Title 46

SECTION 298.13

298.13 Financial requirements.

§ 298.13 Financial requirements.

(a) In general. To be eligible for guarantees, you and/or your parent organization (when applicable), and any other participants in the project having a significant financial or contractual relationship with you must submit information, respectively, on their financial condition. You must submit this information at the time of the application. You must supplement this information if we require it in subsequent requests. You must submit information satisfactory to us to show that financial resources are available to support the Title XI project.

(b) Cost of the project. You must submit the following cost information with respect to the project:

(1) Vessel financing Guarantees. A detailed statement of the estimated Actual Cost of construction, reconstruction, or reconditioning of the Vessel(s) including those items which would normally be capitalized as Vessel construction costs. Net interest during construction is the total estimated construction period interest on non-equity funds less estimated earnings from the escrow fund, if such fund is to be established prior to Vessel(s) delivery.

(2) Foreign components. (i) You must exclude each item of foreign components and services from Actual Cost, unless we specifically grant a waiver for the item. We will not grant a waiver for major foreign components of the hull and superstructure.

(ii) In deciding whether to grant a waiver for foreign components and services, we will consider your certification, to be reviewed by us, stating that:

(A) A foreign item or service is not available in the United States on a timely or price-competitive basis, or

(B) The domestic item or service is not of sufficient quality.

(iii) Although excluded from Actual Cost, foreign components of the hull and superstructure can be regarded as owner-furnished equipment that may be used in satisfying your equity requirements imposed by paragraph (f) of this section.

(3) Costs incurred by written contracts. If any of the costs have been incurred by written contracts such as shipyard contract, management or operating agreement, you should forward signed copies with the application. We may require you to have the contracting shipyard submit back-up cost details and technical data. You must submit this information in the format given in the Title XI application procedures.

(4) Shipyard Project. In the case of Shipyard Project, a detailed statement of the actual cost of such technology, including those items which would normally be capitalizable. If you incurred any of the costs through written contracts, you should forward signed copies of the contract with the application. We may require you to have manufacturers submit back-up cost details and technical data. You must submit this information in the format given in the Title XI application procedures.

(5) Shore facilities, cargo containers, etc. A detailed statement showing the actual cost of any shore facilities, cargo containers, etc., required to be purchased in conjunction with the project.

(6) Additional project costs. A detailed statement showing any other costs associated with the project which were not included in paragraphs (b)(1) through (5) of this section, such as:

(i) Legal and accounting fees;

(ii) Printing costs;

(iii) Vessel insurance;

(iv) Underwriting fees;

(v) Fee to a Related Party; and

(vi) Other fees.

(7) Request for Actual Cost Approval and Reimbursement. If the project involves refinancing, you must also submit the exhibit entitled Request for Actual Cost Approval and Reimbursement, its summary sheet and supplemental schedules at the time of filing the application.

(c) Financing. (1) You must:

(i) Describe, in detail, how the costs of the project (sums referred to in paragraph (b) of this section) will be funded and the timing of such funding.

(ii) Include any vessel trade-ins, related or third party financings, etc.

(iii) Provide the proposed terms and conditions of all private funding, from both equity and debt sources and clearly identify all parties involved.

(iv) Obtain our approval of the terms and conditions for co-financing (involving a blend of Title XI and private financing for the debt portion), including the ability of the co-financiers to exercise their rights against collateral shared with us for any transaction.

(v) Demonstrate with financial statements that at least 12 1/2 percent, or 25 percent as applicable, of the construction or reconstruction costs of the Vessel(s) or the cost of the Shipyard Project will be in the form of equity and not additional debt, except to the extent allowed by paragraph (h) of this section.

(vi) Disclose all of the Vessel(s), Shipyard Project financing in the format given in the Title XI application procedures.

