. The execution and delivery by the Borrower of this Agreement, the Notes and the Security Documents and the consummation by the Borrower of the transactions hereunder and thereunder will not involve any prohibited transaction within the meaning of ERISA or Section 4975 of the Code. No condition exists or event or transaction has occurred in connection with any Plan maintained or contributed to by any Security Party or any ERISA Affiliate thereof resulting from the failure of any thereof to comply with ERISA insofar as ERISA applies thereto which is reasonably likely to result in the Borrower, the Operating Entity or the Pledgors or any ERISA Affiliate thereof incurring any liability, fine or penalty which individually or in the aggregate would have a material adverse effect on the Borrower, the Operating Entity or the Pledgors; | ||
(s) | Taxes. The Borrower and the Operating Entity have each filed or caused to be filed all tax returns which are required to have been filed and have paid all taxes shown to be due and payable on said returns or on any assessments made against it or any of its property or assets; | ||
(t) | Payments Free of Taxes. All payments made or to be made by the Borrower under or pursuant to this Agreement, the Notes and the Security Documents may be made free and clear of, and without deduction or withholding for or on account of, any Taxes, provided all Foreign Lenders comply with Section 11.5; | ||
(u) | Environmental Compliance. (i) Each of the Borrower and the Operating Entity is in material compliance with all applicable United States federal and state, local, foreign and international laws, regulations, conventions and agreements relating to pollution prevention or protection of human health or the environment (including, without limitation, ambient air, surface water, ground water, navigable waters, waters of the contiguous zone, ocean waters and international waters), including, without limitation, laws, regulations, conventions and agreements relating to (1) emissions, discharges, releases or threatened releases of chemicals, pollutants, contaminants, |
27
wastes, toxic substances, hazardous materials, oil, hazardous substances, petroleum and petroleum products and by-products (Materials of Environmental Concern), and (2) the manufacture, processing, distribution, use, treatment, storage, disposal, transport or handling of Materials of Environmental Concern (Environmental Laws); (ii) each of the Borrower and the Operating Entity has all permits (except those permits the failure of which to obtain would not result in a material adverse affect), licenses, approvals, rulings, variances, exemptions, clearances, consents or other authorizations required under applicable Environmental Laws (Environmental Approvals) and each of the Borrower and the Operating Entity will, when required, be in material compliance with all Environmental Approvals required to operate its business as then being conducted; (iii) neither the Borrower nor the Operating Entity has received any notice of any claim, action, cause of action, investigation or demand by any Person, entity, enterprise or government, or any political subdivision, intergovernmental body or agency, department or instrumentality thereof, alleging potential liability for, or a requirement to incur, investigatory costs, cleanup costs, response and/or remedial costs (whether incurred by a governmental entity or otherwise), natural resources damages, property damages, Personal injuries, attorneys fees and expenses, or fines or penalties, in each case arising out of, based on or resulting from (1) the presence, or release or threat of release into the environment, of any Materials of Environmental Concern at any location, whether or not owned by such Person, or (2) circumstances forming the basis of any violation, or alleged violation, of any Environmental Law or Environmental Approval (Environmental Claim) (other than Environmental Claims that have been fully and finally adjudicated or otherwise determined and all fines, penalties and other costs, if any, payable by the Borrower or the Operating Entity, as the case may be, in respect thereof have been paid in full or which are fully covered by insurance (including permitted deductibles)); and (iv) to the best of the Borrowers knowledge there are no circumstances that may prevent or interfere with such material compliance in the future; | |||
(v) | Environmental Claims. There is no Environmental Claim pending or, to the best of the Borrowers knowledge, threatened against the Borrower or the Operating Entity; | ||
(w) | Past Environmental Matters. To the best of the Borrowers knowledge, there is no past or present actions, activities, circumstances, conditions, events or incidents, including, without limitation, the release, emission, discharge or disposal of any Materials of Environmental Concern, that |
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could form the basis of any Environmental Claim against the Borrower or Operating Entity; | |||
(x) | Compliance with ISM Code and ISPS Code. Upon the Delivery Date, the Vessel and its respective Operator will comply with, to the extent applicable, with the requirements of the ISM Code, and the ISPS Code including (but not limited to) the maintenance and renewal of valid certificates pursuant thereto; | ||
(y) | Borrowers Activities. The Borrower (i) is not engaged in any other business activity other than the Construction and chartering of the Vessel and activities relating thereto, (ii) has no subsidiaries other than as permitted by this Agreement and as disclosed to the Agent, and (iii) has no Indebtedness other than Permitted Indebtedness; | ||
(z) | Sponsor Purchase Agreement. The Sponsor Purchase Agreement has been entered into by the parties thereto and remains in full force and effect; | ||
(aa) | Choice of Law. The choice of New York law to govern the Facility, and all documents appertaining thereto, and submission to the jurisdiction of the New York courts is valid and binding; | ||
(bb) | Liens. Other than Permitted Liens, there are no liens of any kind on any property owned by the Borrower other than those liens created pursuant to this Agreement or the Security Documents or permitted thereby; | ||
(cc) | Solvency. (a) the present fair market salable value of its assets is not and shall not be less than the amount that will be required to pay its probable liability on its then existing debts, including, to the extent they are reportable as such in accordance with GAAP, contingent liabilities, as they mature, (b) the Borrower does not and will not have unreasonably small working capital with which to continue its business and (c) the Borrower has not incurred, does not intend to incur and does not believe it will incur, debts beyond its ability to pay such debts as they mature; | ||
(dd) | Title to Property. Borrower has good and marketable title to, or valid and subsisting leasehold interest in, its properties and assets, including all property forming a part of any security created pursuant to this Agreement or the Security Documents or permitted thereby; | ||
(ee) | Survival of Representations. All representations, covenants and warranties made herein and in any certificate or other document |
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delivered pursuant hereto or in connection herewith shall survive (i) the making of the Facilities, (ii) the issuance of the Notes to be issued by the Borrower hereunder, and (iii) shall be reaffirmed and have full force and effect as if entered into upon any Drawdown Date or upon the making of any Drawdown under any of the Facilities. |
(a) | Senior Facility. The Senior Facility provided by the Senior Lenders shall be comprised of two (2) tranches as follows: |
(i) | A term loan in the aggregate principal amount of up to Three Hundred and Seventy Five Million Dollars ($375,000,000) (the Senior Term Loan) for the purpose of partly financing the Construction of the Vessel; and | ||
(ii) | A revolving credit facility in the aggregate principal amount of up to Forty Million Dollars ($40,000,000) (the Senior Revolver) for the purpose of (i) partly financing the Construction of the Vessel, and (ii) financing general working capital needs; |
(b) | Junior Term Loan. The Junior Term Loan provided by the Junior Lenders shall be comprised of a credit facility in the aggregate principal amount of up to Fifty Million Dollars ($50,000,000) (the Junior Term Loan) solely for the purpose of financing, together with the Standby Funding, potential cost overruns related to the Construction; |
(a) | With respect to the Senior Term Loan, each of the Senior Lenders, relying upon each of the representations and warranties set out in Section 2, hereby severally and not jointly agrees with the Borrower that, subject to and upon the terms of this Agreement, it will on a Senior Term Loan Drawdown Date make its portion of each Advance available through the Agent to the Borrower or its order in an aggregate amount not to exceed its Commitment ratably with the other Senior Lenders according to their respective Commitments, provided that (i) any such Advance shall be in a minimum amount of Five Million Dollars ($5,000,000); (ii) the last Senior Term Loan Drawdown Date shall be no later than December 30, 2010; and (iii) all Senior Term Loan Drawdown |
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Dates are in accordance and correspond to the payment schedules of the construction yard and vendors as contemplated by the Construction Plan; | |||
(b) | With respect to the Senior Revolver, each of the Senior Lenders, relying upon each of the representations and warranties set out in Section 2, hereby severally and not jointly agrees with the Borrower that, subject to and upon the terms of this Agreement, it will, on each Senior Revolver Drawdown Date, make its portion of each Advance available through the Agent to the Borrower or its order in an aggregate amount not to exceed its Commitment ratably with the other Senior Lenders according to their respective Commitments; provided that (i) any such Advance shall be in a minimum amount of Two Million Dollars ($2,000,000); (ii) no more than ten (10) Senior Revolver Advances shall be outstanding at any time; and (iii) the last Senior Revolver Drawdown Date shall be the date which is no later than one month immediately preceding the Final Payment Date; and | ||
(c) | With respect to the Junior Term Loan, each of the Junior Lenders, relying upon each of the representations and warranties set out in Section 2, hereby severally and not jointly agrees with the Borrower that, subject to and upon the terms of this Agreement, it will, on each Junior Term Loan Drawdown Date, make its portion of each Advance available through the Agent to the Borrower or its order in an aggregate amount not to exceed its Commitment ratably with the other Junior Lenders according to their respective Commitments, provided that (i) any such Advance shall be in a minimum amount of One Million Dollars ($1,000,000); (ii) the last Junior Term Loan Drawdown Date shall be no later than December 30, 2010; (iii) the Senior Term Loan has been fully drawn and the Borrower has decided to draw on the Junior Term Loan; and (iv) the Joint Venturers have made Standby Funding contributions pursuant to the Contribution Agreement in a total amount equal to the amount of the Advance made under the Junior Term Loan and such contributions are made on or prior to the Junior Term Loan Drawdown Date. |
