This Annual Report on Form 10-K contains forward-looking statements. In addition, we may make or approve certain statements in future filings with the SEC, in press releases, or oral or written presentations by representatives of the Company. All statements other than statements of historical facts should be considered forward-looking statements. Words such as “may”, “will”, “should”, “would”, “could”, “appears”, “believe”, “intends”, “expects”, “estimates”, “targeted”, “plans”, “anticipates”, “goal”, and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements but should not be considered as the only means through which these statements may be made. Such forward-looking statements represent the Company’s reasonable expectation with respect to future events or circumstances based on various factors and are subject to various risks and uncertainties and assumptions relating to the Company’s operations, financial results, financial condition, business, prospects, growth strategy and liquidity. Accordingly, there are or will be important factors, many of which are beyond the control of the Company, that could cause the Company’s actual results to differ materially from those indicated in these statements. Undue reliance should not be placed on any forward-looking statements and consideration should be given to the following factors when reviewing any such statement. Such factors include, but are not limited to:
| ● | the highly cyclical nature of INSW’s industry; |
| ● | fluctuations in the market value of vessels; |
| ● | declines in charter rates, including spot charter rates or other market deterioration; |
| ● | an increase in the supply of vessels without a commensurate increase in demand; |
| ● | the impact of adverse weather and natural disasters; |
| ● | the adequacy of INSW’s insurance to cover its losses, including in connection with maritime accidents or spill events; |
| ● | constraints on capital availability; |
| ● | changing economic, political and governmental conditions in the United States and/or abroad and general conditions in the oil and natural gas industry; |
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| ● | the effect of an increase in trade protectionism, including tariffs, and fees on vessels entering U.S. ports that were constructed in China or are owned or operated by a Chinese entity, and fees on vessels entering Chinese ports that were not constructed in China and that are owned or operated by a U.S. controlled entity; |
| ● | the impact of changes in fuel prices; |
| ● | acts of piracy on ocean-going vessels; |
| ● | terrorist attacks and international hostilities and instability, including attacks against merchant vessels in the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden by Iran-backed Houthi militants based in Yemen; |
| ● | the war between Russia and Ukraine could adversely affect INSW’s business; |
| ● | the impact of public health threats and outbreaks of other highly communicable diseases; |
| ● | the effect of the Company’s indebtedness on its ability to finance operations, pursue desirable business opportunities and successfully run its business in the future; |
| ● | an event occurs that causes the rights issued under the Amended and Restated Rights Agreement adopted by the Company on April 11, 2023 to become exercisable; |
| ● | the Company’s ability to generate sufficient cash to service its indebtedness and to comply with debt covenants; |
| ● | the Company’s ability to make capital expenditures to expand the number of vessels in its fleet, and to maintain all of its vessels and to comply with existing and new regulatory standards; |
| ● | the availability and cost of third-party service providers for technical and commercial management of the Company’s fleet; |
| ● | the Company’s ability to renew its time charters when they expire or to enter into new time charters; |
| ● | termination or change in the nature of the Company’s relationship with any of the commercial pools in which it participates and the ability of such commercial pools to pursue a profitable chartering strategy; |
| ● | competition within the Company’s industry and INSW’s ability to compete effectively for charters with companies with greater resources; |
| ● | the loss of a large customer or significant business relationship; |
| ● | the Company’s ability to realize benefits from its past acquisitions or acquisitions or other strategic transactions it may make in the future; |
| ● | increasing operating costs and capital expenses as the Company’s vessels age, including increases due to limited shipbuilder warranties or the consolidation of suppliers; |
| ● | the Company’s ability to replace its operating leases on favorable terms, or at all; |
| ● | changes in credit risk with respect to the Company’s counterparties on contracts; |
| ● | the failure of contract counterparties to meet their obligations; |
| ● | the compliance by shipyards that are constructing the Company’s newbuild vessels with their obligations under the shipbuilding contracts; |
| ● | the Company’s ability to attract, retain and motivate key employees; |
| ● | work stoppages or other labor disruptions by employees of INSW or other companies in related industries; |
| ● | unexpected drydock costs; |
| ● | the potential for technological innovation to reduce the value of the Company’s vessels and charter income derived therefrom; |
| ● | the impact of an interruption in or failure of the Company’s information technology and communication systems upon the Company’s ability to operate; |
| ● | seasonal variations in INSW’s revenues; |
| ● | government requisition of the Company’s vessels during a period of war or emergency; |
| ● | the Company’s compliance with complex laws, regulations and in particular, environmental laws and regulations, including those relating to ballast water treatment and the emission of greenhouse gases and air contaminants, including from marine engines; |
| ● | legal, regulatory or market measures to address climate change, including proposals to restrict emissions of greenhouse gases (“GHGs”) and other sustainability initiatives, could have an adverse impact on the Company’s business and results of operations; |
| ● | increasing scrutiny and changing expectations from investors, lenders, and other market participants with respect to our sustainability and governance policies; |
| ● | any non-compliance with the U.S. Foreign Corrupt Practices Act of 1977 or other applicable regulations relating to bribery or corruption; |
| ● | the impact of litigation, government inquiries and investigations; |
| ● | governmental claims against the Company; |
| ● | the arrest of INSW’s vessels by maritime claimants; |
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| ● | changes in laws, including governing tax laws, treaties or regulations, including those relating to environmental and security matters; |
| ● | changes in worldwide trading conditions, including the impact of tariffs, trade sanctions, boycotts and other restrictions on trade; and |
| ● | pending and future tax law changes may result in significant additional taxes to INSW. |
Investors should carefully consider these risk factors and the additional risk factors outlined in more detail in this Annual Report on Form 10-K and in other reports hereafter filed by the Company with the SEC under the caption “Risk Factors.” The Company assumes no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements in this Annual Report on Form 10-K and written and oral forward-looking statements attributable to the Company or its representatives after the date of this Annual Report on Form 10-K are qualified in their entirety by the cautionary statement contained in this paragraph and in other reports hereafter filed by the Company with the SEC.