(2) Financial information. You must provide us with financial statements, prepared in accordance with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP), and include notes that explain the basis for arriving at the figures except that for Eligible Export Vessels, your financial statements must be in accordance with GAAP if formed in the U.S., or reconciled to GAAP if formed in a foreign country unless a satisfactory justification is provided explaining the inability to reconcile. The financial statements must include the following [Note: MARAD will accept electronic options (such as facsimile and Internet) for transmission of required information to MARAD, if practicable.]:

(i) The most recent financial statements for you, your parent company and other significant participants, as applicable (year end or intermediate), and the three most recent audited statements with details of all existing debt. If you are a new entity and are to be funded from or guaranteed by external source(s), you must provide such statements for such source(s);

(ii) Your pro forma balance sheet and that of any guarantor (if applicable) as of the estimated date of execution of the Guarantees reflecting the assumption of the Title XI Obligations, including the current liability; and

(iii) Your pro forma balance sheets and that of the guarantor (if applicable) for five years after the Closing.

(Approved by the Office of Management and Budget under control number 2133-0005)

(d) Financial definitions. For the purpose of this section and §§ 298.35 and 298.42 of this part:

(1) “Company” means any Person subject to financial requirements imposed under paragraph (f) of this section and in § 298.35, as well as the reporting requirements imposed by § 298.42.

(2) “Working Capital” means the excess, if any, of current assets over current liabilities, both determined in accordance with GAAP and adjusted as follows:

(i) In determining current assets you must exclude:

(A) Any securities, obligations or evidence of indebtedness of a Related Party or of any stockholder, director, officer or employee (or any member of his family) of the Company or of such Related Party, except advances to agents required for the normal current operation of the Company's vessels and current receivables arising out of the ordinary course of business and not outstanding for more than 60 days; and

(B) An amount equal to any excess of unterminated voyage revenue over unterminated voyage expenses.

(ii) In determining current liabilities, you must deduct any excess of unterminated voyage expenses over unterminated voyage revenue and add one half of all annual charter hire and other lease obligations (having a term of more than six months) due and payable within the succeeding fiscal year, other than charter hire and such other lease obligations already included and reported as a current liability on the Company's balance sheet.

(3) “Equity” or “net worth” means, as of any date, (the total of paid-in-capital stock, paid-in surplus, earned surplus and appropriated surplus,) and all other amounts that would be included in net worth in accordance with GAAP, but does not include:

(i) Any receivables from any stockholder, director, Officer or employee (or their family) of the Company or from any Related Party (other than current receivables arising out of the ordinary course of business and not outstanding for more than 60 days), and

(ii) Any increment resulting from the reappraisal of assets.

(4) “Long-Term Debt” means, as of any date, the total notes, bonds, debentures, equipment obligations and other evidence of indebtedness that would be included in long term debt in accordance with GAAP. You must include any guarantee or other liability for the debt of any other Person not otherwise included on the balance sheet.

(5) “Capitalizable Cost” means the aggregate of the Actual Cost of the Vessel or Shipyard Project and those other items which customarily would be capitalized as Vessel costs or Shipyard Project costs under GAAP.

(6) “Depreciated Capitalizable Cost” means the Capitalizable Cost of a Vessel or Shipyard Project, depreciated on a straightline basis over the same useful life as determined by us for Actual Cost, and depreciated as required by § 298.21(g).

(e) Applicability. The financial resources must be adequate to meet the Equity requirements in the project and Working Capital requirements, as set forth in paragraph (f) of this section.

(1) The various financial requirements shall be met by the owner of the Vessel or Vessels or Shipyard Project to be security to us for the Guarantees, except that if the owner is not the operator, the overall financial requirements will be allocated among the owner, the operator and other parties as determined by us.

(2) The Company must satisfy the applicable financial requirements, in addition to any other financial requirements already imposed or which may be imposed upon it in connection with other Vessels financed under the Title XI program or in connection with other Shipyard Project financed under the Title XI program.

