Exhibit 10.1
EXECUTION
VERSION
REVOLVING CREDIT
AGREEMENT
DATED AS OF APRIL 22,
2005
By And Among
GREAT WHITE FLEET
LTD.
as Borrower,
and
BVS LTD., CDV LTD., and
CDY LTD.,
as Guarantors,
and
NORDEA BANK FINLAND
PLC, ACTING THROUGH ITS NEW YORK BRANCH,
as Agent,
and
NORDEA BANK NORGE ASA,
ACTING THROUGH ITS GRAND CAYMAN BRANCH,
as Lender.
1
REVOLVING CREDIT
AGREEMENT
This Revolving Credit Agreement,
dated as of April 22, 2005 (the “Agreement”) is
made and entered into by and among (i) GREAT WHITE FLEET LTD.
(the “ Borrower ”), (ii) BVS LTD., CDV
LTD., and CDY LTD. (collectively, the “ Guarantors
,” and each a “ Guarantor ”), each of the
Borrower and the Guarantors, a company organized and existing under
the laws of Bermuda, (iii) NORDEA BANK NORGE ASA, acting
through its Grand Cayman Branch, a banking association organized
and existing under the laws of Norway, and each of the banks or
other institutions whose names may appear from time to time on the
signature pages of this Agreement (each a " Lender ”
and, collectively, the “ Lenders ”) or, if
applicable, in the Register of the Agent (defined below), and
(iv) NORDEA BANK FINLAND PLC, acting through its New York
Branch, subject to Article VII of this Agreement, as agent for
the Lenders (the “ Agent ”). Capitalized terms
not otherwise herein defined shall have the respective meanings set
forth below in Section 1.01.
PRELIMINARY
STATEMENTS
(1) The Borrower desires to
borrow from the Lenders upon the terms and conditions set forth
herein in order to finance the applicable Guarantor’s
purchase of the vessels CHIQUITA BELGIE, CHIQUITA DEUTSCHLAND,
CHIQUITA NEDERLAND and CHIQUITA SCHWEIZ, to refinance the vessels
CHIQUITA BREMEN and CHIQUITA ROSTOCK, and for general corporate
purposes of Borrower and the Guarantors as further described in
Section 4.01(k) hereof. Each Guarantor is a wholly-owned
subsidiary of the Borrower.
(2) To induce the Agent and the
Lenders to execute and deliver this Agreement and make Advances,
from time to time, to the Borrower as set forth herein,
(a) each of the Guarantors wishes to guaranty the Obligations
of the Borrower hereunder, and (b) each of the Borrower and
the Guarantors wishes to grant to the Agent on behalf of the
Lenders a security interest in and lien upon the Collateral as
herein below described.
(3) The Lenders have agreed to
provide a facility with a maximum aggregate commitment of
$80,000,000 upon the terms and conditions set forth herein.
(4) The Lenders have requested
the Agent, and the Agent has agreed, to act on behalf of the
Lenders in accordance with the terms and conditions set forth
herein.
Now, therefore, the Borrower, the
Guarantors, the Lenders and the Agent hereby agree among themselves
as follows:
ARTICLE I
DEFINITIONS
SECTION 1.01. Definitions .
As used in this Agreement, each of the following terms shall have
the respective meaning set forth below (such meanings, unless
otherwise indicated, to apply to both the singular and plural forms
of the terms defined):
" Advance ” means any
amount, and Advances means all amounts, advanced to the Borrower
pursuant to the total Commitments. Each Advance shall consist of
either a (i) Base Rate Advance or (ii) a EURIBO Rate
Advance or a LIBO Rate Advance, each of which (i) and
(ii) shall be a " Type ” of Advance.
" Affected Lenders ”
has the meaning specified in Section 2.05(g).
" Affiliate ” means,
with respect to any Person, any other Person directly or
indirectly, controlling or controlled by or under direct or
indirect common control with such specified Person. For the
purposes of this definition, “control” when used with
respect to any Person means the power to direct the management and
policies of such Person, directly or indirectly, whether through
the ownership of voting securities by contract or otherwise; and
the terms “controlling” and “controlled”
have meanings correlative to the foregoing.
" Agent ” shall mean
Nordea Bank Finland Plc, acting through its New York Branch, and
any successor agent under this Agreement.
" Agreement ” means
this Agreement, as it may be amended, supplemented or otherwise
modified from time to time.
" Applicable Lending Office
” means, with respect to each Lender, such Lender’s
Base Rate Lending Office in the case of a Base Rate Advance, such
Lender’s LIBO Lending Office in the case of a LIBO Rate
Advance, and such Lender’s EURIBO Lending Office in the case
of a EURIBO Rate Advance.
" Assignment and Acceptance
” means an assignment and acceptance entered into by a Lender
and an Eligible Assignee, and accepted by the Agent, in
substantially the form of Exhibit C hereto.
" Bahamas Vessels ”
means the Bahamas flag vessels (i) CHIQUITA BELGIE, Official
Number 720423; CHIQUITA DEUTSCHLAND, Official Number 720424, in
each case owned by CDV Ltd.; and (ii) CHIQUITA NEDERLAND, Official
Number 720422; and CHIQUITA SCHWEIZ, Official Number 720425, in
each case owned by CDY Ltd.; and each a “ Bahamas
Vessel ”, each as more particularly described in its
respective Mortgage.
" Base Rate ” means a
fluctuating interest rate per annum as shall be in effect from time
to time, which rate per annum shall at all times be equal to the
higher of:
(a) the rate of interest
announced publicly by Nordea Bank Finland Plc, acting through its
New York Branch, in New York, New York, from time to time, as its
base rate for the relevant currency; or
(b) a rate equal to
1/2 of one percent per annum
above the then current Federal Funds Rate.
" Base Rate Advance ”
means an Advance, denominated in Dollars or Euros, which bears
interest at the Base Rate.
" Base Rate Lending Office
” means, with respect to any Lender, the office of such
Lender specified as its “Base Rate Lending Office”
opposite its name on Schedule I hereto or in the Assignment
and Acceptance pursuant to which it became a Lender, or such other
office of such Lender as such Lender may from time to time specify
to the Borrower and the Agent.
" Bermuda Vessels ”
means Bermuda flag vessels CHIQUITA BREMEN, Official Number 723130;
and CHIQUITA ROSTOCK, Official Number 723183, and each a “
Bermuda Vessel ”, each as more particularly described
in its respective Mortgage and owned by BVS Ltd.
" Business Day ” means
any day other than a Saturday, Sunday or any other day on which
commercial banks are required or authorized by law to close in New
York, New York, London, England or in the city where the Lending
Office is located, and, in the case of any EURIBO Rate Advance, any
other day on which the Trans-European Automated Real-Time Gross
Settlement Express Transfer (“TARGET”) System is not
open for business.
" Capital Lease ”
means, with respect to any Person, any lease of any property
(whether real, personal or mixed) by such Person as lessee that, in
accordance with GAAP, either would be required to be classified and
accounted for as a capital lease on a balance sheet of such Person
or otherwise be disclosed as a capital lease in a note to such
balance sheet, other than, in the case of the Guarantors, the
Borrower or any of their respective Subsidiaries, any such lease
under which the Guarantors, the Borrower or any of their respective
Subsidiaries is the lessor.
" Cash Collateral ” and
“ Cash Collateral Account ” have the meaning set
forth in Section 2.13.
" Chiquita ” means
Chiquita Brands International, Inc., a New Jersey corporation.
" Closing Date ” means
the day, but not later than the Termination Date, on which the
respective parties hereto shall have executed and delivered this
Agreement.
" Code ” means the
Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended from time to time, and
the regulations promulgated and rulings issued thereunder.
" Collateral ” means,
collectively, the Vessels as described in the granting clause of
their respective Mortgages, the Vessel insurances and earnings, and
all additional security pledged to secure the Loan pursuant to the
Loan Documents or such other related documents that may be entered
into from time to time.
" Commitment ” means
the obligation of a Lender to lend the amount set forth opposite
its name in Schedule II hereof, or, as the case may be, the
Assignment and Acceptance pursuant to which such Lender shall have
assumed its Commitment, as applicable, as such amount may be
reduced from time to time in accordance with the terms of
Article II and as set forth in Schedule II (as revised by
the Agent from time to time in accordance with this Agreement).
Total Commitments means the aggregate of each Lender’s
Commitment.
" Commitment Fee ” has
the meaning set forth in Section 2.10 hereof.
" Consolidated Total Debt
” means, at a particular date, the sum of (y) all
amounts which would, in accordance with GAAP, constitute
consolidated short term debt and consolidated long term debt of the
Borrower and its Subsidiaries as of such date, plus the maximum
face amount of all outstanding letters of credit (whether drawn or
undrawn) respecting which the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries
has any reimbursement or payment obligation, actual or contingent,
as of such date, and (z) the amount of any Indebtedness
(excluding any container lease obligations) outstanding on such
date and not included in the amounts specified in clause
(y) of any Person other than the Borrower or any of its
Subsidiaries, which Indebtedness (excluding any container lease
obligations) (i) has been and remains guaranteed on such date
by the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries or is otherwise the
legal liability of the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries (whether
contingent or otherwise or direct or indirect, but excluding
endorsements of negotiable instruments for deposit or collection in
the ordinary course of business), or (ii) is secured by any
Lien on any property or asset owned or held by the Borrower or any
of its Subsidiaries, regardless of whether the obligation secured
thereby shall have been assumed or is a personal liability of the
Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries.
" Consolidated Total
Capitalization “ means, at a particular date, the sum of
Consolidated Total Debt and stockholder’s equity of the
Borrower and its Subsidiaries.
