Top Ships (TOPS) Risk Factors

The market supply of tankers is affected by a number of factors such as demand for energy resources, crude oil, petroleum products and chemicals, as well as strong overall economic growth of the world economy. If the capacity of new tankers delivered exceeds the capacity of such tankers being scrapped and lost, vessel capacity will increase, which could lead to reductions in charter rates. As of April 8, 2022, newbuilding orders have been placed for an aggregate of approximately 6.4% of the existing global tanker fleet with the bulk of deliveries expected during 2022. An over-supply of oil tankers has already resulted in an increase in oil tanker charter hire rate volatility. If this volatility persists, we may not be able to find profitable charters for our vessels, which could have a material adverse effect on our business, results of operations, cash flows, financial condition and ability to pay dividends.

Our success depends to a significant extent upon the abilities and efforts of our management team. All of our executive officers are employees of Central Mare Inc., or Central Mare, a related party affiliated with the family of Mr. Evangelos J. Pistiolis, our President, Chief Executive Officer and Director, and we have entered into agreements with Central Mare for the compensation of Mr. Evangelos J. Pistiolis; Alexandros Tsirikos, our Chief Financial Officer and Director; Vangelis G. Ikonomou our Chief Operating Officer and Konstantinos Patis, our Chief Technical Officer. The loss of any of these individuals could adversely affect our business prospects and financial condition. Difficulty in hiring and retaining personnel could adversely affect our results of operations. We do not maintain "key man" life insurance on any of our officers.

Our Fleet Manager, is responsible for recruiting, mainly through a crewing agent, the senior officers and all other crew members for our vessels and all other vessels we may acquire. If not resolved in a timely and cost-effective manner, industrial action or other labor unrest could prevent or hinder our operations from being carried out as we expect and could have a material adverse effect on our business, results of operations, cash flows, financial condition and available cash.

We may be subject to increased premium payments, or calls, in amounts based on our claim records and the claim records of our Fleet Manager as well as the claim records of other members of the protection and indemnity associations through which we receive insurance coverage for tort liability, including pollution-related liability. In addition, our protection and indemnity associations may not have enough resources to cover claims made against them. Our payment of these calls could result in significant expense to us, which could have a material adverse effect on our business, results of operations and financial condition.

When we enter into a time charter or bareboat charter, rates under that charter are fixed throughout the term of the charter. If the spot charter rates in the tanker shipping industry become significantly lower than the time charter equivalent rates that some of our charterers are obligated to pay us under our then existing charters, the charterers may have incentive to default under that charter or attempt to renegotiate the charter. If our charterers fail to pay their obligations, we would have to attempt to re-charter our vessels at lower charter rates, and as a result we could sustain significant losses which could have a material adverse effect on our cash flow and financial condition, which would affect our ability to meet our current or future loans or current leaseback obligations. If our current or future lenders choose to accelerate our indebtedness and foreclose their liens, or if the owners of our leased vessels choose to repossess vessels in our fleet as a result of a default under the SLBs, our ability to continue to conduct our business would be impaired.

Vessel operating costs include the costs of crew, fuel (for spot chartered vessels), provisions, deck and engine stores, insurance and maintenance and repairs, which depend on a variety of factors, many of which are beyond our control. Some of these costs, primarily relating to insurance and enhanced security measures, have been increasing. If any vessels we have or will acquire suffer damage, they may need to be repaired at a dry-docking facility. The costs of dry-docking repairs are unpredictable and can be substantial. Increases in any of these expenses could decrease our earnings and available cash.

A government could requisition vessels for title or hire. Requisition for title occurs when a government takes control of a vessel and becomes the owner. Requisition for hire occurs when a government takes control of a vessel and effectively becomes the charterer at dictated charter rates. Generally, requisitions occur during a period of war or emergency. Government requisition of any of our vessels or vessels we acquire could negatively impact our revenues should we not receive adequate compensation.