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(a) | Borrower Documents. the Agent shall have received the following documents in form and substance satisfactory to the Agent and its counsel: |
(i) | copies, certified as true and complete by an officer of the Borrower, of the resolutions of the board of directors and shareholders of the Borrower evidencing approval of this Agreement, the Notes and the Security Documents to which it is a party and authorizing an appropriate officer or officers or attorney or attorneys-in-fact to execute the same on its behalf; | ||
(ii) | certified copies of all documents evidencing any other necessary action (including by such parties thereto other than the Borrower as may be required by the Agent), approvals or consents with respect to this Agreement, the Notes and the Security Documents; | ||
(iii) | certified copies of the constitutional documents of the Borrower and all amendments thereto; | ||
(iv) | a good standing certificate or the equivalent thereto for the Borrower; and |
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(v) | evidence that the Borrower is the legal and beneficial owner of one hundred percent (100%) of the ordinary shares of the Operating Entity, as set forth in Section 2.1(o). |
(b) | Other Security Party Corporate Documents. the Agent shall have received from Frontier Drillships, the Operating Entity and Shell EP Offshore Ventures Limited the following documents in form and substance satisfactory to the Agent and its counsel: |
(i) | copies, certified as true and complete by an officer or director of each of Frontier Drillships, the Operating Entity and Shell EP Offshore Ventures Limited of the resolutions of its respective board of directors authorizing an appropriate officer(s) or director(s), attorney or attorneys-in-fact or other authorized Person to execute the same on its behalf; | ||
(ii) | certified copies of all documents evidencing any other necessary action (including by such parties thereto other than Frontier Drillships, the Operating Entity and Shell EP Offshore Ventures Limited as may be required by the Agent), approvals or consents with respect to the Security Documents to which it is a party; | ||
(iii) | certified copies of constitutional documents and all amendments thereto; | ||
(iv) | a good standing certificate or the equivalent from the jurisdiction of formation of Frontier Drillships, the Operating Entity and Shell EP Offshore Ventures Limited; and | ||
(v) | evidence that each of Frontier Drillships and Shell EP Offshore Ventures Limited, is the legal and beneficial owner of fifty percent (50%) of ordinary shares of the Borrower, as set forth in Section 2.1(o); |
(c) | This Agreement and Notes. the Borrower shall have duly executed and delivered this Agreement and the Notes to the Agent; | ||
(d) | Security Documents. (i) the Borrower shall have executed and delivered to the Agent: (A) the Assignments of Construction Contracts, the Assignment of Collateral Pledge, the Assignment of Insurances, the Assignment of Earnings and each of the applicable Assignment Notices related thereto and (B) such Uniform Commercial Code Financing Statements as the Agent shall require, each in form and substance satisfactory to the Agent; (ii) the Pledgors shall have executed and delivered to the Agent the Share Pledge Agreements |
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together with the share certificates, if certificated, irrevocable proxies, instruments of transfer and other documents to be delivered pursuant thereto; (iii) and the Operating Entity shall have, pursuant to the terms of the Bareboat Charter, executed the Collateral Pledge and applicable assignment notices (including all required notices of assignment of insurances and notices of account pledges) related thereto; provided, however, that the Borrower shall have fifteen (15) days from the date of this Agreement to obtain any acknowledgments to the Assignment Notices related to the Assignments of Construction Contracts; |
(e) | Delivery of Construction Contracts. the Agent shall have received a copy each of the Construction Contracts, certified as true and complete by an officer of the Borrower, which contracts shall be reviewed and approved by the Technical Advisor on behalf of the Agent; | ||
(f) | Construction Plan. the Agent shall have received a copy of the Construction Plan, certified as true and complete by an officer of the Borrower, which plan shall be reviewed and approved by the Technical Advisor on behalf of the Agent; | ||
(g) | MDO Contract. the Borrower shall have delivered to the Agent a copy of the duly signed and executed MDO Contract, in form and substance reasonably acceptable to the Agent; | ||
(h) | Bareboat Charter. the Agent shall have received a copy, certified by an officer of each of the Borrower and the Operating Entity, of the Bareboat Charter between the Borrower and the Operating Entity; | ||
(i) | Standby Funding. the Agent shall have received a copy of the Contribution Agreement in form and substance satisfactory to the Agent demonstrating the commitment of the Joint Venturers to provide the Borrower with up to One Hundred Million Dollars ($100,000,000) in additional funds to pay Construction overrun costs; | ||
(j) | Financial Statements; Solvency. the Agent shall have received pro forma financial statements for the Borrower, which financial statements shall evidence satisfactorily to the Lenders the solvency of the Borrower; | ||
(k) | Legality. the Agent being satisfied that no Event of Default has occurred, no event which is likely to become an Event of Default has occurred, no Event of Default will arise following the making of the Initial Advance and that no event or state of affairs exists which constitutes, in the opinion of the Agent, a threat that it will be unlawful |
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for the Borrower or any other Security Party to make any payment as required under the terms of this Agreement, the Notes and the Security Documents or any of them; |
(l) | Licenses, Consents and Approvals. the Agent shall have received satisfactory evidence that all necessary licenses, consents and approvals in connection with the transactions contemplated by this Agreement, the Notes and the Security Documents have been obtained; | ||
(m) | Environmental Claims. the Agent shall be satisfied that neither the Borrower nor any other Security Party is subject to any Environmental Claim which could have a material adverse effect on the business, assets or results of operations of any thereof; | ||
(n) | Money Laundering Due Diligence. the Agent having received such documentation and other evidence as is reasonably requested by the Agent in order for each Lender to carry out and be satisfied with the results of all necessary know your client or other checks which it is required to carry out in relation to the transactions contemplated by this Agreement, the Notes and the Security Documents; | ||
(o) | Process Agent. C T Corporation System shall have delivered to the Agent a signed copy of its acceptance of appointment as agent as provided for in Section 15.2; | ||
(p) | Fees. the Agent shall have received payment of the fees payable under Section 14; | ||
(q) | Legal Opinions. the Agent shall have received opinions, dated the date hereof, each in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Agent and its counsel, from (i) Gardere Wynne Sewell LLP, special counsel to the Security Parties (other than Shell EP Offshore Ventures Limited) and the Operating Entity, (ii) Appleby, special Cayman Islands counsel to the Borrower, (iii) Slaughter and May, special counsel to Shell EP Offshore Ventures Limited relating to their respective Share Pledge Agreement, (iv) Seward & Kissel LLP, special counsel to the Agent, and (v) such other legal counsel as requested by the Agent; | ||
(r) | Tax Report. the Agent shall have received a tax report from Deloitte Tax LLP relating to the tax structure of the Approved Joint Venture, as prepared for Frontier Drillships and in form and substance satisfactory to the Lenders in their sole discretion; |
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(s) | Material Contracts. the Arranger shall have reviewed and approved the Construction Contracts, the Construction Plan, and any and all material contracts or documents it deems appropriate; | ||
(t) | Capital Contribution Funding. the Agent shall have received evidence that $48,000,000 of the Capital Contribution Funding has been made by the Joint Venturers prior to the Drawdown of the Initial Advance and shall have received a copy of the Contribution Agreement providing for, among other things, a commitment of an additional $67,000,000 for the Initial Funding, for a total Capital Contribution Funding of $115,000,000 for the Initial Funding; | ||
(u) | Technical Advisor. the Technical Advisor shall have been appointed to act on behalf of the Agent and the Lenders; | ||
(v) | Insurance. if Construction has commenced, (i) the Agent shall have received evidence that the Vessel is insured during Construction thereof, such insurances to include all risks hull and machinery (including excess risks), builders risks and to be satisfactory to the Agent in its reasonable discretion, and (ii) the Agent shall have received a favorable report from the Borrowers insurance brokers confirming that the insurances placed on the Vessel are in compliance with the Credit Agreement and the Mortgage during the Construction and operational phase of the Project; | ||
(w) | Joint Venture. Shell EP Offshore Venture Limited shall have made a capital contribution to the Borrower and purchased 50% of the outstanding capital shares of the Borrower; | ||
(x) | Shell Acknowledgement. the Borrower shall have delivered to the Agent a duly signed and executed acknowledgement by Shell to Collateral Pledge; and | ||
(y) | Sponsor Purchase Agreement. the Agent shall have received a duly executed copy of the Sponsor Purchase Agreement. |
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(i) | a certificate from an officer of the Borrower and the Operating Entity certifying that each of the corporate documents delivered in connection with Section 4.1 remain in effect on the Delivery Date and that the resolutions provided in connection with 4.1 have not been amended, modified or rescinded and remain in full force and effect on the Delivery Date; | ||
(ii) | a good standing certificate or the equivalent thereto for each Security Party; |
(i) | satisfies all of the requirements of Section 9.1(s) hereof; | ||
(ii) | is classed in the highest classification and rating for vessels of the same age and type with the relevant Classification Society without any material outstanding overdue recommendations affecting class; | ||
(iii) | is in every material way fit for its intended service (and the Agent shall have received copies of any technical surveys the Lenders may require made by the Technical Advisor or surveyors appointed by the Agent at the expense of the Borrower) and has been accepted by Shell under the MDO Contract; | ||
(iv) | is duly licensed and all necessary consents and approvals will have been obtained for the operation of the Vessel; and | ||