" Consolidated Net Income
” means, with respect to any Person for any period, the net
income of such Person and its Subsidiaries determined in accordance
with GAAP on a consolidated basis.
" Default ” means any
event or condition that, with the giving of notice, the lapse of
time or both, would become an Event of Default.
" Dollar Equivalent Amount
” has the meaning specified in Section 2.05(a)(ii).
" Dollars ” and “
$ ” mean the lawful and freely transferable currency
of the United States of America.
" Drawdown Date ” shall
mean the date an Advance is to be made to the Borrower pursuant to
this Agreement.
" Earnings Assignment ”
means collectively, (i) the assignment by the Guarantors
respecting the Vessels’ freights, hires, earnings, moneys,
claims for moneys due and proceeds thereof to the Agent on behalf
of the Lenders, and (ii) the assignment by the Borrower as
time chartered owner respecting the Vessels’ freights, hires,
earnings, moneys, claims for moneys due and proceeds thereof, in
each case substantially in the form of Exhibit D-2, as the
same may be amended, supplemented or otherwise modified from time
to time.
" Eligible Assignee ”
means (i) a commercial bank, savings and loan institution,
insurance company or financial institution organized under the laws
of the United States, or any State thereof, which bank has both
assets in excess of One Billion Dollars ($1,000,000,000) and
combined capital and surplus in excess of Two Hundred Fifty Million
Dollars ($250,000,000), or which insurance company or financial
institution has total assets in excess of One Billion Dollars
($1,000,000,000), (ii) a commercial bank organized under the
laws of any other country which is a member of the OECD or has
concluded special lending arrangements with the International
Monetary Fund associated with its General Arrangements to Borrow,
or a political subdivision of any such country, which bank has a
combined capital and surplus (or the equivalent thereof under the
accounting principles applicable thereto) in excess of Two Hundred
Fifty Million Dollars ($250,000,000), provided that such bank is
acting through a branch or agency located in the United States,
Bermuda or the country in which it is organized or another country
which is also a member of the OECD or has concluded special lending
arrangements with the International Monetary Fund associated with
its General Arrangements to Borrow, (iii) the central bank of
any country which is a member of the OECD or (iv) a finance
company, insurance company or other financial institution or a fund
which is engaged in making, purchasing or otherwise investing in
commercial loans in the ordinary course of its business, has total
assets in excess of Seven Hundred Fifty Million Dollars
($750,000,000), is doing business in the United States and is
organized under the laws of the United States, or any State
thereof, or under the laws of any member country of the OECD.
" EMU Legislation ”
means the legislative measures of the European Union for the
introduction of, changeover to or operation of the Euro in one or
more member states.
" ERISA ” means the
Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as amended from
time to time, and the regulations promulgated and rulings issued
thereunder.
" ERISA Affiliate ”
means with respect to any Person, (i) corporation which is a
member of a controlled group of corporations within the meaning of
Section 414(b) of the Code of which such Person is a member,
(ii) any trade or business (whether or not incorporated) which
is a member of a group of trades or businesses of under common
control within the meaning of Section 414(c) of the Code of which
such Person is a member, and (iii) any member of an affiliated
service group within the meaning of Section 414(m) or 414(o) of the
Code of which such Person or any corporation described in clause
(i) above or any trade or business described in clause
(ii) above is a member. Any former ERISA Affiliate of the
Borrower or any Guarantor shall continue to be considered an ERISA
Affiliate of the Borrower or any Guarantor with respect to the
period such entity was an ERISA Affiliate of the Borrower or any
Guarantor and with respect to liabilities arising after such period
for which the Borrower or any Guarantor could be liable under the
Code or ERISA.
" ERISA Event ” means
(i) a “reportable event” within the meaning of
Section 4043 of ERISA with respect to any Plan (excluding any
such reportable event for which the provision for 30-day notice to
the PBGC has been waived by regulation); (ii) a failure to
comply with the minimum funding standard of Section 412 of the
Code with respect to any Plan (whether or not waived in accordance
with Section 412(d) of the Code) or a failure to pay when due a
required installment in accordance with Section 412(m) of the Code
with respect to any Plan or a failure to pay when due any required
contribution to a Multiemployer Plan; (iii) the giving of
notice by the administrator of any Plan pursuant to
Section 4041(a)(2) of ERISA, of intent to terminate the Plan;
(iv) a determination by the administrator of any Plan that the
Plan will be unable to pay benefits when due; (v) the
withdrawal by the Borrower or any Guarantor or any of their
respective ERISA Affiliates from any Plan or the termination of any
Plan resulting in liability to the Borrower or any Guarantor or any
of their respective ERISA Affiliates pursuant to Section 4063
or 4064 of ERISA; (vi) the commencement by the PBGC of any
proceeding to terminate any Plan under Section 4042 of ERISA,
or the receipt by the Borrower or any Guarantor or any of their
respective ERISA Affiliates of any notice from the PBGC stating its
intention to terminate any Plan or to have a trustee appointed to
administer any Plan, or the occurrence of any event or condition
which constitutes grounds under Section 4042 of ERISA for the
termination of, or the appointment of a trustee to administer, any
Plan; (vii) the imposition of any liability on the Borrower or
any Guarantor or any of their respective ERISA Affiliates pursuant
to Section 4062(e), 4069 or 4212(c) of ERISA; (viii) the
withdrawal of the Borrower, any Guarantor or any of their
respective ERISA Affiliates in a complete or partial withdrawal
(within the meaning of Sections 4203 and 4205 of ERISA) from
any Multiemployer Plan resulting in the incurrence of any liability
by the Borrower or any Guarantor or any of their respective ERISA
Affiliates (regardless of when notice of such liability is
received), or the receipt by the Borrower or any Guarantor or any
of their respective ERISA Affiliates of notice from any
Multiemployer Plan that it is in reorganization or insolvency
pursuant to section 4241 or 4245 of ERISA, or that it intends to
terminate or has terminated under Section 4041A or 4042 of
ERISA, or the receipt by the Borrower or any Guarantor or any of
their respective ERISA Affiliates of notice from any Multiemployer
Plan concerning the amount of liability incurred, or that may be
incurred, by the Borrower or any Guarantor or any of their
respective ERISA Affiliates in connection with any such withdrawal,
reorganization, insolvency or termination; (ix) the occurrence
of an act or omission which is reasonably likely to result in the
imposition on the Borrower or any Guarantor or any of their
respective ERISA Affiliates of any fine, penalty, tax or other
charge under Chapter 43 of the Code or under Section 409,
502(c), 502(i), 502(l) or 4071 of ERISA with respect to any Plan;
(x) the receipt by the Borrower or any Guarantor or any of
their respective ERISA Affiliates of notice of the assertion of a
material claim (other than routine claims for benefits) against any
Plan (other than a Multiemployer Plan) or the assets thereof, or
against the Borrower or any Guarantor or any of their respective
ERISA Affiliates with respect to any Plan; or (xi) the receipt
by the Borrower or any Guarantor or any of their respective ERISA
Affiliates of notice of the imposition of a Lien pursuant to
Section 401(a)(29) or 412(n) of the Code or pursuant to ERISA with
respect to any Plan.
" EURIBO Lending Office
” means, with respect to any Lender, the office of such
Lender specified as its “EURIBO Lending Office”
opposite its name on Schedule I hereto or in the Assignment
and Acceptance pursuant to which it became a Lender, or such other
office of such Lender as such Lender may from time to time specify
to the Borrower and the Agent.
" EURIBO Rate ” means,
for an Interest Period for each EURIBO Rate Advance, the offered
rate (rounded upward to the nearest 1/16 of one percent) for
deposits of Euros for a period equivalent to such period at or
about 11:00 A.M. (London time) on second Business Day before
the first day of such period as is displayed on Telerate page 3750
(British Bankers’ Association Interest Settlement Rates) (or
such other page as may replace such page 3750 on such system or on
any other system of the information vendor for the time being
determined by the Agent from time to time for purposes of providing
quotations applicable to interest rates applicable to deposits in
Euro by reference to the Banking Federation of the European Union
Settlement Rates for deposits in Euro), provided that if on such
date no such rate is so displayed, the EURIBO Rate for such period
shall be the rate determined by the Agent to be the rate of
interest per annum equal to the rate per annum at which deposits in
Euros are offered by the principal office of Nordea Bank Finland
Plc to prime banks in the London interbank market at
11:00 A.M. (London time) two Business Days before the first
day of such Interest Period for a term equal to such Interest
Period and in an amount substantially equal to such portion of the
Loan. If the EURIBO Rate cannot be determined by reference to
Telerate page 3750 (or any such other page) as provided in the
preceding sentence, the EURIBO Rate for an Interest Period shall be
determined by the Agent on the basis of the applicable rate
furnished to and received by the Agent from Nordea Bank Finland
Plc, two Business Days before the first day of such Interest
Period, subject , however , to the provisions of
Section 2.04. If at any time the Agent shall determine that by
reason of circumstances affecting the London interbank market
(i) adequate and reasonable means do not exist for
ascertaining the EURIBO Rate for the succeeding Interest Period or
(ii) the making or continuance of any Loan at the EURIBO Rate
has become impracticable as a result of a contingency occurring
after the date of this Agreement which materially and adversely
affects the London interbank market, the Agent shall so notify the
Lenders and the Borrower. Failing the availability of the EURIBO
Rate, the EURIBO Rate shall mean the Base Rate thereafter in effect
from time to time until such time as a EURIBO Rate may be
determined by reference to the London interbank market.
" EURIBO Rate Advance ”
means an Advance which is denominated in Euros and bears interest
at the EURIBO Rate.
" Euro ” or “
€ ” means
the single currency of the European Union as constituted by the
Treaty on European Union and as referred to in the EMU
Legislation.
