Rubico Announces Acquisition of Additional Newbuilding MR Tanker and a 33% Increase of Potential Gross Revenue Backlog to About $305 Million

Rubico Inc. (Nasdaq: RUBI) (the “Company” or “Rubico”), a global provider of shipping transportation services specializing in the ownership of vessels, announced today that it has entered into a share purchase agreement (the “SPA”) with Top Ships Inc. to purchase the shares of a company (the “SPV”) that is party to a shipbuilding contract with Guangzhou Shipyard International Company Limited and China Shipbuilding Trading Co., Ltd. for the construction of a 47,499 dwt chemical/product oil carrier (the “Newbuilding MR Tanker”). The Newbuilding MR Tanker is scheduled for delivery in the third quarter of 2029. The aggregate purchase price for 100% of the shares of the SPV is approximately $6.25 million, payable in full at closing. The transaction is expected to close by September 30, 2026, subject to customary closing conditions. The SPV has secured time charter employment for the vessel with a major oil trader, starting from its delivery and for a firm duration of seven years, with charterer’s option to extend for four additional years. The total potential gross revenue backlog from this contract, including optional years, is about $75.4 million. The SPV has also entered into a sale and leaseback financing agreement with a major Chinese leasing company for an amount of 85% of the installment payments under the shipbuilding contract. The purchase price under the shipbuilding contract, payable in installments up to the delivery of the vessel, is $45.2 million out of which $6.8 million has already been paid. The financing bears an interest rate of Term SOFR plus a margin of 1.80%. Under the financing, following the delivery of the vessel, t...