(3) A determination as to whether the Company has satisfied all financial requirements shall be based on the assumption that the projected financing has been completed. Accordingly, you must submit:

(i) A pro forma balance sheet at the time of the application, reflecting any adjustment made pursuant to paragraph (f)(1)(i) of this section, and

(ii) A revised pro forma balance sheet, reflecting the completion of the projected financing, at least five business days before the first Closing at which the Obligations are issued.

(f) Financial requirements at Closing. Financial requirements can apply to one or more Companies, and are determined as follows:

(1) Owner as operator. Where the owner is to be the Vessel operator, minimum requirements at Closing usually are as follows:

(i) Working Capital. The Company's Working Capital shall not be less than one dollar. This Working Capital requirement is based on the premise that the Company engages in a service-type activity with only normal vessel inventory. If Working Capital includes other inventory, in addition to such normal Vessel inventory, we may adjust the requirement as appropriate. Also, if we determine that the Company's Working Capital includes amounts receivable that it reasonably could not expect to collect within one year, we may make adjustments to the Working Capital requirements.

(ii) Long-Term Debt. The Company's Long-Term Debt must not be greater than twice its Equity.

(iii) Equity (net worth). The Company's Equity must be:

(A) The greater of:

(1) 50 percent of its Long-Term Debt; or

(2) 90 percent of its Equity as shown on the last audited balance sheet, dated not earlier than six months before the date of issuance of the Letter Commitment; or

(B) Such other amount as may be specified by us.

(2) Lessee or charterer as operator. Where a lessee or charterer is to be the Vessel operator, minimum requirements at Closing usually are as follows:

(i) Working Capital. The operator's Working Capital requirement will be the same as that which would have otherwise been imposed on the owner as operator under paragraph (f)(1)(i) of this section and based on the same premise stated in that paragraph.

(ii) Long-Term Debt. The operator's Long-Term Debt will be the same as that which would have otherwise been imposed on the owner as operator under paragraph (f)(1)(ii) of this section.

(iii) Equity (net worth). The operator's equity requirement will be the same as that which would have otherwise been imposed on the owner as operator under paragraph (f)(1)(iii) of this section.

(iv) The owner's Equity shall at least be equal to the difference between the Capitalizable Cost or Depreciated Capitalizable Cost of the Vessel (whichever is applicable) and the total amount of the Guarantees.

(3) Owner as General Shipyard Facility. Where the owner of Shipyard Project is a General Shipyard Facility, minimum requirements at Closing will be the same as those set forth in paragraph (f)(1) of this section for an owner as operator.

(g) Adjustments to financial requirements at Closing. If the owner, although not operating a Vessel, assumes any of the operating responsibilities, we may adjust the respective Working Capital and Equity requirements of the owner and operator, otherwise applicable under paragraph (f) of this section, by increasing the requirements of the owner and decreasing those of the operator by the same amount.

(h) Subordinated debt considered to be Equity. With our consent, part of the Equity requirements applicable under paragraphs (c) and (f) of this section may be satisfied by debt, fully subordinated as to the payment of principal and interest on the Secretary's Note and any claims secured as provided for in the Security Agreement or the Mortgage. Repayment of subordinated debt may be made only from funds available for payment of dividends or for other distributions, in accordance with requirements of the Title XI Reserve Fund and Financial Agreement (described in § 298.35). Such subordinated debt shall not be secured by any interest in property that is security for Guarantees under Title XI, unless the Obligor and the lender enter into a written agreement, satisfactory to us, providing, among other things, that if any Title XI financing or advance by us to the Obligor shall occur in the future, such security interest of the lender shall become subordinated to any indebtedness to us incurred by the Obligor and to any security interest obtained by us in that property or other property, with respect to the subsequent indebtedness.

(i) Modified requirements. We may waive or modify the financial terms or requirements otherwise applicable under this section and §§ 298.35 and 298.42, upon determining that there is adequate security for the Guarantees. We may impose similar financial requirements on any Person providing other security for the Guarantees.

[65 FR 45152, July 20, 2000, as amended at 68 FR 62538, Nov. 5, 2003; 69 FR 61451, Oct. 19, 2004]