" Event of Default ”
means any of the events specified as such in Section 6.01 of
this Agreement.
" Event of Loss ” means
any of the following events respecting any Vessel: (x) the
actual or constructive total loss of such Vessel or the agreed or
compromised total loss of such Vessel; or (y) the capture,
condemnation, confiscation, requisition, purchase, seizure or
forfeiture of, or any taking of title to, such Vessel. An Event of
Loss shall be deemed to have occurred (i) in the event of an
actual loss of such Vessel, at noon Greenwich Mean Time on the date
of such loss or if that is not known on the date which such Vessel
was last heard from; (ii) in the event of damage which results
in a constructive or compromised or arranged total loss of such
Vessel, at noon Greenwich Mean Time on the date of the event giving
rise to such damage; or (iii) in the case of an event referred to
in clause (y) above, at noon Greenwich Mean Time on the date
on which such event is expressed to take effect by the Person
making the same. Notwithstanding the foregoing, if such Vessel
shall have been returned to the applicable Guarantor following any
capture, requisition or seizure referred to in clause
(y) above prior to the date upon which payment is required to
be made under Section 2.05(d) hereof, no Event of Loss shall
be deemed to have occurred by reason of such capture, requisition
or seizure.
" Excluded Taxes ” has
the meaning specified in Section 2.08(b).
" Federal Funds Rate ”
means, for any period, a fluctuating interest rate per annum equal
for each day during such period to the weighted average of the
rates on overnight Federal funds transactions with members of the
Federal Reserve System arranged by Federal funds brokers, as
published for such day (or, if such day is not a Business Day, for
the next preceding Business Day) by the Federal Reserve Bank of New
York, or, if such rate is not so published for any day which is a
Business Day, the average of the quotations for such day on such
transactions received by the Agent from three Federal funds brokers
of recognized standing selected by it.
" GAAP ” means at any
time generally accepted United States accounting principles at such
time; provided, however, for purposes of determining compliance
with Section 5.01(d), GAAP shall mean such generally accepted
United States accounting principles as of December 31, 2004 or
as of such later date as the Borrower and the Agent mutually may
agree.
" Indebtedness ” means,
without duplication, (a) any liability of any Person
(i) for borrowed money, or under any reimbursement obligation
related to a letter of credit, or (ii) evidenced by a bond, note,
debenture or other evidence of indebtedness (including a purchase
money obligation) representing extensions of credit or given in
connection with the acquisition of any business, property or asset
of any kind, (other than a trade payable or other current liability
arising in the ordinary course of business) , or
(iii) under any commodity, interest rate or currency exchange,
hedge or swap agreement or similar agreement; provided, however,
that if any such agreement provides for the netting of amounts
payable by and to such Person thereunder or if any such agreement
provides for the simultaneous payment of amounts by and to such
Person, then, in each such case, the amount of such obligation
shall be the net amount thereof, or (iv) for obligations with
respect to a lease of real or personal property that is or would be
classified and accounted for as a Capital Lease , or (v)
under any conditional sale or other title retention agreements
relating to property purchased by such Person (other than customary
reservations or retentions of title under agreements with suppliers
entered into in the ordinary course of business), or
(vi) respecting obligations of such Person issued or assumed
as the deferred purchase price of property or services purchased by
such Person (other than trade debt incurred in the ordinary course
of business), or (vii) respecting all preferred capital stock
or other securities issued by such Person and required by the terms
thereof to be redeemed, or for which mandatory sinking fund
payments are due, by a fixed date, or (viii) respecting the
principal portion of all obligations of such Person under synthetic
leases, tax retention operating leases and other similar
off-balance sheet financing arrangements (but excluding true
leases) or (ix) respecting the Indebtedness of any partnership or
unincorporated joint venture in which such Person is a general
partner or a joint venturer and for which such Person is legally
obligated; (b) any liability of others for any obligation
described in the preceding clause (a) that (i) the Person
has guaranteed or that is otherwise its legal liability (whether
contingent or otherwise or direct or indirect, but excluding
endorsements of negotiable instruments for deposit or collection in
the ordinary course of business) or (ii) is secured by any
Lien on any property or asset owned or held by that Person,
regardless whether the obligation secured thereby shall have been
assumed by or is a personal liability of that Person; provided,
however, that to the extent recourse for the obligation received
thereby is limited to the property or asset owned, the amount of
Indebtedness for purposes of this Agreement shall be equal to the
lesser of (A) the principal amount of such Indebtedness and
(B) the fair market value of such property or asset; and
(c) any amendment, supplement, modification, deferral,
renewal, extension or refunding of any liability of the types
referred to in clauses (a) and (b), above.
" Indemnified Taxes ”
has the meaning specified in Section 2.08(a).
" Insufficiency ”
means, with respect to any Plan, the amount, if any, by which the
present value of the vested benefits under such Plan exceeds the
fair market value of the assets of such Plan allocable to such
benefits.
" Insurance Assignment
” means the assignment of insurances by the Guarantors
respecting the Vessels to the Agent on behalf of the Lenders,
substantially in the form of Exhibit D-3, as the same may be
amended, supplemented or otherwise modified from time to time.
" Interest Payment Date
” means with respect to any Advance (1) the last day of
each Interest Period, (2) the day any Advance matures and
becomes due and payable, and (3) if the Interest Period is
longer than three (3) months, the last day of every
consecutive three month period following the first day of such
Interest Period.
" Interest Period ”
means, for each Advance, the period commencing on the date of such
Advance and ending on the last day of the period selected by the
Borrower or the Agent, as the case may be, pursuant to this
Agreement and, thereafter, each respective and successive period
commencing on the last day of the immediately preceding Interest
Period and ending on the last day of the period selected by the
Borrower or the Agent, as the case may be, subject to the
provisions below. The duration of each such Interest Period shall
be (y), in the case of a Base Rate Advance, such period as the
Agent shall notify the Borrower and (z), in the case of a LIBO Rate
Advance or a EURIBO Rate Advance, one, two, three or six months, or
such other period with the consent of the Lenders, in each case
selected by the Borrower or the Agent, as the case may be, pursuant
to this Agreement;
provided , however , with respect to each
Advance:
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(i)
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no Interest Period relating to any Advance
shall commence on or end after the Maturity Date; and
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(ii)
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whenever the last day of any Interest Period
would otherwise occur on a day other than a Business Day, the last
day of such Interest Period shall be extended to occur on the next
succeeding Business Day, provided , in the case of any
Interest Period for a LIBO Rate Advance or a EURIBO Rate Advance,
that if such extension would cause the last day of such
Interest Period to occur in the next following calendar month, the
last day of such Interest Period shall occur on the next preceding
Business Day.
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" Interest Rate Protection
Agreement ” means any interest rate swap agreement,
interest rate cap agreement, interest collar agreement, interest
rate hedging agreement, interest rate floor agreement or other
similar agreement or arrangement entered into between the Borrower
and the Agent respecting any portion of the Loan.
" Lending Office ”
means the international banking office of the Agent in New York
City, or any other office or affiliate of the Agent hereafter
selected and notified to the Borrower from time to time by the
Agent.
" LIBO Lending Office ”
means, with respect to any Lender, the office of such Lender
specified as its “LIBO Lending Office” opposite its
name on Schedule I hereto or in the Assignment and Acceptance
pursuant to which it became a Lender (or, if no such office is
specified, its Base Rate Lending Office), or such other office of
such Lender as such Lender may from time to time specify to the
Borrower and the Agent.
" LIBO Rate ” means,
for an Interest Period for each LIBO Rate Advance, the offered rate
(rounded upward to the nearest 1/16 of one percent) for deposits of
Dollars for a period equivalent to such period at or about
11:00 A.M. (London time) on second Business Day before the
first day of such period as is displayed on Telerate page 3750
(British Bankers’ Association Interest Settlement Rates) (or
such other page as may replace such page 3750 on such system or on
any other system of the information vendor for the time being
designated by the British Bankers’ Association to calculate
the BBA Interest Settlement Rate (as defined in the British
Bankers’ Association’s Recommended Terms and Conditions
(“BBAIRS” terms) dated August 1985)), provided
that if on such date no such rate is so displayed, the LIBO Rate
for such period shall be the rate determined by the Agent to be the
rate of interest per annum equal to the rate per annum at which
deposits in Dollars are offered by the principal office of Nordea
Bank Finland Plc to prime banks in the London interbank market at
11:00 A.M. (London time) two Business Days before the first
day of such Interest Period for a term equal to such Interest
Period and in an amount substantially equal to such portion of the
Loan. If the LIBO Rate cannot be determined by reference to
Telerate page 3750 (or any such other page) as provided in the
preceding sentence, the LIBO Rate for an Interest Period shall be
determined by the Agent on the basis of the applicable rate
furnished to and received by the Agent from Nordea Bank Finland
Plc, two Business Days before the first day of such Interest
Period, subject , however , to the provisions of
Section 2.04. If at any time the Agent shall determine that by
reason of circumstances affecting the London interbank market
(i) adequate and reasonable means do not exist for
ascertaining the LIBO Rate for the succeeding Interest Period or
(ii) the making or continuance of any Loan at the LIBO Rate
has become impracticable as a result of a contingency occurring
after the date of this Agreement which materially and adversely
affects the London interbank market, the Agent shall so notify the
Lenders and the Borrower. Failing the availability of the LIBO
Rate, the LIBO Rate shall mean the Base Rate thereafter in effect
from time to time until such time as a LIBO Rate may be determined
by reference to the London interbank market.
" LIBO Rate Advance ”
means an Advance which is denominated in Dollars and bears interest
at the LIBO Rate.