(v) | in compliance with all relevant laws, regulations and requirements (including environmental laws, regulations and requirements), statutory or otherwise, as are applicable to (A) vessels of the same type as the Vessel documented under Marshall Islands flag and (B) vessels engaged in a trade or operations similar to that to be performed by the Vessel, except where the failure to so comply would not have a material adverse effect on the operation of the Vessel in its intended trade or operations or the financial condition of the respective owners. |
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(a) | Drawdown Notice. the Agent having received a Drawdown Notice in accordance with the terms of Section 3.4; | ||
(b) | Representations and Warranties. the representations stated in Section 2 (updated mutatis mutandis to such date) being true and correct as if made on and as of that date; | ||
(c) | Liens. the Agent shall have received evidence satisfactory to it and to its legal advisers that, save for Permitted Liens and the liens created by the Mortgage and the Security Documents, there are no liens, charges or encumbrances of any kind whatsoever on the Vessel, its earnings or insurances or on any other assets thereof except as permitted hereby or by any of the Security Documents; | ||
(d) | Material Adverse Change. there having been no material adverse change in the financial condition of the Borrower or the Operating Entity since the date hereof other than the transactions contemplated hereby; provided that cost overruns heretofore incurred and modifications to the Construction Plan approved pursuant to Section 9.2(o) shall not be deemed to be a material adverse change. For |
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purposes of this Section 4.3(d), any increases in the cost of Construction covered by existing or new funding commitments in favor of the Borrower shall not be considered a material adverse change; provided that in connection with any new funding commitments the Borrower requests and receives the prior written consent of the Agent, in its sole discretion, and any such commitments are fully subordinated on a cash basis and a security basis to the obligations of the Borrower to the Lenders hereunder and under the Security Documents; |
(e) | No Event of Default. no Event of Default, or event which with the passing of time or the giving of notice, or both, would constitute an Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing and the Agent shall have received a certificate from an officer of the Borrower and any other Security Party to such effect; | ||
(f) | No Change in Laws. the Agent being satisfied that no change in any applicable laws, regulations, rules or in the interpretation thereof shall have occurred which make it unlawful for the Borrower or any other Security Party to make any payment as required under the terms of this Agreement, the Note, the Security Documents or any of them; | ||
(g) | Standby Funding and the Junior Term Loan. in respect of any Advance under the Junior Term Loan by the Junior Lenders, the Agent shall have received satisfactory evidence that an equal amount of Standby Funding has been made available by the Joint Venturers under the Contribution Agreement to the Borrower in an account held by the Borrower with the Agent; | ||
(h) | Senior Facility Interest Hedging Agreement. Within thirty (30) days of the drawdown of the Initial Advance, the Borrower shall enter into an interest rate Hedging Agreement covering at all times at least Seventy Five Percent (75%) of the aggregate outstanding amount (at any given time) of the Senior Term Loan and such agreement shall be secured on a pari passu basis with the Senior Facility; | ||
(i) | Senior Facility Currency Hedging Agreement. Within thirty (30) days of the drawdown of the Initial Advance, the Borrower shall enter into a currency Hedging Agreement covering at all times One Hundred Percent (100%) of the aggregate outstanding amount (at any given time) of any amounts under the Construction Contracts not denominated in U.S. Dollars and such agreement shall be secured on a pari passu basis with the Senior Facility; |
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(j) | Insurance. If Construction has commenced, the Agent shall have received evidence that the Vessel is insured during Construction thereof, such insurances to include comprehensive builders risks and to be satisfactory to the Agent in its reasonable discretion; and | ||
(k) | Money Laundering Due Diligence. the Agent having received such documentation and other evidence as is reasonably requested by the Agent in order for each Lender to carry out and be satisfied with the results of all necessary know your client or other checks which it is required to carry out in relation to the transactions contemplated by this Agreement, the Notes and the Security Documents. |
(a) | the principal of the Senior Term Loan in twenty (20) consecutive quarterly installments of Fifteen Million, Seven Hundred and Fifty Thousand Dollars ($15,750,000), commencing on the Initial Payment Date. The final installment shall occur on the Final Payment Date and shall be in the amount of Fifteen Million, Seven Hundred and Fifty Thousand Dollars ($15,750,000), together with a one-time balloon payment of Sixty Million Dollars ($60,000,000), plus any other amount which remains outstanding under or in connection with the Senior Term Loan on the Final Payment Date; provided, however, that if the Senior Term Loan has not been fully advanced, the balloon payment shall be reduced by such undrawn portion; |
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(b) | on the Final Payment Date, the principal of any Advances under the Senior Revolver outstanding at that time. Prior to the day which is one month prior to the Final Payment Date, the Senior Revolver may be borrowed, repaid and reborrowed; and | ||
(c) | the principal of any amount advanced under the Junior Term Loan in quarterly consecutive installments by means of a quarterly cash sweep, commencing in the third quarter after the Initial Payment Date. Beginning on the third quarter after the Initial Payment Date and ending on the Final Payment Date, the Borrower shall repay the principal of the Junior Term Loan, without penalty or premium, in an amount equal to the Excess Cash Flow (less a dividend provision of up to USD 500,000 per quarter, for an annual dividend of up to $2,000,000) of the Borrower for the quarterly period which ends on such payment date. All amounts outstanding under the Junior Term Loan shall be repaid in full on the Final Payment Date. |
(a) | any government authorization, permission, approval, or consent required for the legality, validity or enforceability of this Agreement, the Notes or any Security Document has been revoked or restricted or ceases to be in full force and effect in any way which the Agent, in the exercise of its reasonable judgment, deems prejudicial to the Lenders rights or remedies hereunder and the Agent shall have so notified the Borrower; or | ||
(b) | any judgment or order is made, the effect whereof would be to render ineffective or invalid this Agreement, the Notes or any Security Document. |
(a) | the Facilities in full upon: (i) receipt of sales proceeds of a sale of the Vessel, or (ii) the earlier of (x) one hundred and eighty (180) days after a Total Loss of the Vessel or (y) the date on which the insurance proceeds in respect of such loss are received by the Borrower; and | ||
(b) | the Facilities in part upon receipt of insurance or warranty payments, with respect to warranty claims and insurance claims for loss or damage to the Vessel in excess of $10,000,000 if the damage to the Vessel to |
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which such insurance or warranty claim relates has not been repaired by the Borrower within one hundred twenty (120) days. |
(a) | with respect to the Senior Term Loan and the Junior Term Loan, any amounts repaid or prepaid shall not be available for reborrowing; and | ||
(b) | on the date of repayment or prepayment all accrued interest to the date of such prepayment shall be paid in full with respect to the portion of the principal being prepaid together with any loss incurred by the Lenders in connection with any breaking of funding but otherwise without premium. |
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(a) | in Dollars in freely available funds, to such account as the Agent may direct; and | ||
(b) | without set-off or counterclaim and free from, clear of, and without deduction for, any Taxes, provided, however, that if the Borrower shall at any time be compelled by law to withhold or deduct any Taxes from any amounts payable to the Lenders hereunder, the Borrower shall pay such additional amounts in Dollars as may be necessary in order that the net amounts received after withholding or deduction shall equal the amounts which would have been received if such withholding or deduction were not required and, in such event, the Borrower shall |
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promptly send to the Lenders such documentary evidence with respect to such withholding or deduction as may be required from time to time by the Lenders; provided, however, that the Borrower shall not be required to pay such additional amounts to the extent they result from the exercise by a Lender of its rights under Section 11.2, a Foreign Lender fails to comply with Section 11.5 or are otherwise attributable to the act of a Lender. If as a result of a Lender failing to comply with Section 11.5 or due to other acts of the Lender that cause the Borrower to incur any withholding tax liability, such withholding tax liability may be deducted by the Borrower from any amounts payable to such Lender. |
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(a) | Facilities Payment Default. Any principal of or interest payable in connection with the Facilities is not paid on the due date thereof or any other amount becoming payable to the Lenders under this Agreement, the Notes or any of the Security Documents or any of them is not paid within five (5) Banking Days after notice; or | ||
(b) | Fee Letter or Underwriting Letter Payment Default. Any fee payable in connection with either the Fee Letter or the Underwriting Letter is not paid on the due date thereof or any other amount becoming payable to the Lenders under either the Fee Letter or the Underwriting Letter; or | ||
(c) | Breach of Representation. Any representation or warranty made by the Borrower or any other Security Party in this Agreement, the Notes or in any of the Security Documents or other instrument, document, or agreement delivered in connection herewith or therewith proves to have been incorrect when made in any material respect and is not remedied within fifteen (15) days after written notice; or | ||
(d) | Compromised Ability to Perform. Any of the statements made by the Borrower or any other Security Party in this Agreement, the Notes or any of the Security Documents proves to be incorrect in any material respect and the Borrower or any other Security Party is unlikely to be able to perform its obligations under this Agreement, the Note or the Security Documents to which it is a party; or | ||
(e) | Impossibility; Illegality. It becomes impossible or unlawful for the Borrower or any other Security Party to fulfill any of the covenants and obligations contained in this Agreement, the Notes or any of the Security Documents or for the Agent or the Lenders to exercise any of the material rights vested in them under this Agreement, the Notes or the Security Documents; or | ||
