FreeSeas Announces Settlement of $37.6 million of Debt with $15 million Debt Forgiveness
02 Juni 2014 - 4:15PM
Athens, Greece, June, 2 2014 --
FreeSeas Inc. (Nasdaq CM:
FREE) ("FreeSeas'' or the "Company''), a transporter of
dry-bulk cargoes through the ownership and operation of a fleet of
five Handysize and one Handymax vessels, announced today that on
May 30, 2014, it paid $22.6 million in full settlement of $37.6
million of debt owed to Credit Suisse using funds from the $25
million proceeds of the Company's sale of the Series D
Convertible Preferred Stock and Series C Warrants concluded on May
28, 2014.
Upon receipt of this payment, Credit Suisse
canceled the remaining debt of $15 million owed by FreeSeas and its
subsidiaries and the bank executed and accordingly delivered the
Waiver of Debt and Deed of Release and Reassignment, which included
the release of all first preferred mortgages, general assignments
of collateral and charter assignments relating to the Company's
vessels M/V Free Jupiter, M/V Free Hero and M/V Free Goddess
together with each vessel's release and reassignment of
insurance, as well as the release of all first priority account
pledges and corporate guarantee agreements previously executed by
our subsidiaries owning these vessels. The Company is expected to
recognize a non-cash gain on debt extinguishment of approximately
$15 million as a result of the foregoing debt cancellation, which
reduces our outstanding bank debt from $59.7 million to $23.2
million.
Mr. Ion Varouxakis, the Company's CEO made the
following statement, "We are very pleased to announce the pay-off
of our loan with Credit Suisse involving a very significant
forgiveness of $15 million of an outstanding amount of $37.6
million. Today's debt repayment represents the culmination of a
series of transformative transactions for our Company. As a result,
four of our six owned vessels are now mortgage-free and the total
amount of bank debt on our balance sheet has dramatically shrunk to
$23.2 million from approximately $90 million just a few months ago,
a reduction resulting in part from the debt forgiveness of
approximately $35 million from several lenders. After persistent
efforts, the Company has successfully managed to position itself on
ever healthier financial grounds, affording it the necessary
financial flexibility to expand its fleet of controlled vessels, at
a time of unique opportunity in the dry-bulk sector."
About FreeSeas Inc.
FreeSeas Inc. is a Marshall Islands corporation
with principal offices in Athens, Greece. FreeSeas is engaged in
the transportation of drybulk cargoes through the ownership and
operation of drybulk carriers. Currently, it has a fleet of
Handysize and Handymax vessels. FreeSeas' common stock trades on
the NASDAQ Capital Market under the symbol FREE. Risks and
uncertainties are described in reports filed by FreeSeas Inc. with
the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, which can be obtained
free of charge on the SEC's website at http://www.sec.gov. For more
information about FreeSeas Inc., please visit the corporate
website, www.freeseas.gr.
Forward-Looking Statements
This press release contains forward-looking
statements (as defined in Section 27A of the Securities Act of
1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of
1934, as amended) concerning future events and the Company's growth
strategy and measures to implement such strategy. Words such as
"expects," "intends," "plans," "believes," "anticipates," "hopes,"
"estimates" and variations of such words and similar expressions
are intended to identify forward-looking statements. Although the
Company believes that the expectations reflected in such
forward-looking statements are reasonable, no assurance can be
given that such expectations will prove to be correct. These
statements involve known and unknown risks and are based upon a
number of assumptions and estimates which are inherently subject to
significant uncertainties and contingencies, many of which are
beyond the control of the Company. Actual results may differ
materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking
statements. Factors that could cause actual results to differ
materially include, but are not limited to, changes in the demand
for dry bulk vessels; competitive factors in the market in which
the Company operates; risks associated with operations outside the
United States; and other factors listed from time to time in the
Company's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The
Company expressly disclaims any obligation or undertaking to
release publicly any updates or revisions to any forward-looking
statements contained herein to reflect any change in the Company's
expectations with respect thereto or any change in events,
conditions or circumstances on which any statement is based.
Contact Information:
At the Company
FreeSeas Inc.
Dimitris Papadopoulos, Chief Financial
Officer
011-30-210-45-28-770
Fax: 011-30-210-429-10-10
dp@freeseas.gr
www.freeseas.gr
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