" Lien ” means any
lien, charge, easement, claim, mortgage, Option, pledge, right of
first refusal, right of usufruct, security interest, servitude,
transfer restriction or other encumbrance or any restriction or
limitation of any kind (including, without limitation, any adverse
claim to title, conditional sale or other title retention
agreement, any lease in the nature thereof, and any agreement to
give any security interest).
" Loan ” means the
aggregate of the outstanding Advances to the Borrower advanced by
the Lenders provided for in Article II of this Agreement.
" Loan Document ” means
any of, and “ Loan Documents ” means all of,
this Agreement, the Notes, any Interest Rate Protection Agreement,
any Other Hedging Agreement, and the Security Documents.
" Loss Termination Date
” has the meaning specified in Section 2.05(d).
" Loss Termination Payment
” has the meaning specified in Section 2.05(d).
" Majority Lenders ”
means at any time Lenders holding at least 51% of the then
aggregate outstanding principal amount of all Notes held by
Lenders, or, if no such principal amount is then outstanding,
Lenders having at least 51% of the total Commitments (
provided that, for purposes hereof, none of the Guarantors,
the Borrower, nor any of their Affiliates, if a Lender, shall be
included in (i) the Lenders holding such amount of the
Advances or having such amount of the Commitments or
(ii) determining the aggregate unpaid principal amount of the
Advances or the total Commitments).
" Margin ” means one
and 1/4 percent (1.25%) per annum.
" Maturity Date ” means
the seventh anniversary of the Closing Date.
" Mortgage ” means any
of, and “Mortgages” means all of, the Bahamas or
Bermuda statutory mortgages and the related Deed of Covenants with
respect to a Vessel executed and delivered by a Guarantor, to the
Agent for the benefit of the Lenders, substantially in the form
attached hereto as Exhibit D-1A and D-1B, as the same may be
from time to time amended, supplemented or otherwise modified.
" Mortgaged Property ”
means the Vessels as described in the granting clause of the
respective Mortgage.
" Multiemployer Plan ”
means a “multiemployer plan” as defined in
Section 4001(a)(3) of ERISA to which a Person or any ERISA
Affiliate is making or accruing an obligation to make
contributions, or has within any of the preceding three plan years
made or accrued an obligation to make contributions.
" Note ” means any of,
and “ Notes ” mean all, the respective Secured
Promissory Notes of the Borrower, substantially in the form
attached hereto as Exhibit A, to be issued to evidence the
indebtedness of the Borrower hereunder as any such Note may be
replaced, amended, supplemented or otherwise modified from time to
time.
" Notice of Borrowing ”
has the meaning specified in Section 2.02(a).
" OECD ” means the
Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development.
" Obligations" mean all
obligations, including but not limited to, all principal, interest,
fees, expenses and other obligations set forth in the Note or in
Article II, Section 5.03 and Section 8.04 hereof and
any Interest Rate Protection Agreement or Other Hedging Agreement,
of every nature of the Borrower and the Guarantors, as the case may
be, from time to time owed to the Agent or any of the Lenders, or
all of them, under any of the Loan Documents.
" Option ” means
(1) any right to buy or sell specific property in exchange for
an agreed upon sum, (2) any right to receive funds, the amount
of which is determined by reference to the value of capital stock
or the purchase price thereof, (3) any right of the type or
kind referred to as a “phantom stock right,” and
(4) any other right commonly known or referred to as an
“option.”
" Other Hedging Agreement
” means any foreign exchange contracts, currency swap
agreements, commodity agreements or other similar agreements or
arrangements designed to protect against the fluctuations in
currency or commodity values and entered into between the Borrower
and the Agent respecting any portion of the Loan.
" PBGC ” means the
Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation, or any entity or entities
succeeding to any or all its functions under ERISA.
" Permitted Liens ”
means (A) inchoate Liens for taxes, assessments and
governmental charges or levies to the extent not yet due or being
contested in good faith by the Borrower or any Guarantor by
appropriate proceedings for which adequate reserves have been
established and maintained in accordance with GAAP, (B) Liens
imposed by law, including, without limitation, materialmans’,
mechanic’s, carriers’, workmen’s and
repairmen’s Liens arising in the ordinary course of business
and securing obligations which (1) are not overdue for a
period of more than ninety (90) days and (2) for which
adequate reserves have been established and maintained by the
Borrower or any Guarantor in accordance with GAAP and (x) do
not materially detract from the use or value of the property to
which they relate, (y) do not materially impair the use
thereof in the operation of the business of the Borrower or any
Guarantor, or (z) are being contested in good faith by the
appropriate proceedings, which proceedings (or orders entered in
connection with such proceedings) have the effect of preventing the
forfeiture or sale of the property to which they relate subject to
such Lien, (C) pledges or deposits incurred or made in the
ordinary course of business to secure the performance of bids,
trade contracts, leases, surety and appeal bonds, performance bonds
and other obligations of a similar nature or to secure public or
statutory obligations (other than excise taxes), (D) Liens
securing property other than Collateral leased pursuant to leases
permitted under Section 5.02(b) hereof, and (E) Liens on
the property of the Borrower or any Guarantor created under or
contemplated by the Loan Documents.
" Person ” means any
individual, corporation, partnership, business trust, 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, at any
time, any employee pension benefit plan, as defined in Section 3(2)
of ERISA, which is or was sponsored, maintained or contributed to,
or required to be contributed to, by a Person, any of its
Subsidiaries, or any ERISA Affiliate of such Person or any of its
Subsidiaries, which employee pension benefit plan is covered by
Title IV of ERISA or is subject to the minimum funding standards of
the Code.
" Post-Petition Interest
” has the meaning specified in Section 5.03(o).
" Reduction Date ”
means the last day of each six (6) month period following the
Closing Date up to and including the Maturity Date.
" Reference Amount ”
means, as at any Reference Date, the amount determined by the Agent
to be the sum of (y) the Dollar Equivalent Amount and
(z) the LIBO Rate Advances and Base Rate Advances denominated
in Dollars (including all such Dollar amounts, if any, to be paid
as at such date).
" Reference Date ”
means an Interest Payment Date or a Reduction Date.
" Register ” shall have
the meaning set forth in Section 7.10(d) of this
Agreement.
" Security Documents ”
means the Mortgages, the Earnings Assignment, and the Insurance
Assignment.
" Solvent ” means with
respect to any Person on a particular date, that on such date the
value of the assets of such Person is greater than the total amount
of liabilities of such Person.
" Spot Exchange Rate ”
means, for any day, the spot rate at which Euros are offered on
such day, which appears on page DKNA21 of the Reuters Screen at
approximately 3:00 p.m., London time (and if such spot rate is not
available on the applicable page of the Reuters Screen, such spot
rate as quoted by the Agent at approximately 3:00 p.m., London
time).
" Subordinated Obligations
” has the meaning specified in Section 5.03(o).
" Subsidiary ” means,
with respect to any Person, any corporation, association,
partnership or other business entity of which a majority of the
voting power entitled to vote in the election of directors,
managers or trustees thereof is at the time owned, directly or
indirectly, by such Person or by one or more other Subsidiaries, or
by such Person and one or more other Subsidiaries, or a combination
thereof.
" Tangible Net Worth ”
means for any Person at any time, to the extent shown on such
Person’s balance sheet, (a) the sum without duplication
of (i) the amount of issued and outstanding share capital, but
less the cost of treasury shares, plus (ii) the amount of paid
in capital and retained earnings, less (b) intangible assets
as determined in accordance with GAAP.
" Taxes ” has the
meaning specified in Section 2.08(a).
" Termination Date ”
means May 31, 2005.
" Transaction ” means
the extension of credit contemplated by the Loan Documents.
" Type ” shall mean,
with respect to an Advance, (a) a Base Rate Advance or
(b) a LIBO Rate Advance or EURIBO Rate Advance, as the case
may be.
" Vessel Prepayment
Percentage ” means as to a Vessel the percentage adjacent
to the name of such Vessel set forth in Schedule Y.
" Vessel ” means each
of, and “ Vessels ” means all of, the Bahamas
Vessels and the Bermuda Vessels.
" Withdrawal Liability
” shall have the meaning given such term under Part I of
Subtitle E of Title IV of ERISA.
SECTION 1.02. Accounting
Terms . All accounting terms not specifically defined herein
shall be construed in accordance with GAAP consistently
applied.
SECTION 1.03. Governing
Language . All documents, notices and demands and financial
statements to be delivered by any Person to the Agent or any Lender
pursuant to this Agreement shall be in the English language.
SECTION 1.04. Computation of Time
Periods . In this Agreement in the computation of periods of
time from a specified date to a later specified date, the word
“from” means “from and including” and each
of the words “to” and “until” means
“to but excluding”.
ARTICLE II
AMOUNTS AND TERMS OF
THE ADVANCES
SECTION 2.01. The Advances .
Upon the terms and subject to the conditions set forth in this
Agreement, each Lender agrees severally, but not jointly, to make
its pro rata share of the Advances to the Borrower on any Business
Day during the period from the Closing Date to the Maturity Date in
an aggregate amount not to exceed at any time outstanding the
amount in Dollars (or its equivalent in Euros as herein provided)
set opposite such Lender’s name in Schedule II hereof
or, if such Lender has entered into any Assignment and Acceptance,
set forth for such Lender in the Register maintained by the Agent
and in a revised Schedule II prepared accordingly by the
Agent. Total Advances outstanding on any date shall not exceed the
total Commitments for such date, which initially is Eighty Million
Dollars ($80,000,000) and which shall be reduced permanently on
each Reduction Date in accordance with Section 2.05 hereof and
Schedule X. If the Closing Date has not occurred prior to the
Termination Date, on the Termination Date, the Lenders’ total
Commitments shall be reduced to zero (0), the Lenders shall not
have any obligation to make any Advance hereunder, and the
Lenders’ obligations shall terminate hereunder.