(f) | Covenant Default. (i) The Borrower defaults under the Mortgage or (ii) the Borrower any other Security Party defaults in the performance of any term, covenant or agreement contained in this Agreement, the Notes, the Security Documents or any of them, or any other instrument, document or agreement delivered in connection herewith or therewith, or there occurs any other event which constitutes a default under this Agreement, the Notes or any of the Security Documents, and in the |
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case of sub-clause (ii), such default continues unremedied for a period of fifteen (15) days after written notice; or |
(g) | Cancellation or Termination of MDO Contract or any Construction Contract. The MDO Contract or any of the Construction Contacts have been repudiated, cancelled, materially changed or it has been terminated for any reason and a substitute contract acceptable to the Agent and the Majority Lenders is not entered into within ninety (90) days with respect to the MDO Contract or thirty (30) days with respect to the Construction Contracts; provided, however, if a termination payment made by Shell or the relevant Builder, respectively, is used to prepay the Facility Balance in full, then no Event of Default hereunder shall have occurred; or | ||
(h) | Other Debts. The Borrower fails to make payment at stated maturity, upon acceleration or otherwise of any principal of, premium or interest on any indebtedness or obligation for borrowed money or for the deferred purchase price of property which indebtedness or obligation in the aggregate exceeds Five Million Dollars ($5,000,000) and any such failure shall continue for more than the period of grace, if any, specified in the terms of such indebtedness or obligation, or otherwise agreed, and shall not have been remedied or waived pursuant thereto; or any mortgage or other security interest or charge present or future and created or assumed by the Borrower shall become enforceable and the holder thereof shall take steps to enforce the same; or | ||
(i) | Change of Control. Other than as provided in the Approved Joint Venture, the current shareholders of the Borrower cease to retain 100% control of the Borrower, as set forth in Section 2.1(o); or | ||
(j) | The Vessel. After the Delivery Date the Borrower ceases to retain its ownership of the Vessel (other than in the case of a sale or Total Loss of the Vessel, the proceeds from which are applied in accordance with Section 5.3) or, without the prior written consent of the Agent, the registration or flag of the Vessel is changed; provided, however, the Borrower may transfer ownership of the Vessel to the Operating Entity, another wholly owned Subsidiary or an affiliated company as part of the Approved Joint Venture, provided that such Subsidiary or affiliated company assumes the Borrowers obligations hereunder and under the relevant Security Documents upon such transfer on terms and conditions satisfactory to the Agent; or | ||
(k) | Bankruptcy; Reorganization. The Borrower commences any proceedings relating to any substantial portion of its properties under |
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any reorganization, arrangement or readjustment of debt, dissolution, winding up, adjustment, composition, or bankruptcy or equivalent proceedings under any liquidation law or statute of any jurisdiction, whether now or hereafter in effect (a Proceeding), or there is commenced against any thereof any Proceeding and such Proceeding remains undismissed or unstayed for a period of sixty (60) days; or any receiver, trustee, liquidator, or sequestrator of, or for, the Borrower or any substantial portion of its properties is appointed and is not discharged within a period of sixty (60) days; or the Borrower by any act indicates consent to or approval of or acquiescence in any Proceeding or the appointment of any receiver, trustee, liquidator, or sequestrator of, or for, itself or any substantial portion of its property; or |
(l) | Inability to Pay Debts. The Borrower is unable to pay or admits its inability to pay its debts as they become due or if a moratorium shall be declared in respect of any indebtedness of the Borrower; or | ||
(m) | Cessation of Operations. The Borrower ceases its operations, sells or otherwise disposes of all or substantially all of its assets (other than in the case of a sale or Total Loss of the Vessel, the proceeds from which are applied in accordance with Section 5.3 or as contemplated by clause (j) above); or | ||
(n) | Total Loss of the Vessel. The Vessel shall become a Total Loss unless such loss is fully covered by insurance (as provided in the Mortgage) assigned to the Security Trustee; or | ||
(o) | Material Adverse Change. A material adverse change shall, in the reasonable opinion of the Majority Lenders, occur with respect to the financial condition or operations of the Borrower; or | ||
(p) | Cancellation or Termination of Sponsor Purchase Agreement or Contribution Agreement. The Sponsor Purchase Agreement or Contribution Agreement have been repudiated, cancelled, materially changed or it has been terminated for any reason without the prior written consent of the Majority Lenders; or | ||
(q) | Bareboat Charter Default. The Borrower or the Operating Entity defaults in the performance of any material term, covenant or agreement contained in the Bareboat Charter or any other instrument, document or agreement delivered in connection therewith. |
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(a) | first, in or towards the payment or reimbursement of any expenses or liabilities incurred by the Agent or the Security Trustee in connection with the ascertainment, protection or enforcement of their respective rights and remedies hereunder and under the Notes and under the Security Documents; | ||
(b) | second, in or towards payment of all other sums which may be owing to the Agent, the Security Trustee or the Lenders under this Agreement, the Notes and the Security Documents or any of them; | ||
(c) | third, in or towards (i) payment of any interest owing in respect of the Senior Term Loan and the Senior Revolver then outstanding and, if applicable, (ii) satisfaction pro rata of any and all amounts of interest payable to the Hedging Counterparties in connection with the Senior Facility Hedging Agreements; | ||
(d) | fourth, in or towards (i) repayment of the principal amount of the Senior Facility then outstanding, and if applicable, (ii) satisfaction pro rata of the Hedging Exposure of each of the Hedging Counterparties in connection with the Senior Facility Hedging Agreements; |
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(e) | fifth, in or towards (i) payment of any interest owing in respect of the Junior Term Loan and, if applicable, (ii) satisfaction pro rata of any and all amounts of interest payable to the Hedging Counterparties in connection with the Junior Term Loan Hedging Agreements; | ||
(f) | sixth, in or towards (i) repayment of the principal amount of the Junior Term Loan then outstanding and, if applicable (ii) satisfaction pro rata of the Hedging Exposure of each of the Hedging Counterparties in connection with the Junior Term Loan Hedging Agreements; and | ||
(g) | seventh, the surplus (if any) shall be paid to the Borrower or to whomsoever else may be entitled thereto. |
(a) | Corporate Existence. Maintain, and will procure that each other Security Party will maintain, its corporate existence and remain duly organized and validly existing and in good standing under the laws of the jurisdiction of its incorporation or formation, as the case may be, and obtain and promptly renew from time to time, and promptly furnish certified copies to the Agent of, all such authorizations, approvals, consents and licenses as may be required under any applicable law or regulation to enable it to perform its obligations under this Agreement, the Notes and the Security Documents to which it is a party or required for the validity or enforceability thereof or (in the case of the Borrower) required to enable it to continue to own the Vessel, and it shall comply with the terms of the same; | ||
(b) | Performance of Obligations. Duly perform and observe, and procure the observance and performance by all other parties thereto (other than the Agent, the Security Trustee and the Lenders) of, the terms of this Agreement, the Notes and the Security Documents; | ||
(c) | Events of Default. Promptly inform the Agent of any occurrence of which it becomes aware (i) which constitutes or, with the giving of notice or lapse of time or both, would constitute, an Event of Default or (ii) which, in its reasonable opinion, might adversely affect its ability, or the ability of any other party thereto, to perform its obligations under this Agreement, the Notes and the Security Documents or any of them; |
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(d) | Further Acts. Without prejudice to Section 2 and this Section 9.1, obtain every consent and do all other acts and things which the Agent or the Majority Lenders may from time to time reasonably request for the continued due performance of all its and each other Security Partys respective obligations under this Agreement, the Notes and the Security Documents, including but not limited to obtaining documentation as to the validity of the ownership structure of the Borrower and the Operating Entity and the tax implications, if any, relating thereto; | ||
(e) | Financial Information. Deliver to the Agent: |
(i) | as soon as available but not later than one hundred twenty (120) days after the end of each fiscal year of the Borrower and the Operating Entity, complete copies of the audited consolidated financial reports thereof, all in reasonable detail, which shall include at least a balance sheet as of the end of such year, an income statement and a statement of sources and uses of funds for such year which shall be audited by an Acceptable Accounting Firm; | ||
(ii) | as soon as available, but not later than forty-five (45) days after the end of each quarter of each fiscal year, commencing at the end of the third quarter of 2007, of the Borrower and the Operating Entity, quarterly interim balance sheets and profit and loss statements thereof, certified to be true and complete by the chief financial officer of Frontier Drilling USA Inc. on behalf of the Borrower and the Operating Entity; | ||
(iii) | concurrently with each delivery of financial statements pursuant to subparagraphs (i) and (ii) of this sub-section (e), a certificate of the chief financial officer of Frontier Drilling USA Inc. on behalf of the Borrower and the Operating Entity stating that he has reviewed the provisions of this Agreement, of the Notes and of each of the Security Documents, and the performance or observance by the Borrower, Frontier Drillships and the Operating Entity, as the case may be, thereof, and either stating that to his knowledge no event has occurred and no condition exists which constitutes or with the giving of notice or lapse of time, or both, would constitute an Event of Default under this Agreement or, if any such event has occurred or condition exists specifying the nature and period of existence of such event or condition of which he has knowledge and what action the Borrower or any other Security, as the case may be, is taking or proposes to take with respect thereto; |
