GENER8 MARITIME,INC. (NYSE:GNRT) Files An 8-K Other Events

ME Staff 8-k
-
0

GENER8 MARITIME,INC. (NYSE:GNRT) Files An 8-K Other Events
Item 8.01 Other Events.

As described in greater detail in the proxy statement/prospectus filed by Gener8 Maritime,Inc. (“Gener8”) with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) on May10, 2018, two lawsuits (the “Actions”), captioned Fragapane v. Gener8 Maritime,Inc. et al., No.1:18-cv-02097 (S.D.N.Y.) and Mohr v. Gener8 Maritime,Inc., et al., No.1:18-cv-02276 (S.D.N.Y.), have been filed in the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York against Gener8, Gener8’s current directors and one of its former directors, Euronav NV (“Euronav”) and Euronav MI Inc. The complaints challenge Gener8’s proposed merger (the “Merger”) with Euronav, to the Agreement and Plan of Merger, dated December20, 2017, among Euronav, Euronav MI Inc., and Gener8 (the “Merger Agreement”).

The defendants believe that the claims asserted in the Actions are without merit and no supplemental disclosure is required under applicable law. To the contrary, the defendants specifically deny all allegations in the Actions. However, on May11, 2018, in order to avoid the risk of adverse effect or delay in connection with the transaction and to minimize the costs, risks and uncertainties inherent in litigation, and without admitting any liability or wrongdoing, the defendants entered into a memorandum of understanding (the “MOU”) with plaintiffs memorializing the parties’ agreement to settle the Actions. Under the terms of the MOU, the plaintiffs have agreed to voluntarily dismiss with prejudice their individual claims asserted in the Actions, and dismiss without prejudice claims asserted in the Fragapane action on behalf of a putative class of Gener8 shareholders, and to undertake all steps, including the preparation and filing of documents, stipulations or other papers deemed necessary to effectuate dismissal of the Actions. In connection with the settlement, plaintiffs intend to seek an award of attorneys’ fees and reimbursement of expenses.

In connection with the settlement, the defendants also agreed to supplemental disclosures (the “Supplemental Disclosures”) included in amendments to Euronav’s registration statement on FormF-4, filed with the SEC on March30, 2018 and April24, 2018. The Supplemental Disclosures include disclosures that address plaintiffs’ allegations and claims that the registration statement on FormF-4 was misleading and incomplete and were made solely to avoid the costs and burdens of litigation, and without admitting any liability or wrongdoing.

The settlement will not affect the merger consideration to be paid to Gener8 shareholders in connection with the Merger, or the timing of the special meeting of Gener8 shareholders to vote on the Merger Agreement.

Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward-Looking Statements

This Form8-K, including information incorporated by reference into this Form8-K, may contain forward-looking statements, including, for example, but not limited to, statements about management expectations, strategic objectives, strategic opportunities, growth opportunities, business prospects, regulatory proceedings, transaction synergies and other benefits of the Merger, and other similar matters. Forward-looking statements are not statements of historical facts and represent only Euronav’s or Gener8’s beliefs regarding future events, which are inherently uncertain. Forward-looking statements are typically identified by words such as “anticipates,” “believes,” “budgets,” “could,” “estimates,” “expects,” “forecasts,” “foresees,” “goal,” “intends,” “likely,” “may,” “might,” “plans,” “projects,” “schedule,” “should,” “target,” “will,” or “would” and similar expressions, although not all forward-looking information contains these identifying words.