Advances may be made as
(i) Base Rate Advances or (ii) EURIBO Rate Advances or
LIBO Rate Advances, or both. All fundings constituting an Advance
shall be made on the same day by the Lenders ratably according to
their respective Commitments. Within the limits of the then
applicable total Commitments, and subject to the terms and
conditions of this Agreement, the Borrower may borrow, repay and
reborrow, on a revolving basis, in Euros and/or Dollars as provided
herein, up to an aggregate outstanding amount at any time not to
exceed the total Commitments in effect at such time.
SECTION 2.02. Making the
Advances . (a) All Advances shall be made on notice, given
not later than 11:00 A.M. (New York City time) on the third
Business Day (in respect of a LIBO Rate Advance or EURIBO Rate
Advance, second Business Day in respect of a Base Rate Advance
denominated in Euros, and preceding Business Day in respect of a
Base Rate Advance denominated in Dollars) prior to the date of the
proposed funding, by the Borrower to the Agent, which shall give to
each Lender prompt notice thereof by telecopier, telex or cable.
Such Borrower’s notice (a “ Notice of Borrowing
”) shall be by telecopier, telex or cable, confirmed
immediately in writing, substantially in the form of Exhibit B
hereto, specifying therein the requested (i) Drawdown Date,
(ii) the amount of each Type of Advance, and (iii) the
initial Interest Period for each such Advance (which shall be at
least (1) month). Each Advance shall be in an amount not less
than Five Million Dollars ($5,000,000) or in such greater
increments of One Million Dollars ($1,000,000) as the Borrower may
request or the equivalent amount in Euros calculated by reference
to the Spot Exchange Rate in effect as at the date of the
Borrower’s Notice of Borrowing. In the event that the
Borrower’s Notice of Borrowing requests a EURIBO Rate Advance
or Base Rate Advance denominated in Euros, in whole or in part, the
Agent shall, in accordance with its normal procedures, calculate
the Dollar amount of such Advance by reference to the Spot Exchange
Rate in effect as at the date of the Borrower’s Notice of
Borrowing and determine the Reference Amount. The Reference Amount
may not exceed the total Commitments. Each Lender shall, before
11:00 A.M. (New York City time) on the date of the relevant
Advance, make available for the account of its Applicable Lending
Office to the Agent at its address referred to in
Section 8.02, in immediately available same day funds in
Dollars and Euros, if applicable, such Lender’s ratable
portion of such Advance. After the Agent’s receipt of such
funds and upon fulfillment of the applicable conditions set forth
in Article III, the Agent will make such funds available to
the Borrower at the Agent’s aforesaid address.
(b) The total amount of
Advances to be made available by the Lenders shall never exceed the
total Commitments, and each Lender’s portion of the Advances
shall be proportionate always to such Lender’s Commitment as
a fraction of the total Commitments of all Lenders.
(c) Unless the Agent shall have
received written notice from a Lender prior to a Drawdown Date that
such Lender will not make available to the Agent such
Lender’s ratable portion of the Advance to be funded on such
Drawdown Date, the Agent may assume that such Lender has made such
portion available to the Agent on such Drawdown Date in accordance
with subsection (a) of this Section 2.02 and the Agent
may, in reliance upon such assumption, make available to the
Borrower on such date a corresponding amount. If and to the extent
that such Lender shall not have so made such ratable portion
available to the Agent, such Lender and the Borrower severally
agree to repay to the Agent forthwith on demand such corresponding
amount together with interest thereon, for each day from the date
such amount is made available to the Borrower until the date such
amount is repaid to the Agent, at (i) in the case of the
Borrower, the interest rate applicable at the time to such Advance
and (ii) in the case of such Lender, the Federal Funds Rate.
If such Lender shall repay to the Agent such corresponding amount,
such amount so repaid shall constitute such Lender’s Advance
for purposes of this Agreement.
SECTION 2.03. General
Provisions . (a) The Borrower shall have no right to
borrow, and no Lender shall have any obligation to lend, any amount
whatsoever after the day that is one (1) Business Day before
the Maturity Date. All Advances borrowed in a given currency, and
all interest thereon, shall be paid in such currency.
(b) The failure of any Lender
to make its pro rata share of any Advance shall not relieve it or
any other Lender of the obligation to Advance, but no Lender or the
Agent shall be responsible for the failure of any other Lender to
Advance to the Borrower.
(c) The Notice of Borrowing
shall be irrevocable and binding on the Borrower. If for any reason
on the Drawdown Date for the Advance specified in the Notice of
Borrowing, the Advance is not made as a result of any failure to
fulfill on or before the Drawdown Date the applicable conditions
precedent, the Borrower shall indemnify each Lender against any
loss, cost or expense incurred by such Lender as a result of such
failure, including, without limitation, any loss, cost or expense
incurred by reason of currency exchange or of the liquidation or
reemployment of deposits or other funds acquired by such Lender to
fund the Advance.
SECTION 2.04. Interest and
Default Interest . (a) The Borrower shall pay interest on
each Advance from its Drawdown Date until such Advance is paid in
full, payable on each Interest Payment Date for such Advance.
Notwithstanding the preceding sentence of this
Section 2.04(a), all interest accrued on any Advance
outstanding on the Maturity Date shall be paid on the Maturity
Date.
(b) As long as no Event of
Default shall have occurred and be continuing, interest on each
Advance shall be payable at an interest rate which shall be
adjusted, in advance at the start of the first day of each Interest
Period therefor, and which shall be determined as follows:
(i) with
respect to each Base Rate Advance, the Borrower shall pay interest
thereon at the rate of interest determined by the Agent to be the
Base Rate for the relevant Interest Period, provided
that if the Agent shall elect the relevant Interest Period,
it may be less than one (1) month;
(ii) with
respect to each LIBO Rate Advance, the Borrower shall pay interest
at an interest rate equal to the sum of (y) the LIBO Rate plus
(z) the Margin or, if the LIBO Rate is unavailable for any
such period, at the Base Rate until the LIBO Rate may be determined
in accordance with the definition thereof.
(A) with
respect to each Interest Period relating to a LIBO Rate Advance,
the Borrower shall, by telex or telefax notice to be received by
the Agent by 11:00 A.M. New York City time at least three
(3) Business Days prior to the commencement of each such
successive period, elect an Interest Period of one, two, three or
six months duration, or such longer period with the consent of the
Lenders, for all outstanding LIBO Rate Advances, provided
the Borrower shall select Interest Periods, and if necessary shall
select as the final Interest Period for each LIBO Rate Advance an
Interest Period less than one month in duration, so that the
maturity date of each such Advance shall be the last day of the
Interest Period for such Advance; provided that if
the Borrower shall fail to elect an Interest Period as herein
provided, the relevant Interest Period shall be one (1) month,
provided further that so long as any Event of
Default has occurred and is continuing, the Agent shall elect the
relevant Interest Period, which may be less than one month;
(B) the
Agent shall give prompt telex or telefax notice to the Borrower and
the Lenders of the applicable interest rate determined by the Agent
for purposes of Section 2.04(b);
(C) If, with
respect to any LIBO Rate Advance, the Majority Lenders notify the
Agent that the LIBO Rate for any Interest Period for such Advance
will not adequately reflect the cost to such Majority Lenders of
making, funding or maintaining their respective pro rata share of
LIBO Rate Advances for such Interest Period because of a condition
or event affecting the London interbank Eurodollar market
generally, the Agent shall forthwith so notify the Borrower and the
Lenders, whereupon
(1) each
LIBO Rate Advance will automatically, on the last day of the then
existing Interest Period therefor, convert into a Base Rate
Advance, and
(2) the
obligation of the Lenders to make, or to convert Advances into,
LIBO Rate Advances shall be suspended until the Agent shall notify
the Borrower and such Lenders that the circumstances causing such
suspension no longer exist.
(iii) with
respect to each EURIBO Rate Advance, the Borrower shall pay
interest thereon at an interest rate equal to the sum of
(y) the EURIBO Rate plus (z) the Margin or, if the EURIBO
Rate is unavailable for any such period, at the Base Rate until the
EURIBO Rate may be determined in accordance with the terms
thereof:
(A) with
respect to each Interest Period relating to a EURIBO Rate Advance,
the Borrower shall, by telex or telefax notice to be received by
the Agent by 11:00 A.M. New York City time at least three
(3) Business Days prior to the commencement of each such
successive period, elect an Interest Period of one, two, three or
six months duration, or such longer period with the consent of the
Lenders, for all outstanding EURIBO Rate Advances, provided
the Borrower shall select Interest Periods, and if necessary shall
select as the final Interest Period for each EURIBO Rate Advance an
Interest Period less than one month in duration, so that the
maturity date of each Advance shall be the last day of the Interest
Period for such Advance; provided that if the
Borrower shall fail to elect an Interest Period as herein provided,
the relevant Interest Period shall be one (1) month,
provided further that so long as any Event of
Default has occurred and is continuing, the Agent shall elect the
relevant Interest Period, which may be less than one month;
(B) the
Agent shall give prompt telex or telefax notice to the Borrower and
the Lenders of the applicable interest rate determined by the Agent
for purposes of Section 2.04(b); and
(C) If, with
respect to any EURIBO Rate Advance, the Majority Lenders notify the
Agent that the EURIBO Rate for any Interest Period for such Advance
will not adequately reflect the cost to such Majority Lenders of
making, funding or maintaining their respective pro rata share of
EURIBO Rate Advances for such Interest Period because of a
condition or event affecting the London interbank Euro currency
market generally, the Agent shall forthwith so notify the Borrower
and the Lenders, whereupon
(1) each
EURIBO Rate Advance will automatically, on the last day of the then
existing Interest Period therefor, convert into a Base Rate
Advance, and
(2) the
obligation of the Lenders to make, or to convert Advances into,
EURIBO Rate Advances shall be suspended until the Agent shall
notify the Borrower and such Lenders that the circumstances causing
such suspension no longer exist.