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(iv) | on a monthly basis (commencing for the month of January 2008), status overviews from the Borrower and the Technical Advisor as to the status of the Construction as of the previous month, and, on a quarterly basis (commencing at the end of the fourth quarter of 2007) a detailed report of the same; provided, however, that in the event that the Construction Plan and/or the Construction budget is not being materially followed, the Agent has the right to require more detailed reports on a monthly basis; | ||
(v) | upon completion of the Construction, on a quarterly basis, updates on the liquidity position, operational performance and cash flow with respect to the Vessel; and | ||
(vi) | such other statement or statements, lists of property and accounts, budgets, reports and financial information with respect to operation and management of the Vessel and information regarding possible claims or disputes with respect to the Vessel, certified to be true and complete by the chief financial officer of Frontier Drilling USA Inc. on behalf of the Borrower, as the Agent may from time to time request. |
(f) | Earnings Account, MDO Account and all other Accounts. Upon the Delivery Date and at all times thereafter, (i) establish and maintain an Earnings Account in the name of the Borrower to be held with the Agent or another financial institution, and (ii) cause the Operating Entity to establish and maintain a MDO Account to be held with the Agent or another financial institution. If the Borrower establishes additional Accounts, the Borrower shall execute a notice of pledge of account (including the duly executed consent of the Depositary), substantially in the form of Exhibit H hereto, and any such other pledge, assignment or security agreement as the Agent shall require in order to grant a valid, perfected security interest in the Account in favor of the Security Trustee; | ||
(g) | Compliance with Law. Procure that the Borrower will, do, or cause to be done all things necessary to comply with all material laws, and the rules and regulations thereunder, applicable to it and any other Security Party, including, without limitation, those laws, rules and regulations relating to employee benefit plans and environmental matters; | ||
(h) | Environmental Matters. Procure that the Borrower will, promptly upon the occurrence of any of the following conditions, provide to the Agent a certificate of the General Manager of the Borrower, specifying in detail the nature of such condition and its proposed response or the |
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response of its Environmental Affiliates: (i) its receipt or the receipt by its Environmental Affiliates of any written communication whatsoever that alleges that such Person is not in compliance with any applicable environmental law or environmental approval, if such noncompliance could reasonably be expected to have a material adverse effect on the business, assets, operations, property or financial condition of the Borrower or any other Security Party, as the case may be, (ii) knowledge by it, or any of its Environmental Affiliates that there exists any Environmental Claim pending or threatened against any such Person, which could reasonably be expected to have a material adverse effect on the business, assets or operations, property or financial condition of the Borrower or any other Security Party, or (iii) knowledge by it of any release, emission, discharge or disposal of any material that could form the basis of any Environmental Claim against it or any of its Environmental Affiliates if such Environmental Claim could reasonably be expected to have a material adverse effect on the business, assets or operations, property or financial condition of Borrower or any other Security Party. Upon the written request of the Agent, it will submit to the Agent at reasonable intervals, a report providing an update of the status of any issue or claim identified in any notice or certificate required pursuant to this subsection. For the purposes of this subsection, Environmental Affiliate shall mean any Person or entity the liability of which for Environmental Claims the Borrower or any other Security Party may have assumed by contract or operation of law; | |||
(i) | Litigation. As soon as the same is instituted (or, to the knowledge of the Borrower, threatened), furnish or caused to be furnished to the Agent details of any litigation, arbitration or administrative proceedings against or involving (i) the Borrower or any other Security Party which are likely to have a material adverse effect on the Borrower or such Security Party, as the case may be, (ii) the Borrower or any other Security Party which are likely to have a material adverse effect on the Vessel or the operations of the Vessel or (iii) the Borrower or any other Security Party which are likely to have a material adverse effect on the ability of the Borrower or such Security Party, as the case may be, to fulfill its obligations under the agreements for this transaction; | ||
(j) | ERISA Liability. Promptly upon learning of the occurrence of any material liability of the Borrower or any ERISA Affiliate pursuant to ERISA in connection with the termination of any Plan or withdrawal or partial withdrawal from any multiemployer plan (as defined in ERISA) or of a failure to satisfy the minimum funding standards of Section 412 of the Code or Part 3 of Title I of ERISA by any Plan in each case for |
52
which the Borrower, the Pledgors or any ERISA Affiliate is plan administrator (as defined in ERISA), furnish or cause to be furnished to the Agent written notice thereof; | |||
(k) | ISM Code and ISPS Code. After Delivery, (i) as applicable, procure that each Operator will comply with and ensure that the Vessel which it operates will comply with the requirements of the ISM Code and the ISPS Code, including (but not limited to) the maintenance and renewal of valid certificates pursuant thereto; and (ii) as applicable will procure that the Operators will immediately inform the Agent if there is any threatened or actual withdrawal of its DOC or the ISSC or the SMC in respect of any Vessel; and (iii) will procure that the Operators will promptly inform the Agent upon the issuance to the Borrower or Operators of a DOC and the issuance to the Vessel of an SMC and an ISSC; | ||
(l) | Vessel Insurance. |
(i) | During Construction, insure, or have the Builders insure, and keep insured to the extent of its interest therein, the Vessel with respect to comprehensive builders risks; and | ||
(ii) | After completion of Construction, insure, and keep insured, the Vessel in accordance with the provisions of the Mortgage and more specifically the Vessel will be insured with respect to: |
(a) | all risks hull and machinery (including excess risks); | ||
(b) | storm risks; | ||
(c) | if the Vessel is to be operated outside of the U.S. Gulf of Mexico, war risks covering, inter alia the perils of confiscation, expropriation, nationalization and seizure; | ||
(d) | protection and indemnity risks (including pollution risks, crew, cargo, contractual and removal of wreck insurance); | ||
(e) | mortgagees interest insurance (which shall include additional perils pollution); and | ||
(f) | either Business Interruption Insurance covering a period of one hundred and eighty (180) days, or a cash amount in an amount sufficient to cover at least six (6) months of debt service has been deposited into the Earnings Account. |
53
(m) | Money Laundering. Upon the Agents request, promptly supply, or procure the supply of, such documentation and other evidence as is reasonably requested by the Agent in order for each Lender to carry out and be satisfied with the results of all necessary know your client or other checks which it is required to carry out in relation to the transactions contemplated by this Agreement, the Notes and the Security Documents and to the identity of any parties to the Security Documents (other than the Lenders) and their directors and officers; | ||
(n) | Technical Information. Upon Agents request, promptly supply, or procure the supply of, a report of the technical condition of the Vessel, at the expense of the Borrower; provided, however, that the Borrower shall only be required to pay for two such reports during any one calendar year; | ||
(o) | Change of Control. Ensure that, other than as contemplated by the Approved Joint Venture, the Borrower and the Operating Entity shall continue to be owned as set forth in Section 2.1(o); | ||
(p) | Ownership of Borrower. The Borrower shall insure that if, as a result of the Approved Joint Venture, the ownership of the Borrower or the Operating Entity changes from that set forth in Section 2.1(o), the new owner shall immediately become a Pledgor hereunder and shall execute a pledge of its shares in the Borrower or the Operating Entity in favor of the Security Trustee, substantially in the form of Exhibit G hereto; | ||
(q) | Payment of Obligations. Except as contested in good faith by the Borrower (for which adequate reserves have been maintained) or which constitute Permitted Liens, the Borrower shall pay and discharge (i) all taxes, fees, assessments and governmental charges or levies imposed on it or upon its properties or assets prior to the date on which penalties attach thereto, and all lawful claims for labor, materials and supplies, which, if unpaid, might become a lien upon any properties or assets of the Borrower, (ii) all lawful claims which, if unpaid would by law become a lien upon its properties and (iii) Indebtedness, as and when due and payable; | ||
(r) | Licenses. The Borrower shall obtain and maintain all licenses, authorizations, consents, filings, exemptions, registrations and other governmental approvals necessary in connection with (i) the execution, delivery and performance of the Agreement and the Security Documents, (ii) the consummation of the transactions therein contemplated or (iii) the operation and conduct of its business and ownership of its properties, the failure of which to obtain in the case of the matters addressed in sub- |
54
clause (iii) could reasonably be foreseen to result in a material adverse change on the Borrowers business or prospects; and | |||
(s) | Mortgage. The Borrower shall, as soon as possible after taking delivery of the Vessel from Shanghai Shipyard Co., Ltd., execute and deliver to the Agent the Mortgage and any Assignments, Account Pledges and other Security Documents as the Agent shall require and such Uniform Commercial Code Financing Statements (each in form and substance satisfactory to the Agent ) with respect thereto as the Agent shall require and the Borrower shall provide the Agent with evidence satisfactory to it and its legal advisers that: |
(i) | the Vessel is in the sole and absolute ownership of the Borrower, unencumbered save and except for the Mortgage thereon in favour of the Security Trustee and Permitted Liens, and is duly registered in the name of the Borrower under the flag of the Republic of the Marshall Islands; | ||
(ii) | the Vessel is provisionally classed with the relevant Classification Society without any material outstanding overdue recommendations affecting class; | ||
(iii) | the Vessel is insured in accordance with the provisions of the Mortgage and Section 9.1(l); | ||
(iv) | the Mortgage is duly recorded under the laws of the Republic of the Marshall Islands and constitutes a first preferred mortgage lien on the Vessel under the laws of such jurisdiction; and | ||