While our vessels have not called on ports located in countries or territories that are the subject of country-wide or territory-wide sanctions or embargoes imposed by the U.S. government or other governmental authorities ("Sanctioned Jurisdictions") in violation of applicable sanctions or embargo laws, in 2021, and although we intend to maintain compliance with all applicable sanctions and embargo laws, and we endeavor to take precautions reasonably designed to ensure compliance with such laws, it is possible that, in the future, our vessels may call on ports in Sanctioned Jurisdictions in violation of applicable sanctions or embargo laws on charterers' instructions and without our consent. If such activities result in a violation of sanctions or embargo laws, we could be subject to monetary fines, penalties, or other sanctions, and our reputation and the market for our common shares could be adversely affected. The U.S. sanctions and embargo laws and regulations vary in their application, as they do not all apply to the same covered persons or proscribe the same activities, and such sanctions and embargo laws and regulations may be amended or expanded over time. In particular, the ongoing war in Ukraine could result in the imposition of further economic sanctions by the United States and the European Union against Russia. Current or future counterparties of ours may be affiliated with persons or entities that are or may be in the future the subject of sanctions imposed by the governments of the U.S., European Union, and/or other international bodies. If we determine that such sanctions require us to terminate existing or future contracts to which we, or our subsidiaries, are party or if we are found to be in violation of such applicable sanctions, our results of operations may be adversely affected or we may suffer reputational harm. Although we believe that we have been in compliance with all applicable sanctions and embargo laws and regulations, and intend to maintain such compliance, any such violation could result in fines, penalties or other sanctions that could severely impact our ability to access U.S. capital markets and conduct our business, and could result in some investors deciding, or being required, to divest their interest, or not to invest, in us. In addition, certain institutional investors may have investment policies or restrictions that prevent them from holding securities of companies that have contracts with countries identified by the U.S. government as state sponsors of terrorism. The determination by these investors not to invest in, or to divest from, our common shares may adversely affect the price at which our common shares trade. Moreover, our charterers may violate applicable sanctions and embargo laws and regulations as a result of actions that do not involve us or our vessels, and those violations could in turn negatively affect our reputation. Investor perception of the value of our common shares may also be adversely affected by the consequences of war, the effects of terrorism, civil unrest and governmental actions in countries or territories that we operate in.

The operation of our vessels is affected by the requirements set forth in the United Nations' International Maritime Organization's International Management Code for the Safe Operation of Ships and Pollution Prevention, or ISM Code. The ISM Code requires ship owners, ship managers and bareboat charterers to develop and maintain an extensive "Safety Management System" that includes the adoption of a safety and environmental protection policy setting forth instructions and procedures for safe operation and describing procedures for dealing with emergencies. We expect that any vessels that we acquire in the future will be ISM Code-certified when delivered to us. The failure of a shipowner or bareboat charterer to comply with the ISM Code may subject it to increased liability, may invalidate existing insurance or decrease available insurance coverage for the affected vessels and may result in a denial of access to, or detention in, certain ports, including United States and European Union ports. In addition, the hull and machinery of every commercial vessel must be classed by a classification society authorized by its country of registry. The classification society certifies that a vessel is safe and seaworthy in accordance with the applicable rules and regulations of the country of registry of the vessel and the International Convention for Safety of Life at Sea. If a vessel does not maintain its class and/or fails any annual survey, intermediate survey or special survey, the vessel will be unable to trade between ports and will be unemployable, which will negatively impact our revenues and results from operations.

Our operations are subject to numerous laws and regulations in the form of international conventions and treaties, national, state and local laws and national and international regulations in force in the jurisdictions in which our vessels will operate or are registered, which can significantly affect the operation of our vessels. These regulations include, but are not limited to the International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships of 1973, as from time to time amended and generally referred to as MARPOL, including the designation of Emission Control Areas, or ECAs, thereunder, the International Convention on Load Lines of 1966, the International Convention on Civil Liability for Oil Pollution Damage of 1969, generally referred to as CLC, the International Convention on Civil Liability for Bunker Oil Pollution Damage, or Bunker Convention, the International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea of 1974, or SOLAS, the International Safety Management Code for the Safe Operation of Ships and for Pollution Prevention, or ISM Code, the International Convention for the Control and Management of Ships' Ballast Water and Sediments, or the BWM Convention, the U.S. Oil Pollution Act of 1990, or OPA, the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act, or CERCLA, the U.S. Clean Water Act, the U.S. Clean Air Act, the U.S. Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act, the U.S. Maritime Transportation Security Act of 2002, or the MTSA, and European Union regulations. Compliance with such laws, regulations and standards, where applicable, may require installation of costly equipment or operational changes and may affect the resale value or useful lives of our vessels. We may also incur additional costs in order to comply with other existing and future regulatory obligations, including, but not limited to, costs relating to air emissions, the management of ballast waters, maintenance and inspection, development and implementation of emergency procedures and insurance coverage or other financial assurance of our ability to address pollution incidents. These costs could have a material adverse effect on our business, results of operations, cash flows and financial condition. A failure to comply with applicable laws and regulations may result in administrative and civil penalties, criminal sanctions or the suspension or termination of our operations. Environmental laws often impose strict liability for remediation of spills and releases of oil and hazardous substances, which could subject us to liability without regard to whether we were negligent or at fault. Under OPA, for example, owners, operators and bareboat charterers are jointly and severally strictly liable for the discharge of oil within the 200-mile exclusive economic zone around the United States. Events such as the 2010 explosion of the Deepwater Horizon and the subsequent release of oil into the Gulf of Mexico, or other events, may result in further regulation of the shipping industry, and modifications to statutory liability schemes, which could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, results of operations and cash flows. An oil spill could result in significant liability, including fines, penalties and criminal liability and remediation costs for natural resource damages under other federal, state and local laws, as well as third-party damages. We are required to satisfy insurance and financial responsibility requirements for potential oil (including marine fuel) spills and other pollution incidents. Although insurance covers certain environmental risks, there can be no assurance that such insurance will be sufficient to cover all such risks or that any claims will not have a material adverse effect on our business, results of operations, cash flows and financial condition and our ability to pay dividends, if any, in the future.