By their very nature, forward-looking statements require Euronav and Gener8 to make assumptions and are subject to inherent risks and uncertainties that give rise to the possibility that Euronav’s or Gener8’s predictions, forecasts, projections, expectations or conclusions will not prove to be accurate, that Euronav’s or Gener8’s assumptions may not be correct and that Euronav’s or Gener8’s objectives, strategic goals and priorities will not be achieved. Gener8 and Euronav caution readers not to place undue reliance on these statements, as a number of important factors could cause actual results to differ materially from the expectations expressed in such forward-looking statements. These factors include, but are not limited to, the possibility that the Merger does not close when expected or at all because required shareholder approval is not received or other conditions to the closing are not satisfied on a timely basis or at all; that Gener8 and Euronav may be required to modify the terms and conditions of the Merger Agreement to achieve shareholder approval, or that the anticipated benefits of the Merger are not realized as a result of such things as the weakness of the economy and competitive factors in the seaborne transportation area in which Euronav and Gener8 do business; potential litigation arising from the Merger Agreement and/or the Merger; the Merger’s effect on the relationships of Euronav or Gener8 with their respective customers and suppliers, whether or not the Merger is completed; Euronav’s shareholders’ and Gener8’s shareholders’ reduction in their percentage ownership and voting power; the challenges presented by the integration of Euronav and Gener8; the uncertainty of third-party approvals; the significant transaction and merger-related integration costs; loss or reduction in business from Euronav’s or Gener8’s significant customers or the significant customers of the commercial pools in which Euronav and Gener8 participate; changes in the values of Euronav’s and Gener8’s vessels, newbuildings or other assets; the failure of Euronav’s or Gener8’s significant customers, shipyards, pool managers or technical managers to perform their obligations owed to Euronav or Gener8; the loss or material downtime of significant vendors and service providers; Euronav’s or Gener8’s failure, or the failure of the commercial pools in which Euronav and Gener8 participate, to successfully implement a profitable chartering strategy; termination or change in the nature of Euronav’s or Gener8’s relationship with any of the commercial pools in which they participate; changes in demand for Euronav’s and Gener8’s services; a material decline or prolonged weakness in rates in the tanker market; changes in production of or demand for oil and petroleum products, generally or in particular regions; greater than anticipated levels of tanker newbuilding orders or lower than anticipated rates of tanker scrapping; adverse weather and natural disasters, acts of piracy, terrorist attacks and international hostilities and instability; changes in rulesand regulations applicable to the tanker industry (including changes in the laws and regulations regulating the seaborne transportation or refined petroleum products industries or affecting domestic and foreign operations), including, without limitation, legislation adopted by international organizations such as the International Maritime Organization and the European Union or by individual countries; actions taken by regulatory authorities; actions by the courts, the U.S. Coast Guard, the U.S. Department of Justice or other governmental authorities and the results of the legal proceedings to which Euronav or Gener8 or any of their vessels may be subject; changes in trading patterns significantly impacting overall tanker tonnage requirements; any non-compliance with the U.S. Foreign Corrupt Practices Act of 1977 or other applicable regulations relating to bribery; the highly cyclical nature of Euronav’s and Gener8’s industry; changes in the typical seasonal variations in tanker charter rates; changes in the cost of other modes of oil transportation; changes in oil transportation technology; increases in costs including without limitation: crew wages, fuel, insurance, provisions, operating, repairs and maintenance, bunker prices, dry-docking and insurance costs; the adequacy of insurance to cover Euronav’s and Gener8’s losses, including in connection with maritime accidents or spill events; changes in the condition of Euronav’s and Gener8’s vessels or applicable maintenance or regulatory standards (which may affect, among other things, Euronav’s and Gener8’s anticipated drydocking or maintenance and repair costs); changes in the itineraries of Euronav’s and Gener8’s vessels; adverse changes in foreign currency exchange rates affecting Euronav’s or Gener8’s expenses; the fulfillment of the closing conditions under, or the execution of customary additional documentation for, Euronav’s and Gener8’s agreements to indirectly acquire vessels and borrow under their existing financing arrangements; Euronav and Gener8’s level of indebtedness and the effect of Euronav’s and Gener8’s indebtedness on their ability to finance operations, pursue desirable business operations and successfully run their business in the future; financial market conditions; sourcing, completion and funding of financing on acceptable terms; Euronav’s and Gener8’s ability to generate sufficient cash to service their indebtedness and comply with the covenants and conditions under their debt obligations; the impact of electing to take advantage of certain exemptions applicable to emerging growth companies; general market conditions, including the market for vessels and fluctuations in spot and charter rates and vessel values; disruption of shipping routes due to accidents or political events; vessel breakdowns and instances of off-hires; the supply of and demand for vessels comparable to the vessels of Euronav and Gener8; delays and cost overruns in construction projects; the availability of skilled workers and the related labor costs; the failure of counterparties to fully perform their contracts; the ability to successfully integrate the two companies; the risk that expected synergies and benefits of the Merger will not be realized within the expected time frame or at all; reputational risks; other factors that may affect future results of Euronav and Gener8, including changes in trade policies, changes in tax laws, technological and regulatory changes, and adverse developments in general market, business, economic, labor, regulatory and political conditions; Gener8’s ability to continue as a going concern and other factors listed from time to time in Gener8’s and Euronav’s filings with the SEC, including, without limitation, Gener8’s Annual Report on Form10-K for the fiscal year ended December31, 2017 and its subsequent reports on Form10-Q and Form8-K and Euronav’s Form20-F for the fiscal year ended December31, 2017 and its subsequent reports on Form6-K. The forward-looking statements speak only as of the date of this Form8-K, in the case of forward-looking statements contained in this Form8-K, or the dates of the documents incorporated by reference into this Form8-K, in the case of forward-looking statements made in those incorporated documents. When relying on Euronav’s or Gener8’s forward-looking statements to make decisions, investors and others should carefully consider the foregoing factors and other uncertainties and potential events. Except as required by applicable law or regulation, Gener8 and Euronav do not undertake to update any forward-looking statement, whether written or oral, to reflect events or circumstances after the date of this Form8-K or to reflect the occurrence of unanticipated events.