(v) | legal opinions, dated the date of the delivery of the Vessel from Shanghai Shipyard Co., Ltd., each in for and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Agent and its counsel from (a) Gardere Wynne Sewell LLP, special counsel to the Security Parties (other than Shell EP Offshore Ventures Limited) and the Operating Entity, (b) Appleby, special Cayman Islands counsel to the Borrower and (c) such other legal counsel as requested by the Agent. |
(a) | Liens. Without prior consent of the Majority Lenders, create, assume or permit to exist any mortgage, pledge, lien, charge, encumbrance or |
55
any security interest whatsoever upon any of its property or other assets, real or personal, tangible or intangible, whether now owned or hereafter acquired except Permitted Liens and except pursuant to the Mortgage, the Security Documents and liens in favor of the Lenders, the Security Trustee or the Agent and except as permitted by the Security Documents; or | |||
(b) | Change Business. Change the nature of its business or commence any business other than the owning, operation and chartering of the Vessel; or | ||
(c) | Change Offices. Change its name or the location of its chief executive office or the office where its corporate records are kept or open any new office for the conduct of its business on less than thirty (30) days prior written notice to the Agent; or | ||
(d) | Loan; Investments. With respect to the Borrower, except as provided in the Approved Joint Venture, make any Investment in any Person, firm, corporation, joint venture or other entity, other than wholly-owned Subsidiaries of the Borrower or the Operating Entity; or | ||
(e) | Indebtedness. With respect to the Borrower, except as contemplated by the Contribution Agreement and Permitted Indebtedness, incur or suffer to exist any indebtedness other than the Facilities, indebtedness secured by the Mortgage, trade credit under industry standard terms or indebtedness permitted by the Security Documents; or | ||
(f) | Assume Obligations. Assume, guarantee, endorse or otherwise become liable in connection with any obligation of any Person, firm or entity, other than wholly-owned Subsidiaries of the Borrower or the Operating Entity and except as contemplated by this Agreement, the Approved Joint Venture or the Security Documents; or | ||
(g) | Dividends/Repayment of Subordinated Debt. With respect to the Borrower, declare any dividend, make any principal or interest payment on any subordinated debt, or make any distribution of any kind thereon; provided, however, after the Delivery Date, the Borrower may declare dividends up to Five Hundred Thousand Dollars ($500,000) per quarter for a total of Two Million Dollars ($2,000,000) per annum on a subordinated basis after debt service; or | ||
(h) | Merge. Merge into or consolidate with any other entity, except as permitted by the Approved Joint Venture; or |
56
(i) | Asset Sales. Except as contemplated by Section 8.1(j) above, sell or otherwise dispose of the Vessel or any other asset which is substantial in relation to the assets of the Borrower taken as a whole; or | ||
(j) | Pay funds. Repay any loans or pay out any funds (other than in the ordinary course of business) to any company other than the Agent or the Lenders; or | ||
(k) | Constitutional Instruments. Materially amend, supplement or modify its constitutional instruments; or | ||
(l) | Change Flag, Class or Operator. Without the prior written consent of the Majority Lenders, change, or allow to be changed, the Vessels flag, registration, classification society or Operator from that in effect on the Delivery Date; or | ||
(m) | Money Laundering. In connection with this Agreement, the Notes or any of the Security Documents, contravene or permit the Borrower or the Operating Entity to contravene, any law, official requirement or other regulatory measure or procedure implemented to combat money laundering (as defined in Article 1 of the Directive (91/308/EEC) of the Council of the European Communities) and comparable United States Federal and state laws; or | ||
(n) | No Acquisitions. Acquire any additional vessels or any other assets (other than materials in connection with the construction of the Vessel or a reasonable amount of capital expenditure calculated on a yearly basis) without the prior written consent of the Majority Lenders; or | ||
(o) | No Material Amendments. (i) Materially amend the Construction Contracts or the Construction Plan without the prior written approval of the Majority Lenders and review by the Technical Advisor; or (ii) materially amend the Bareboat Charter, Approved Joint Venture, MDO Contract, Contribution Agreement, Sponsor Purchase Agreement or any Security Document without the prior written approval of the Majority Lenders; | ||
(p) | Capital Expenditures. The Borrower shall not be permitted to make any Capital Expenditures other than Capital Expenditures relating to the Vessel. All Capital Expenditures shall be subject to the prior written approval of the Lenders, such approval to be subject to the sole discretion of the Lenders. |
57
58
59
(a) | duly completed copies of Internal Revenue Service Form W-8BEN claiming eligibility for benefits of an income tax treaty to which the United States of America is a party, | ||
(b) | duly completed copies of Internal Revenue Service Form W-8ECI, | ||
(c) | in the case of a Foreign Lender claiming the benefits of the exemption for portfolio interest under section 881(c) of the Code, (x) a certificate to the effect that such Foreign Lender is not (A) a bank within the meaning of section 881 (c)(3)(A) of the Code, (B) a 10 percent shareholder of the Borrower within the meaning of section 881 (c)(3)(B) of the Code, or (C) a controlled foreign corporation described in section 881 (c)(3)(C) of the Code and (y) duly completed copies of Internal Revenue Service form W-8BEN, or | ||
(d) | any other form prescribed by applicable law as a basis for claiming exemption from or a reduction in United States Federal withholding tax duly completed together with such supplementary documentation as may be prescribed by applicable law to permit the Borrower to determine the withholding or deduction required to be made. |
60
(a) | subject any Lender to any Taxes with respect to its payments under the Facilities; or | ||
(b) | change the basis of taxation to any Lender of payments of principal or interest or any other payment due or to become due pursuant to this Agreement (other than a change in the basis effected by the jurisdiction of the organization of such Lender or such other jurisdiction where the Facilities may be payable or such Lender may be doing business), or | ||
(c) | impose, modify or deem applicable any reserve requirements or require the making of any special deposits against or in respect of any assets or liabilities of, deposits with or for the account of, or loans by, any Lender, or |
61
(d) | impose on any Lender any other condition affecting the Facilities, and the result of the foregoing is either to increase the cost to a Lender of making available or maintaining the Facilities or any part thereof or to reduce the amount of any payment received by such Lender, then and in any such case if such increase or reduction in the opinion of the Lender materially affects the interests of the Lender: |
(i) | such Lender shall notify the Borrower of the happening of such event, | ||
(ii) | the Borrower shall forthwith upon demand pay to such Lender such amount as the Lender certifies to be necessary to compensate the Lender for such additional cost or such reduction, and | ||
(iii) | any such demand as is referred to in subclause (b) of this Section 12.2 may be made by such Lender at any time before or after the Drawdown Date and at any time before any repayment of any portion, but not all, of the Facilities then outstanding; provided, however, that before making any such demand such Lender agrees to use reasonable efforts to designate a different lending office for the Facilities if the making of such designation would avoid the need for, or reduce the amount of, such increased cost, and would not, in the reasonable judgment of such Lender be disadvantageous to such Lender. |
62
63
64
65
(a) | Obligations of Agent. The obligations of the Agent under this Agreement, under the Notes, and under the Security Documents are only those expressly set forth herein and therein. | ||
(b) | No Duty to Investigate. The Agent shall not at any time be under any duty to investigate whether an Event of Default, or an event which with the giving of notice or lapse of time, or both, would constitute an Event of Default, has occurred or to investigate the performance of this Agreement or any of the Security Documents by the Borrower. |
66
(c) | Agents Discretion. The Agent shall be entitled to use its discretion with respect to exercising or refraining from exercising any rights which may be vested in it by, and with respect to taking or refraining from taking any action or actions which it may be able to take under or in respect of, this Agreement, the Notes, and the Security Documents, unless the Agent shall have been instructed by the Majority Lenders to exercise such rights or to take or refrain from taking such action; provided, however, that the Agent shall not be required to take any action which exposes the Agent to personal liability or which is contrary to this Agreement or applicable law. | ||
(d) | Instructions of Majority Lenders. The Agent shall in all cases be fully protected in acting or refraining from acting under this Agreement, under the Notes or under any Security Document in accordance with the instructions of the Majority Lenders, and any action taken or failure to act pursuant to such instructions shall be binding on all of the Lenders. |
(a) | To the Borrower or any other Person or entity as a consequence of any failure or delay in performance by, or any breach by, any other Lenders or any other Person of any of its or their obligations under this Agreement, the Notes or under any Security Document; | ||
(b) | To any Lender or Lenders, as a consequence of any failure or delay in performance by, or any breach by, the Borrower of any of its obligations under this Agreement, under the Notes, or under the Security Documents; or |
67
(c) | To any Lender or Lenders, for any statements, representations or warranties contained in this Agreement, the Notes, in any Security Document or any Document or instrument delivered in connection with the transaction hereby contemplated; or for the validity, effectiveness, enforceability or sufficiency of this Agreement, the Notes, or any Security Document or any document or instrument delivered in connection with the transactions hereby contemplated. |
(a) | In making its decision to enter into this Agreement and to make its portion of the Facilities available hereunder, it has independently taken whatever steps it considers necessary to evaluate the financial condition and affairs of the Borrower, that it has made an independent credit judgment and that |
68
it has not relied upon any statement, representation or warranty by any other Lender or the Agent; | |||
(b) | So long as any portion of its Commitment remains outstanding, it will continue to make its own independent evaluation of the financial condition and affairs of the Borrower; and | ||
(c) | It is not an ERISA plan and is not investing ERISA plan assets. |
Appleby Trust (Cayman) Ltd.