(c) In the event that the Agent
or any Lender does not receive on the due date any sum due under
this Agreement or any of the other Loan Documents in accordance
with the terms hereof or thereof, the Borrower shall pay to the
Agent and such Lenders, as the case may be, on demand, interest on
such sum, from and including the due date thereof to but not
including the date of actual payment, at a rate per annum
determined by the Agent from time to time to be (y) two per
cent (2%) over (z) (i) the Base Rate, or (ii) the sum of
the Margin plus the LIBO Rate or the EURIBO Rate, as the case may
be. Except as otherwise provided in the following subsection (d),
any such interest which is not paid when due shall be compounded at
the end of each Interest Period (both before and after any notice
of demand) by the Agent on behalf of the Lenders under this
Agreement.
(d) Notwithstanding any
provision contained in any of the Loan Documents, no Lender nor the
Agent shall ever be entitled to receive, collect, or apply, as
interest on the Obligations, any amount in excess of the maximum
rate of interest permitted to be charged by applicable law, and, in
the event any Lender or the Agent ever receives, collects, or
applies as interest, any such excess, such amount which would be
excessive interest shall be applied to the reduction of the
Obligations then outstanding, and, if the Obligations then
outstanding are paid in full, any remaining excess shall forthwith
be paid to the Borrower. In determining whether or not the interest
paid or payable, under any specific contingency, exceeds the
highest lawful rate, the Borrower and the Lender or the Agent, as
the case may be, shall, to the maximum extent permitted under
applicable law, (i) characterize any non-principal payment as
an expense, fee, or premium rather than as interest,
(ii) exclude any voluntary prepayments and the effects
thereof, and (iii) spread the total amount of interest
throughout the entire contemplated term of the Obligations so that
the interest rate is uniform throughout the entire term of the
Obligations.
SECTION 2.05. Repayments;
Prepayments . (a) (i) Subject to the following provisions
of this Section 2.05, the total Commitments shall be reduced
on each of the first fourteen (14) Reduction Dates by Four Million
Four Hundred Thousand Dollars ($4,400,000) and on the Maturity Date
to zero, as such $4,400,000 amount may be adjusted from time to
time by the relevant Vessel Prepayment Percentage due to the sale
of or an Event of Loss respecting a Vessel, as further set forth
below in Section 2.05(d), and each Lender’s Commitment
shall be reduced accordingly.
(ii) Three (3) Business
Days prior to each Reduction Date, the Agent shall determine the
Dollar equivalent (the “Dollar Equivalent Amount”) of
the outstanding EURIBO Rate Advances and the Base Rate Advances
denominated in Euros by reference to the Spot Exchange Rate in
effect as at such date and calculate the Reference Amount. If such
Reference Amount exceeds the total Commitments set forth in
Schedule X at such time, on such Reduction Date the Borrower
shall immediately repay (together with interest, costs, expenses
and breakage) an amount equal to such excess, in Dollars, Euros or
both, as the case may be.
(iii) On the Maturity Date, the
Borrower shall repay the Loan together with interest, costs,
expenses, breakage and other Obligations.
(b) The Borrower may, upon at
least three (3) Business Days notice to the Agent and the
Lenders received by 11:00 A.M. New York City time, and subject
always to the requirements of Section 8.04(b), prepay the
outstanding amount of each LIBO Rate Advance and EURIBO Rate
Advance, in whole or in part, together, in each case, with accrued
interest to the date of such prepayment on the amount prepaid,
provided that any such partial prepayment shall be in a
principal amount of integral multiples of One Million Dollars
($1,000,000) (or, if applicable, its equivalent in Euros). The
Borrower may, subject always to the requirements of
Section 8.04(b), prepay, at any time, the outstanding amount
of each Base Rate Advance, in whole or in part, together, in each
case, with accrued interest to date of such prepayment on the
amount prepaid, provided that any such partial prepayment
shall be in a principal amount of integral multiples of One Million
Dollars ($1,000,000) (or, if applicable, its equivalent in
Euros).
(c) If it shall become unlawful
for any Lender to continue to fund or maintain its pro rata share
of any Advance or to perform its obligations hereunder, such Lender
shall notify the Borrower and the Agent, and such Lender shall use
all reasonable efforts to change its lending office so that it can
perform its obligations hereunder; provided that such Lender
shall not be obligated to change its lending office if in its sole
reasonable judgment it would be disadvantageous to do so. If such
Lender does not change its lending office because it determines in
its sole reasonable judgment that it is disadvantageous to do so or
because such change would not render such Advance lawful, then such
Lender shall notify the Agent and the Borrower, and shall make an
Advance, and the Borrower shall borrow such Advance, at the Base
Rate in an amount equal to the amount of the Advance currently
outstanding and made by such Lender to the Borrower if in the sole
reasonable judgment of such Lender such Advance can lawfully be
extended at the Base Rate. Simultaneously with making such Advance
at the Base Rate, the Advance then outstanding made available by
such Lender to the Borrower shall be repaid by the Borrower. If any
Lender makes a Base Rate Advance to the Borrower pursuant to
subsection (c) of this Section 2.05, the Borrower may
prepay such Advance, without penalty, at any time upon three
(3) Business Days notice. If despite such Lender’s
compliance with the preceding provisions of this
Section 2.05(c), or if the Borrower shall refuse to borrow an
Advance at the Base Rate as herein provided, and if it shall become
unlawful for any Lender to fund or maintain any Advance or perform
its obligations hereunder, upon demand by such Lender, the Borrower
shall prepay in full the outstanding Advance made by such Lender,
with accrued interest thereon and all other amounts payable by the
Borrower hereunder, and upon such demand or any notice of
prepayment the obligation of such Lender to make any Advance to the
Borrower shall terminate.
(d) If an Event of Loss
respecting a Vessel occurs prior to the first Drawdown Date, the
total Commitments shall be permanently reduced in an amount equal
to the product of (A) the Vessel Prepayment Percentage for the
Vessel that has suffered an Event of Loss, multiplied by
(B) the total Commitments. If an Event of Loss respecting a
Vessel occurs after the first Drawdown Date, the Borrower shall
give prompt written notice to the Agent of such Event of Loss. Upon
the earlier of (i) the date the Borrower receives all
insurance proceeds in respect of such Event of Loss or
(ii) ninety (90) days after the date on which such Event
of Loss shall be deemed to have occurred (the “ Loss
Termination Date ”), the Borrower will pay to or on the
order of the Agent, an amount (the “ Loss Termination
Payment ”) equal to the amount calculated as set forth in
the next sentence. The Loss Termination Payment shall be calculated
as follows:
(i) the
total Commitments shall be reduced by an amount equal to the
product of (A) the Vessel Prepayment Percentage for the Vessel
that has suffered the Event of Loss, multiplied by (B) the
total Commitments in effect immediately prior to such Event of
Loss; and
(ii) if the
Loan exceeds the reduced total Commitments calculated in accordance
with subclause (i) above, the amount of such excess together
with interest through the Loss Termination Date, breakage and all
other Obligations, shall be the amount of the relevant Loss
Termination Payment.
Upon payment by the Borrower of the
Loss Termination Payment, the Agent shall prepare (A) a
revised Schedule X reducing the total Commitments by the
relevant Vessel Prepayment Percentage on such Loss Termination Date
and adjusting the remaining total Commitments as set forth in
Section 2.05(a) and (B) a revised Schedule Y modifying
the Vessel Prepayment Percentages for the remaining Vessels
appropriately so that the total of such revised Vessel Prepayment
Percentages equals one hundred percentum (100%). The Agent shall
deliver to the Borrower and the Lenders revised Schedule X and
revised Schedule Y, which revised Schedule X and revised
Schedule Y shall, absent manifest error, without further act,
be deemed the applicable Schedule X and Schedule Y for
all purposes hereunder and under the Loan Documents. All Loss
Termination Payments received by the Agent on account of an Event
of Loss shall be applied by the Agent in the following order of
priority:
(i) to the
payment of any fees, costs or expenses due under any Loan Document,
including, but not limited to, reasonable legal fees;
(ii) to the
payment of any unpaid principal of or interest on the Loan due on
or before the date of application;
(iii) to the
prepayment of interest then due on the Loan to the date of
prepayment; and
(iv) to the prepayment of the
Loan.
(e) Against the payment
obligations of the Borrower under the preceding paragraph, there
shall be credited all payments received in respect of such Event of
Loss including all insurance proceeds received prior to the Loss
Termination Date by the Agent. So long as there is no Event of
Default or Default, all insurance proceeds received by the Agent
after the payments described in the preceding paragraphs have been
made shall be disbursed by the Agent to the Borrower. If a Default
exists and insurance proceeds are received by the Agent after the
payments required by the preceding paragraph have been made, the
Agent shall hold such proceeds until either (x) such Default
no longer exists, in which case, such proceeds shall be disbursed
to the Borrower or (y) such Default has matured into an Event of
Default, in which case proceeds shall be treated in accordance with
the sentence next following. So long as an Event of Default shall
have occurred and continues, all insurance proceeds received by the
Agent shall be distributed in accordance with the provisions of
Section 6.03 hereof.
(f) The Borrower may not sell
or dispose of, or permit to be sold or disposed of, any Vessel
without first obtaining the written consent of the Agent to such
sale or disposition, such consent not to be unreasonably withheld
if, simultaneously with the completion of the sale or disposal and
release of the Mortgage relating to such Vessel, the total
Commitments shall be reduced by the relevant Vessel Prepayment
Percentage and the Borrower shall prepay the Loan in an amount
equal to the Loss Termination Payment that would be due under
Section 2.05(d) upon an Event of Loss respecting such Vessel.