Additional Information and Where to Find It

In connection with the proposed transaction between Gener8 Maritime and Euronav, Gener8 Maritime and Euronav have filed and intend to file relevant materials with the SEC, including a Euronav registration statement on FormF-4 that includes a proxy statement of Gener8 Maritime and that also constitutes a prospectus of Euronav. The definitive proxy statement/prospectus will be delivered to shareholders of Gener8. INVESTORS AND SECURITY HOLDERS OF GENER8 MARITIME AND EURONAV ARE URGED TO READ THE DEFINITIVE PROXY STATEMENT/PROSPECTUS AND ANY OTHER RELEVANT DOCUMENTS FILED WITH THE SEC CAREFULLY AND IN THEIR ENTIRETY BECAUSE THEY WILL CONTAIN IMPORTANT INFORMATION ABOUT GENER8 MARITIME, EURONAV AND THE PROPOSED TRANSACTION. Investors and security holders are able to obtain free copies of the registration statement and the definitive proxy statement/prospectus and other documents filed with the SEC by Gener8 Maritime and Euronav through the website maintained by the SEC at http://www.sec.gov. Copies of the documents filed with the SEC by Gener8 Maritime are available free of charge on Gener8 Maritime’s internet website at www.gener8maritime.com. Copies of the documents filed with the SEC by Euronav are available free of charge on Euronav’s internet website at www.euronav.com.

Participants in Solicitation

This communication is not a solicitation of a proxy from any investor or securityholder. However, Gener8 Maritime, Euronav, their respective directors and certain of their executive officers and employees may be deemed to be participants in the solicitation of proxies in connection with the proposed transaction under the rulesof the SEC. Information regarding the persons who may, under the rulesof the SEC, be deemed participants in the solicitation of Gener8 Maritime and Euronav shareholders in connection with the proposed transaction and a description of their direct and indirect interests, by security holdings or otherwise, is set forth in the proxy statement/prospectus and other relevant documents filed with the SEC. Information about the directors and executive officers of Gener8 Maritime and Euronav is set forth in the proxy statement/prospectus, Gener8 Maritime’s Amendment No.1 to its Annual Report on Form10-K for the year ended December31, 2017 filed with the SEC on April30, 2018 and Euronav’s Annual Report on Form20-F for the year ended December31, 2017 filed with the SEC on April17, 2018. These documents will be available free of charge from the sources indicated above.

Non-Solicitation

This communication does not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy any securities or a solicitation of any vote or approval, nor shall there be any sale of securities in any jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful prior to registration or qualification under the securities laws of any such jurisdiction. No offer of securities shall be made except by means of a prospectus meeting the requirements of Section10 of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended.


About GENER8 MARITIME,INC. (NYSE:GNRT)

Gener8 Maritime, Inc., formerly General Maritime Corporation, is a provider of international seaborne crude oil transportation services. The Company operates through the segment, which includes the transportation of international seaborne crude oil and petroleum products with its fleet of vessels. The Company owns a fleet of over 45 tankers, including 31 vessels on the water consisting of 14 Very Large Crude Carriers (VLCCs), approximately 11 Suezmax vessels, over four Aframax vessels and approximately two Panamax vessels with an aggregate carrying capacity of approximately 6.6 million deadweight tons. The Company’s vessels are primarily available for charter on a spot voyage or time charter basis and for employment in commercial pools. Its fleet of vessels include Gener8 Zeus, Gener8 Neptune, Gener8 Ares, Gener8 Hera, Gener8 Harriet G, Gener8 Horn, Gener8 Daphne, Gener8 Elektra, Gener8 Companion, Gener8 Compatriot, Gener8 Spyridon, Gener8 Kara G, Gener8 Maniate and others.