69
75 Fort Street
P.O. Box 1350,
Grand Cayman KY1-1108
Cayman Islands
Facsimile No.: + ###-###-####
Attention: The Secretary
1000 Louisiana, Suite 1210
Houston, TX 77002
Telephone No.: + ###-###-####
Attention: John Stevenson
Carnegieplein 4, 2517 KJ
The Hague, The Netherlands
Attention: Credit & Agency Services
Facsimile No.: +31-70 ###-###-####
70
71
72
BULLY 1, LTD., as Borrower | ||||
By: | /s/ Vernon Westerhout | |||
Name: | Vernon Westerhout | |||
Title: | General Manager | |||
NIBC BANK N.V., as Arranger, Agent, Security Trustee and Lender | ||||
By: | /s/ Seth A. Brookman | |||
Name: | Seth A. Brookman | |||
Title: | Attorney-in-Fact | |||
STANDARD CHARTERED BANK, as Arranger and Lender | ||||
By: | /s/ David Richards | |||
Name: | David Richards | |||
Title: | Managing Director, Structured Finance | |||
BANK OF SCOTLAND PLC, as Arranger and Lender | ||||
By: | /s/ John Lowe | |||
Name: | John Lowe | |||
Title: | Director, Marine Finance |
73
Senior Term Loan | Senior Revolver | Junior Term Loan | ||||||||||||||
Lender | Commitment | Commitment | Commitment | Total Commitment | ||||||||||||
NIBC Bank N.V. | $ | $ | $ | $ | 155,000,000 | |||||||||||
Carnegieplein 4, 2517 KJ The Hague, The Netherlands Attention: Loan Management Energy Facsimile No.: +31-70 ###-###-#### | ||||||||||||||||
Standard Chartered Bank | $ | $ | $ | $ | 155,000,000 | |||||||||||
New London Bridge House, 25 London Bridge Street, London SE1 9TB Attention: Juan Grunblatt, Portfolio Asset Management team Fax: +44 20 7280 7897 | ||||||||||||||||
Bank of Scotland plc | $ | $ | $ | $ | 155,000,000 | |||||||||||
Corporate Marine Finance Pentland House 8 Lochside Avenue, Edinburgh EH12 9DJ Attention: John Lowe Fax: +44 ###-###-#### |
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PROVIDING FOR A
US$465,000,000
SECURED CREDIT FACILITY
HERETO,
AND
BANK OF SCOTLAND PLC,
AS ARRANGERS
2
(a) | all references to this Agreement shall be deemed to refer to the Original Agreement as amended hereby; | ||
(b) | Section 4.6 shall be added and shall include the following: |
Condition Precedent to Certain Advances of Senior Facilities: Capital Contribution Funding Thresholds. In addition to the conditions precedent set forth elsewhere in this Section 4, the Borrower shall be required to provide evidence to the Agent that the Joint Venturers have made such Capital Contribution Funding payments as required by this Section. The Lenders shall not be required to fund any Advance under the Senior Facilities in excess of the amounts set forth below until the Agent has received evidence to its satisfaction that the Joint Venturers have made Capital Contribution Funding payments in the corresponding amounts set out below. In respect of any Advance under the Senior Facilities, and without set-off for any amount provided pursuant to Section 4.3(g), the Joint Venturers shall, in addition to the Capital Contribution Funding required by Section 4.1(t), make payments of the Capital Contribution Funding to the Borrower in amounts equal to: (i) Thirty Five Million Dollars ($35,000,000) if the amount outstanding under the Senior Facilities shall exceed Two Hundred and Thirty Million Dollars ($230,000,000) at any time; and (ii) Thirty Two Million Dollars ($32,000,000) if the amount outstanding under the Senior |
3
Facilities shall exceed Three Hundred and Fifty Million Dollars ($350,000,000) at any time. |
(a) | Compliance. The Borrower shall have complied and shall then be in compliance with all the terms, covenants and conditions of the Original Agreement, the Notes, the Security Documents and this Amendment which are binding upon it. | ||
(b) | No Event of Default. No Default or Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing under the Original Agreement, the Notes, the Security Documents or this Amendment, nor shall any event have occurred that, with notice or the passage of time, would reasonably be likely to become a Default or an Event of Default. | ||
(c) | No Material Adverse Effect. No material adverse effect, nor any event that could reasonably be expected to have a material adverse effect, shall have occurred and be continuing since the date of this Amendment. | ||
(d) | Corporate Authority. The Agent shall have received such evidence as it may deem necessary that the Borrower is duly authorized to execute, deliver and perform, as applicable, this Amendment and to engage in the transactions contemplated hereby. |
4
5
BULLY 1, LTD., as Borrower | ||||
By: | /s/ V. Westerhout | |||
Name: | V. Westerhout | |||
Title: | General Manager | |||
NIBC BANK N.V., as Arranger, Agent, Security Trustee and Lender As Lender: | ||||
By: | /s/ Dirk Kaper | |||
Name: | Dirk Kaper | |||
Title: | Associate Director | |||
As Agent: | ||||
By: | /s/ Hans A. Nagtegaal | |||
Name: | Hans. A. Nagtegaal | |||
By: | /s/ Marco R. Hofman | |||
Name: | Marco R. Hofman | |||
STANDARD CHARTERED BANK, as Arranger and Lender | ||||
By: | /s/ Lisa Rumelin | |||
Name: | Lisa Rumelin | |||
Title: | Director, Structured Finance | |||
BANK OF SCOTLAND PLC, as Arranger and Lender | ||||
By: | /s/ John Lowe | |||
Name: | John Lowe | |||
Title: | Director |
ING BANK N.V., as Lender | ||||
By: | /s/ E.P. Nederbaum | |||
Name: | E.P. Nederbaum | |||
Title: | Vice President | |||
By: | /s/ J.J. Prins | |||
Name: | J.J. Prins | |||
Title: | Managing Director | |||
BAYERISCHE LANDESBANK, New York Branch, as Lender | ||||
By: | /s/ Andrew Kjoller | |||
Name: | Andrew Kjoller | |||
Title: | Vice President | |||
By: | /s/ Christopher Kaminski | |||
Name: | Christopher Kaminski | |||
Title: | Vice President | |||
BTMU CAPITAL CORPORATION, as Lender | ||||
By: | /s/ Cheryl A. Behan | |||
Name: | Cheryl A. Behan | |||
Title: | Senior Vice President | |||
CREDIT INDUSTRIEL ET COMMERCIAL, as Lender | ||||
By: | /s/ Xavier Contard | |||
Name: | Xavier Contard | |||
Title: | Head of Middle Office |
By: | /s/ Jean-Philippe Guillon | |||
Name: | Jean-Philippe Guillon | |||
Title: | Global Head of Shipping | |||
NATIXIS, as Lender | ||||
By: | /s/ Amelie Zucchi | |||
Name: | Amelie Zucchi | |||
Title: | Authorized Signatory | |||
By: | /s/ Knut Mathiassen | |||
Name: | Knut Mathiassen | |||
Title: | Deputy Head of Shipping Finance | |||
HYPO PUBLIC FINANCE USA, INC., as Lender | ||||
By: | /s/ Jack Campbell | |||
Name: | Jack Campbell | |||
Title: | Managing Director |
By: | /s/ Eve Evans | |||
Name: | Eve Evans | |||
Title: | Managing Director | |||
SUMITOMO MITSUI BANKING CORPORATION, as Lender | ||||
By: | /s/ Masakazu Hasegawa | |||
Name: | Masakazu Hasegawa | |||
Title: | Joint General Manager | |||
BAYERISCHE HYPO- UND VEREINSBANK AKTIENGESELLSCHAFT, MUNICH, acting through its Hamburg branch, as Lender | ||||
By: | /s/ Somitsch | |||
Name: | Somitsch | |||
Title: | Vice President | |||
By: | /s/ Butenhoff | |||
Name: | Butenhoff | |||
RZB FINANCE LLC, as Lender | ||||
By: | /s/ Shirley Ritch | |||
Name: | Shirley Ritch | |||