Simultaneously with such payment by the Borrower, the Agent shall
prepare a revised Schedule X reducing by the relevant Vessel
Prepayment Percentage the level of Commitment on each Reduction
Date occurring after such payment and a revised Schedule Y
modifying the Vessel Prepayment Percentages for the remaining
Vessels so that the total of such revised Vessel Prepayment
Percentages equals one hundred percentum (100%). The Agent shall
deliver to the Borrower and the Lenders a revised Schedule X
and revised Schedule Y, which revised Schedule X and
revised Schedule Y shall, absent manifest error, without
further act, be deemed the applicable Schedule X and
Schedule Y for all purposes hereunder and under the Loan
Documents. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Borrower may
transfer, or permit to be transferred, ownership of a Vessel in
accordance with Section 5.01(f).
(g) If at any time the Borrower
shall, or may reasonably be expected to, be required to deduct and
withhold, or indemnify any Lender with respect to, any Taxes (as
defined in Section 2.08) (in each case, as evidenced by an opinion
reasonably satisfactory in form and substance to the Agent and the
Lenders from independent tax counsel reasonably satisfactory to the
Agent and the Lenders) the Borrower may, upon at least three
(3) Business Days notice to the Agent and the Lenders, prepay
at any time, pro rata , the outstanding principal
amount of each Advance, in whole or in part, together with accrued
interest to the date of prepayment on the amount prepaid and all
other amounts then payable to the Lenders by the Borrower;
provided , that if such Taxes relate to payments to
fewer than all the Lenders (the “ Affected Lenders
”), the Borrower may, upon at least three (3) Business
Days notice to the Agent and the Affected Lenders, prepay, in whole
or in part, pro rata (except as set forth in the
following provision), the outstanding principal amount of Advances
made by the Affected Lenders, with accrued interest thereon and all
other amounts payable to the Affected Lenders by the Borrower
(without prepaying any portion of any Advance made by any Lender
that is not an Affected Lender); provided further ,
that if the rate of Taxes with respect to any Affected Lender is
higher than with respect to another Affected Lender, the Borrower
may prepay any portion of the Advance made by the former Affected
Lender without prepaying any portion of the Advance made by the
latter Affected Lender. The Agent shall give prompt written notice
to the Lenders of any prepayments made under this paragraph
(g).
(h) If for any reason
whatsoever, Chiquita shall not be, or shall cease to be, listed on
the New York Stock Exchange (a “ Listing Failure
”), the Borrower shall give immediate written notice to the
Agent of such Listing Failure. The Commitment shall be terminated
automatically upon a Listing Failure whether or not the Borrower
shall have given notice of such Listing Failure and the Loan,
together with interest, costs, breakage and all other Obligations
shall become due and payable within two (2) Business Days
after a Listing Failure occurs without notice of any kind. Not
later than two (2) Business Days after a Listing Failure
occurs, the Borrower shall pay to the Agent an amount equal to the
sum of the outstanding principal amount of the Loan, all accrued,
unpaid interest due through the prepayment date, breakage and all
other Obligations.
SECTION 2.06. Increased Costs;
Additional Interest . (a) If due to either (i) the
introduction of or any change (including, without limitation, any
change by way of imposition or increase of reserve or capital
adequacy requirements, but not including a
change related to Indemnified Taxes, as such terms are defined in
Section 2.08 hereof) in, or in the interpretation of, any law
or regulation, or (ii) the compliance by the Lender with any
guideline or request (not including any guideline or request with
respect to Indemnified Taxes, but including , with
respect to reserve and capital adequacy requirements, those
applicable laws, policies, guidelines and directives and
interpretations in effect on the Closing Date) from any central
bank or other governmental authority, any agency of the European
Union or similar monetary or multinational authority, whether or
not having the force of law, there shall be any increase in the
cost to, or reduction in the return on capital of, any Lender in
consequence of, any Lender agreeing to make or making, funding or
maintaining an Advance, then the Borrower shall from time to time,
upon demand by such Lender, pay to the Lender additional amounts
sufficient to indemnify such Lender against such increased cost or
reduction in the return on capital.
(b) If any Lender shall
determine that reserves under Regulation D of the Board of
Governors of the Federal Reserve System, as in effect from time to
time, are required to be maintained by it in respect of, or a
portion of its costs of maintaining reserves under
Regulation D is attributable to, one or more of its Advances,
such Lender shall give notice to the Borrower, together with a
certificate as described below in Section 2.06(c) and the
Borrower shall pay to such Lender additional interest on the unpaid
principal amount of each such Advance, payable on the same day or
days on which interest is payable on such Advance, at an interest
rate per annum equal at all times during each Interest Period for
such Advance to the excess of (i) the rate obtained by
dividing the LIBO Rate or EURIBO Rate, as the case may be, for such
Interest Period by a percentage equal to 100% minus the Reserve
Percentage (defined in the next sentence), if any, applicable
during such Interest Period over (ii) the LIBO Rate or EURIBO
Rate, as the case may be, for such Interest Period. The “
Reserve Percentage ” for any such period, with respect
to any Advance, means the maximum reserve percentage applicable
thereto under regulations issued from time to time by the Board of
Governors of the Federal Reserve System (or any successor) for
determining the maximum reserve requirement (including, but not
limited to, any emergency, supplemental or other marginal reserve
requirement) for a member bank of the Federal Reserve System in New
York City with respect to (i) liabilities or assets consisting
of or including eurocurrency liabilities, as defined in
Regulation D of the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve
System, as in effect from time to time, and having a term equal to
any such period, or (ii) any other category of liabilities
which includes deposits by reference to which the interest rate on
such Advance is determined and which have a term equal to any such
period.
(c) A certificate as to the
amount of any such increased cost, increased interest or reduced
return under this Section 2.06, submitted to the Borrower and
the Agent by such Lender, shall be conclusive and binding for all
purposes, absent manifest error. Before making any demand under
paragraph (a) or (b) of this Section 2.06, the
Lender shall designate as to itself a different lending office if
such designation would avoid the need for, or reduce the amount of
such increased cost or interest, and will not, in the sole
reasonable judgment of such Lender, be otherwise disadvantageous to
it.
SECTION 2.07. Payments and
Computations . (a) All payments by the Borrower or any
Guarantor, as the case may be, hereunder and under any instrument
delivered hereunder (except as otherwise provided in any such
instrument) shall be made not later than 12:00 noon New York City
time on the day when due in lawful and freely transferable Dollars
to the Agent at the Agent’s office at 437 Madison Avenue, New
York, New York 10022, for the account of the Lending Office in same
day funds, provided that all payments of the principal of,
and interest on, any portion of the Advances denominated in Euros,
and all other amounts payable hereunder or under any such
instrument in Euros, shall be paid when due by the Borrower or any
Guarantor, as the case may be, as herein or therein provided in
lawful and freely transferable Euros in same day funds. The Agent
shall promptly disburse to the Lenders funds of such type as it
shall have received in the manner provided by this Agreement.
(b) The Borrower and the
Guarantors hereby authorize the Agent and each Lender, if and to
the extent payment is not made when due hereunder or under any
instrument delivered hereunder, to charge from time to time against
any or all of the Borrower’s or the Guarantors’
accounts with the Agent or such Lender, as the case may be, the
amount then due after expiry of all applicable grace periods. The
Agent and the Lenders agree that any amounts charged pursuant to
this Section 2.07(b) shall first be charged against the
Borrower’s account with the Agent or the Lender, as the case
may be, and any unsatisfied amount shall be charged against the
Guarantors’ account(s) with the Agent or the Lender, as the
case may be.
(c) All computations of
interest and fees shall be made by the Agent and the Lenders on the
basis of a year of 360 days for the actual number of days
(including the first day but excluding the last day) occurring in
the period for which such amount is payable.
(d) Whenever any payment to be
made hereunder or under any instrument delivered hereunder shall be
stated to be due, or whenever the last day of any Interest Period
would otherwise occur on a day other than a Business Day, such
payment shall be made, and the last day of such Interest Period
shall occur, on the next succeeding Business Day, and any such
extension of time shall in all cases be taken into account in the
computation of payment of interest due hereunder or otherwise;
provided , however , if such extension would extend
the maturity date of any Advance or would cause such payment to be
made, or the last day of any Interest Period relating to a LIBO
Rate Advance or EURIBO Rate Advance, as the case may be, to occur,
in a new calendar month, payment shall be made, and the last day of
any such Interest Period shall occur, on the next preceding
Business Day.
SECTION 2.08. Taxes .
(a) Tax Indemnity .
Except to the extent provided in Section 2.08(b), the Borrower
shall pay, and shall indemnify, protect, defend and hold harmless
the Agent and each Lender (each, a “ Tax Indemnitee
”) from and against, any and all taxes, fees, levies,
imposts, duties, assessments, withholdings and other charges (and
all fines, penalties, interest and other additional charges
relating thereto) which are imposed by any government or other
taxing authority in any country or other jurisdiction or by any
international or multinational authority (“ Taxes
”) (regardless of how or when such Taxes are imposed by
applicable law), and which are imposed upon or with respect to, in
connection with, or as a result of any one or more of the
transactions contemplated in the Loan Documents, including (but not
limited to) Taxes imposed on or with respect to the following:
(i) the Collateral or any part
thereof or any interest therein, or
(ii) the
execution, delivery, filing, recording, presence, performance or
enforcement of any one or more of the Loan Documents, or
(iii) any
amendment or other modification of any of the Loan Documents or any
waiver or consent with respect to any of the Loan Documents, or
(iv) the
issuance, acquisition, ownership, holding, transfer or refinancing
of any of the Notes, or
(v) the
payment, receipt or accrual of any amount paid or payable pursuant
to any Loan Document,
(collectively, “ Indemnified Taxes ”) and any
loss, liability, cost or expense incurred by or asserted against
such Tax Indemnitee relating to any Indemnified Taxes.