Our vessels may call in ports where smugglers may attempt to hide drugs and other contraband on vessels, with or without the knowledge of crew members. To the extent our vessels are found with contraband, whether inside or attached to the hull of our vessel and whether with or without the knowledge of any of our crew, we may face governmental or other regulatory claims that could have an adverse effect on our business, results of operations, cash flows, financial condition and ability to pay dividends.

Global financial markets and economic conditions have been, and continue to be, volatile. Beginning in February 2020, due in part to fears associated with the spread of COVID-19 (as more fully described above), global financial markets experienced volatility and a steep and abrupt downturn, followed by a recovery, which volatility may continue as the COVID-19 pandemic continues. Credit markets and the debt and equity capital markets have been distressed and the uncertainty surrounding the future of the global credit markets has resulted in reduced access to credit worldwide, particularly for the shipping industry. These issues, along with significant write-offs in the financial services sector, the re-pricing of credit risk and the uncertain economic conditions, have made, and may continue to make, it difficult to obtain additional financing. The current state of global financial markets and current economic conditions might adversely impact our ability to issue additional equity at prices that will not be dilutive to our existing shareholders or preclude us from issuing equity at all. Economic conditions and the economic slow-down resulting from COVID-19 and the intentional governmental responses to the virus may also adversely affect the market price of our common shares. Also, as a result of concerns about the stability of financial markets generally, and the solvency of counterparties specifically, the availability and cost of obtaining money from the public and private equity and debt markets has become more difficult. Many lenders have increased interest rates, enacted tighter lending standards, refused to refinance existing debt at all or on terms similar to current debt, and reduced, and in some cases ceased, to provide funding to borrowers and other market participants, including equity and debt investors, and some have been unwilling to invest on attractive terms or even at all. Due to these factors, we cannot be certain that financing will be available if needed and to the extent required, or that we will be able to refinance our existing and future credit facilities, on acceptable terms or at all. If financing or refinancing is not available when needed, or is available only on unfavorable terms, we may be unable to meet our obligations as they come due or we may be unable to enhance our existing business, complete additional vessel acquisitions or otherwise take advantage of business opportunities as they arise. The ongoing COVID-19 outbreak has negatively impacted, and may continue to negatively impact, global economic activity, demand for energy, and funds flows and sentiment in the global financial markets. Continued economic disruption caused by the continued failure to control the spread of the virus could significantly impact our ability to obtain additional debt financing.

Among other factors, we face risks attendant to changes in economic environments, changes in interest rates, and instability in the banking and securities markets around the world. The world economy continues to face a number of challenges. Concerns persist regarding the debt burden of certain European countries and their ability to meet future financial obligations and the overall stability of the euro. A renewed period of adverse development in the outlook for the financial stability of European countries, or market perceptions concerning these and related issues, could reduce the overall demand for oil and chemicals, and thus for shipping and our services, and thereby could affect our financial position, results of operations and cash available for distribution. In addition, turmoil and hostilities in the Middle East and other geographic areas and countries may negatively impact the world economy. A general deterioration in the global economy may also cause a decrease in worldwide demand for certain goods and, thus, shipping. In the past, economic and governmental factors, together with concurrent declines in charter rates and vessel values, have had a material adverse effect on our results of operations, financial condition and cash flows, causing the price of our common shares to decline. European countries have recently experienced relatively slow growth. Over the past several years, the credit markets in Europe have experienced significant contraction, deleveraging and reduced liquidity, and European authorities continue to implement a broad variety of governmental action and/or new regulation of the financial markets. Worldwide economic conditions have in the past impacted, and could in the future impact, lenders' willingness to provide credit to us and our customers. If economic conditions in Europe preclude or limit financing, we may not be able to obtain financing on terms that are acceptable to us, or at all, even if conditions outside Europe remain favorable for lending.