Title: | Assistant Vice President | |||
By: | /s/ John A. Valiska | |||
Name: | John A. Valiska | |||
Title: | First Vice President |
DNB NOR BANK ASA, as Lender | ||||
By: | /s/ Stian Lovseth | |||
Name: | Stian Lovseth | |||
Title: | Vice President | |||
By: | /s/ Asa Jemseby Rodgers | |||
Name: | Asa Jemseby Rodgers | |||
Title: | Vice President | |||
LANDESBANK HESSEN THURINGEN GIROZENTRALE, as Lender | ||||
By: | /s/ David A. Leech | |||
Name: | David A. Leech | |||
Title: | Senior Vice President, Corporate Finance Division | |||
By: | /s/ Gaelle Waddington | |||
Name: | Gaelle Waddington | |||
Title: | Assistant Vice President, Corporate Finance | |||
PROVIDING FOR A
US$465,000,000
SECURED CREDIT FACILITY
AND
BANK OF SCOTLAND PLC,
AS ARRANGERS
1
(a) | Section 1.1 is amended to delete the definition of Sponsor Purchase Agreement set forth therein. | ||
(b) | Section 2.1(o) is amended to delete the phrase (i) the Sponsor Purchase Agreement or contained in the second sentence thereof and (ii) the Sponsor Purchase Agreement, contained in the last sentence thereof. | ||
(c) | Section 2.1(z) is amended and restated as follows: | ||
"[Intentionally omitted.] | |||
(d) | Section 8.1(p) shall be amended and restated as follows: | ||
Cancellation or Termination of Contribution Agreement. The Contribution Agreement has been repudiated, cancelled, materially changed or it has been terminated for any reason without the prior written consent of the Majority Lenders. |
2
(e) | Clause (ii) of Section 9.2(o) shall be amended and restated as follows: | ||
(ii) materially amend the Bareboat Charter, Approved Joint Venture, MDO Contract, Contribution Agreement or any Security Document without the prior written approval of the Majority Lenders; | |||
(f) | Section 18.1 shall be amended (i) to delete the notice information for the Security Parties in its entirety and to replace it as follows: | ||
Maples and Calder PO Box 309, Ugland House South Church Street, George Town Grand Cayman KY1-1104 Cayman Islands | |||
with a copy to | |||
Bully 1, Ltd. c/o Noble Drilling Services Inc. 13135 South Dairy Ashford, Suite 800 Sugar Land, TX 77478 Attn: Steve Donley Facsimile: 281 ###-###-#### | |||
and (ii) to add the following sentence directly at the end thereof: | |||
Any party hereto may change its address or facsimile number for notices and other communications hereunder by notice to the other parties hereto. | |||
(g) | The undersigned Lenders hereby acknowledge and agree that the Notes and each Security Document shall be automatically amended without any further action by any party thereto to substitute the notice information for the Borrower contained in Section 5(f) above for the existing notice information for the Borrower contained therein, in each instance where such notice information appears. |
3
4
(a) | Compliance. The Borrower shall have complied and shall then be in compliance with all the terms, covenants and conditions of the Existing Agreement (as amended hereby), the Notes and the Security Documents which are binding upon it. | ||
(b) | No Event of Default. No default or Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing under the Existing Agreement (as amended hereby), the Notes or the Security Documents, nor shall any event have occurred that, with notice or the passage of time, would reasonably be likely to become a default or an Event of Default. | ||
(c) | No Material Adverse Effect. No material adverse effect, nor any event that could reasonably be expected to have a material adverse effect, shall have occurred and be continuing since the date of this Amendment. | ||
(d) | Corporate Authority. The Agent shall have received such evidence as it may deem necessary that the Borrower is duly authorized to execute, deliver and perform, as applicable, this Amendment and to engage in the transactions contemplated hereby. |
5
6
BULLY 1, LTD., as Borrower | ||||
By: | /s/ Vern Westerhout | |||
Name: | Vern Westerhout | |||
Title: | General Manager | |||
NlBC BANK N.V., as Arranger, Agent and Security Trustee | ||||
By: | /s/ Marco R. Hofman | |||
Name: | Marco R. Hofman | |||
Title: | Associate Director | |||
By: | /s/ Marco Knijff | |||
Name: | Marco Knijff | |||
NlBC BANK N.V., as Lender | ||||
By: | /s/ Marco R. Hofman | |||
Name: | Marco R. Hofman | |||
Title: | Associate Director | |||
By: | /s/ J. van der Putten | |||
Name: | J. van der Putten | |||
Title: | Associate Director |
7
BANK OF SCOTLAND PLC, as Arranger and Lender | ||||
By: | /s/ Shelley Morrison | |||
Name: | Shelley Morrison | |||
Title: | Associate Director | |||
ING BANK N.V., as Lender | ||||
By: | /s/ [Illegible] | |||
Name: | [Illegible] | |||
Title: | Director | |||
By: | /s/ Michael Klemme | |||
Name: | Michael Klemme | |||
Title: | Managing Director | |||
BAYERISCHE LANDESBANK, New York Branch, as Lender | ||||
By: | /s/ Andrew Kjoller | |||
Name: | Andrew Kjoller | |||
Title: | First Vice President | |||
By: | /s/ Thomas Augustin | |||
Name: | Thomas Augustin | |||
Title: | First Vice President |
8
CREDIT INDUSTRIEL ET COMMERCIAL, as Lender | ||||
By: | /s/ Jean-Philippe Guillon | |||
Name: | Jean-Philippe Guillon | |||
Title: | Head of Shipping and Offshore | |||
By: | /s/ Marieme Karadag | |||
Name: | Marieme Karadag | |||
NATIXIS, as Lender | ||||
By: | /s/ Amelie Zucchi | |||
Name: | Amelie Zucchi | |||
Title: | Middle Officer | |||
By: | /s/ Frederic Neouze | |||
Name: | Frederic Neouze | |||
Title: | Vice President, Offshore | |||
HYPO PUBLIC FINANCE USA, INC., as Lender | ||||
By: | /s/ Peter Herberger | |||
Name: | Peter Herberger | |||
Title: | Head of Infrastructure and Asset Finance Americas | |||
By: | /s/ Thomas Drelles | |||
Name: | Thomas Drelles | |||
Title: | Managing Director |
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UNICREDIT BANK AG formerly known as BAYERISCHE HYPO-UND VEREINSBANK AKTIENGESELLSCHAFT, MUNICH, acting through its Hamburg branch, as Lender | ||||
By: | /s/ Dr. Hopfner | |||
Name: | Dr. Hopfner | |||
Title: | Vice President | |||
By: | /s/ Somitsch | |||
Name: | Somitsch | |||
Title: | Vice President | |||
RZB FINANCE LLC, as Lender | ||||
By: | /s/ Stephen A. Plauche | |||
Name: | Stephen A. Plauche | |||
Title: | First Vice President | |||
By: | /s/ Christoph Hoedl | |||
Name: | Christoph Hoedl | |||
Title: | First Vice President | |||
DNB NOR BANK ASA, as Lender | ||||
By: | /s/ Barbara Gronquist | |||
Name: | Barbara Gronquist | |||
Title: | Senior Vice President | |||
By: | /s/ Stian Lovseth | |||
Name: | Stian Lovseth | |||
Title: | Vice President |
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THE GOVERNOR AND COMPANY OF THE BANK OF IRELAND, as Lender | ||||
By: | /s/ Ciaran McGill | |||
Name: | Ciaran McGill | |||
Title: | Deputy Manager | |||
By: | /s/ Erin Clarke | |||
Name: | Erin Clarke | |||
Title: | Deputy Manager | |||
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