(b) Excluded Taxes .
The Borrower shall have no obligation under Section 2.08(a) to
indemnify any Tax Indemnitee for any of the following Taxes (each
an “ Excluded Tax ”):
(i) any Tax
which is imposed on the net income of such Tax Indemnitee by any
government or other taxing authority in any jurisdiction under the
laws of which such Tax Indemnitee is incorporated or otherwise
organized or in which such Tax Indemnitee has an office or other
fixed place of business; provided that the exclusion in this
Section 2.08(b) shall not apply, with respect to any Tax
Indemnitee, to the following Taxes: (A) any Tax that is taken
into account to calculate the payment of any indemnity or other
amount on an after-tax basis pursuant to Section 2.08(d), or
(B) any Tax to the extent that such Tax is a result of, and
would not have been incurred by such Tax Indemnitee but for, any of
the following: (1) the registration, operation, use, location
or presence of any Vessel or any other Collateral in the
jurisdiction in which the government or other taxing authority
imposing such Tax is located (the “ Taxing
Jurisdiction ”), or (2) the organization of the
Borrower or any Guarantor under the laws of, or the presence of any
place of business of the Borrower or any Guarantor or any Affiliate
of the Borrower or any Guarantor in, or any act or activity of the
Borrower or any Guarantor or any Affiliate or agent of the Borrower
or any Guarantor in, the Taxing Jurisdiction, or (3) the
payment by or on behalf of the Borrower or any Guarantor of any
amount payable pursuant to any Loan Document in or from the Taxing
Jurisdiction, or (4) the execution, delivery, filing,
recording, performance or enforcement of any of the Loan Documents
in the Taxing Jurisdiction, or (5) any other connection
between the Taxing Jurisdiction and the Borrower or any Guarantor,
or any Affiliate or agent of the Borrower or any Guarantor, or any
of the Collateral; or
(ii) any
penalty, fine, addition to tax or interest imposed on such Tax
Indemnitee to the extent that such penalty, fine, addition to tax
or interest is caused by, and would not have been payable but for
(A) the failure by such Tax Indemnitee to file any Tax return
which such Tax Indemnitee is required by applicable law to file
with respect to any Excluded Tax described in clause (i) of
this Section 2.08(b) before the time such penalty, fine,
addition to tax or interest (as the case may be) accrued with
respect to such Tax return, or (B) the failure by such Tax
Indemnitee to pay any Excluded Tax described in clause (i) of
this Section 2.08(b) which such Tax Indemnitee is required by
applicable law to pay before the time such penalty, fine, addition
to tax or interest (as the case may be) began to accrue with
respect to such Excluded Tax payment.
(iii) any
penalty, fine, addition to tax or interest imposed on such Tax
Indemnitee to the extent that such penalty, fine, addition to tax
or interest is caused by, and would not have been payable but for,
(A) the failure by such Tax Indemnitee to file any Tax return
which such Tax Indemnitee is required by applicable law to file
with respect to any Tax, described Section 2.08(a), and for
which such Tax Indemnitee is seeking indemnity from Borrower or
Guarantor, before the time such penalty, fine, addition to tax or
interest (as the case may be) accrued with respect to such Tax
return, or (B) the failure by such Tax Indemnitee to pay any
Tax described in Section 2.08(a), and for which such Tax
Indemnitee is seeking indemnity from Borrower or Guarantor, which
such Tax Indemnitee is required by applicable law to pay before the
time such penalty, fine, addition to tax or interest (as the case
may be) began to accrue with respect to such Tax payment provided
however that this clause (iii) of this Section 2.08(b)
shall not be applicable to any Tax described in or arising because
of the conditions described in Section 2.08(b)(i)(B) or any
Tax return with respect to any Tax described in or arising because
of the conditions described Section 2.08(b)(i)(B).
(c) Withholding .
(i) If any Tax, monetary
transfer fee or other amount is required by applicable law, by any
agreement, or otherwise, to be deducted or withheld from or with
respect to any amount payable pursuant to any of the Loan Documents
to or for the benefit of any Tax Indemnitee, the Borrower and the
Guarantors shall pay to such Tax Indemnitee such additional amount
as shall be necessary to enable such Tax Indemnitee to receive
(actually or constructively), after such withholding (including any
withholding with respect to such additional amount), the amount
which such Indemnified Party would have received (actually or
constructively) if such withholding had not been required.
(ii) If the Borrower or any
Guarantor is required by applicable law to make any deduction or
withholding with respect to any Tax from any payment by it pursuant
to any of the Loan Documents to or for the benefit of any Tax
Indemnitee, the Borrower or any Guarantor (as the case may be)
shall (x) pay the amount required to be deducted or withheld
to the appropriate governmental authority or other taxing authority
in a timely and proper manner and (y) deliver to such Tax
Indemnitee, not later than 30 days after the date on which
such payment is paid, an original receipt issued by the relevant
governmental authority or other taxing authority (or other
documentation reasonably acceptable to such Tax Indemnitee)
evidencing that the obligation described in clause (x) of this
sentence has been properly performed.
(d) Indemnities to be Paid
on an After-Tax Basis . The amount of any indemnity payable to
or for the benefit of a Tax Indemnitee pursuant to
Section 2.08(a) and any additional amount payable to a Tax
Indemnitee pursuant to Section 2.08(c) shall be calculated so
as to be sufficient to indemnify such Tax Indemnitee for the amount
of all Taxes required to be paid by such Tax Indemnitee as a result
of the receipt or accrual of such indemnity or additional
amount.
(e) Payments . The
Borrower and the Guarantors (i) shall pay each Indemnified Tax
in a timely and proper manner directly to the relevant taxing
authority to the extent permitted by applicable law,
(ii) shall pay any additional amount payable pursuant to
Section 2.08(c) together with the payment to which such
additional amount relates, and (iii) shall pay any indemnity
payable to a Tax Indemnitee pursuant to Section 2.08(a) in
immediately available funds within ten (10) Business Days after
such Tax Indemnitee’s written demand therefor (which written
demand shall include or be accompanied by a description in
reasonable detail of the Indemnified Tax for which the indemnity is
being demanded and the calculation of the amount of the
indemnity).
(f) Survival . All the
obligations and liabilities of the Borrower and the Guarantors
under this Section 2.08 shall survive and remain in full force
and effect, notwithstanding the expiration or earlier termination
of this Agreement or any other Loan Document or the repayment of
the Notes, until all such obligations have been fully performed and
all such liabilities have been paid in full.
(g) (i) Each Lender (other
than a Person that is (A) incorporated under the law of any
State of the United States of America or (B) a national
banking association organized under the law of the federal
government of the United States of America, each of which is
referred to in this Section 2.08(g) as a “U.S.
Person”) shall deliver to the Agent and the Borrower, within
twenty (20) Business Days after the Closing Date (or, in the case
of any Person (other than a U.S. Person) that becomes a Lender
after the Closing Date, within twenty (20) Business Days after
the date on which such Person becomes a Lender) a completed and
signed United States Internal Revenue Service Form W-8BEN, W-8ECI,
W-8EXP, or W-9, whichever is applicable (or applicable successor
form) evidencing that such Lender is entitled to exemption from, or
a reduced rate of, United States federal withholding tax on
payments of interest to such Lender (or to the Agent for the
account of such Lender) pursuant to this Agreement and the Notes,
provided that such Lender is legally entitled to sign such
form.
(ii) The Agent shall deliver to
the Borrower, within twenty (20) Business Days after a Person
other than the Agent becomes a Lender, a completed and signed
United States Internal Revenue Service Form W-8IMY (or applicable
successor form) together with all attachments required by the
instructions to such form.
(iii) Each Lender shall deliver
to the Borrower such other certifications with respect to the
residence, domicile or location of the Lending Office of such
Lender as the Borrower may reasonably request from time to time,
provided that (A) such Lender is legally entitled to sign such
certification, (B) such Lender’s signing of such
certification will not create a risk of adverse tax or business
consequence to such Lender, and (C) such Lender has received
from the Borrower all applicable forms and instructions (together
with an English translation of any such document that is in a
language other than English).
SECTION 2.09. Evidence of
Debt . The indebtedness of the Borrower resulting from the Loan
shall be evidenced by the Notes in favor of the Lenders issued by
the Borrower in the original, aggregate principal amount of Eighty
Million Dollars ($80,000,000) delivered to the Agent. Book entries
made by each Lender or the Agent with respect to the Loan shall be
conclusive and binding on the Borrower absent manifest error, as to
the existence, amounts, interest rates and maturities of the
Obligations of the Borrower.
SECTION 2.10. Fees .
(a) Commencing on June 30, 2005 and on each
September 30, December 31, March 31 and June 30
prior to the Maturity Date and on the Maturity Date (each a "
Commitment Fee Payment Date ”), the Borrower shall pay
in arrears to the Agent, solely for the account of each Lender, a
non-refundable Commitment fee (as to each Lender, its “
Commitment Fee ”) in the amount of 0.50% per annum of
the average daily undrawn, uncancelled portion of the total
Commitments as reduced from time to time in accordance with the
terms hereof, for the period (x) in the case of the initial
Commitment Fee Payment Date, from and including the Closing Date to
but excluding June 30, 2005 and (y) in the case of each
subsequent Commitment Fee Payment Date, from and including the
immediately preceding Commitment Fee Payment Date to but excluding
the Commitment Fee Payment Date on which such payment is due. T