We conduct most of our operations outside of the United States, and our business, results of operations, cash flows, financial condition and available cash may be adversely affected by changing economic, political and government conditions in the countries and regions where our vessels are employed or registered. Moreover, we operate in a sector of the economy that is likely to be adversely impacted by the effects of political conflicts, including the current political instability in the Middle East, Ukraine, and the South China Sea region and other geographic countries and areas, geopolitical events such as the withdrawal of the U.K. from the European Union, or "Brexit," terrorist or other attacks, and war (or threatened war) or international hostilities, such as those between the United States and North Korea. The war between Russia and Ukraine may lead to further regional and international conflicts or armed action. This war has disrupted supply chains and caused instability in the energy markets and the global economy, with effects on the tanker market, which has experienced volatility. The United States, United Kingdom and the European Union, among other countries, have announced sanctions against Russia, including sanctions targeting the Russian oil sector, among those a prohibition on the import of oil from Russia to the United States. The ongoing war could result in the imposition of further economic sanctions by the United States, the United Kingdom and the European Union against Russia, with uncertain impacts on the tanker market. While much uncertainty remains regarding the global impact of the war in Ukraine, it is possible that such tensions could adversely affect our business, financial condition, results of operation and cash flows. Furthermore, it is possible that third parties with whom we have charter contracts may be impacted by events in Russia and Ukraine, which could adversely affect our operations. Terrorist attacks such as those in Paris on November 13, 2015, Manchester on May 22, 2017, and the frequent incidents of terrorism in the Middle East, and the continuing response of the United States and others to these attacks, as well as the threat of future terrorist attacks around the world, continues to cause uncertainty in the world's financial markets and may affect our business, operating results and financial condition. Continuing conflicts and recent developments in the Middle East, including increased tensions between the U.S. and Iran, as well as the presence of U.S. or other armed forces in Iraq, Syria, Afghanistan and various other regions, may lead to additional acts of terrorism and armed conflict around the world, which may contribute to further economic instability in the global financial markets. As a result of the above, insurers have increased premiums and reduced or restricted coverage for losses caused by terrorist acts generally. These uncertainties could also adversely affect our ability to obtain additional financing on terms acceptable to us or at all. Any of these occurrences could have a material adverse impact on our operating results, revenues and costs. Additionally, Brexit, or similar events in other jurisdictions, could impact global markets, including foreign exchange and securities markets; any resulting changes in currency exchange rates, tariffs, treaties and other regulatory matters could in turn adversely impact our business and operations. Further, governments may turn to trade barriers to protect their domestic industries against foreign imports, thereby depressing shipping demand. In particular, leaders in the United States have indicated that the United States may seek to implement more protective trade measures. There is significant uncertainty about the future relationship between the United States, China and other exporting countries, including with respect to trade policies, treaties, government regulations and tariffs. For example, in January 2019, the United States announced expanded sanctions against Venezuela, which may have an effect on its oil output and in turn affect global oil supply. Protectionist developments, or the perception that they may occur, may have a material adverse effect on global economic conditions, and may significantly reduce global trade. Moreover, increasing trade protectionism may cause an increase in (a) the cost of goods exported from regions globally, (b) the length of time required to transport goods and (c) the risks associated with exporting goods. Such increases may significantly affect the quantity of goods to be shipped, shipping time schedules, voyage costs and other associated costs, which could have an adverse impact on the shipping industry, and therefore our charterers and their business, operating results and financial condition and could thereby affect their ability to make timely charter hire payments to us and to renew and increase the number of their time charters with us. This could have a material adverse effect on our business, results of operations, financial condition and our ability to pay any cash distributions to our stockholders. In January 2020, in response to certain perceived terrorist activity, the United States launched an airstrike in Baghdad that killed a high-ranking Iranian general, increasing hostilities between the U.S. and Iran. This attack or further escalations between the U.S. and Iran that may follow, could result in retaliation from Iran that could potentially affect the shipping industry, through increased attacks on vessels in the Strait of Hormuz (which already experienced an increased number of attacks on and seizures of vessels lately), or by potentially closing off or limiting access to the Strait of Hormuz, where a significant portion of the world's oil supply passes through. Any restriction on access to the Strait of Hormuz, or increased attacks on vessels in the area, could negatively impact our earnings, cash flow and results of operations. In the past, political instability has also resulted in attacks on vessels, mining of waterways and other efforts to disrupt international shipping, particularly in the Arabian Gulf region. Acts of terrorism and piracy have also affected vessels trading in regions such as the South China Sea and the Gulf of Aden off the coast of Somalia. Any of these occurrences could have a material adverse impact on our future performance, results of operations, cash flows and financial position. In addition, public health threats, such as the coronavirus, influenza and other highly communicable diseases or viruses, outbreaks of which have from time to time occurred in various parts of the world in which we operate, including China, could adversely impact our operations, and the operations of our customers.

Public health threats, such as the COVID-19 outbreak (as described more fully above), influenza and other highly communicable diseases or viruses, outbreaks of which have from time to time occurred in various parts of the world in which we operate, including China, could adversely impact our operations, the timing of completion of any outstanding or future newbuilding projects, as well as the operations of our customers.