EX-4.1 2 ef20075333_ex4-1.htm EXHIBIT 4.1

Exhibit 4.1

THIRD AMENDMENT TO SHAREHOLDERS RIGHTS AGREEMENT
 
This Third Amendment to Shareholders Rights Agreement (this “Amendment”) is made and entered into as of June 2, 2026, by and between Genco Shipping & Trading Limited, a Marshall Islands corporation (the “Company”), and Computershare Inc., a Delaware corporation, as rights agent (the “Rights Agent”).
 
WHEREAS, the Company and the Rights Agent entered into that certain Shareholders Rights Agreement, dated as of October 1, 2025 (the “Original Agreement”), as amended by the Company and the Rights Agent by that certain First Amendment to Shareholders Rights Agreement (the “First Amendment”), dated as of November 10, 2025, and that certain Second Amendment to Shareholders Rights Agreement (the “Second Amendment”), dated as of May 1, 2026 (the Original Agreement, as so amended by the First Amendment and the Second Amendment, the “Agreement”); and
 
WHEREAS, Section 27 of the Agreement provides that the Company may, and the Rights Agent shall, if the Company so directs, supplement or amend any provision of the Agreement without the approval of any holders of the Rights, including, without limitation, to change, amend or supplement the provisions of the Agreement in any manner that the Company may deem necessary or desirable; and
 
WHEREAS, the Company has determined that it is desirable in order to further the purposes of the Agreement for the protection and the best interests of the Company and its shareholders to amend the Agreement as provided herein by eliminating the defined term “Acting in Concert” and all references thereto; and
 
WHEREAS, all acts and things necessary to make this Amendment a valid agreement according to its terms have been done and performed, and the execution and delivery of this Amendment by the Company and the Rights Agent have been in all respects authorized by the Company and the Rights Agent.
 
NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the premises and the mutual agreements set forth herein, the Company and the Rights Agent hereby agree as follows:
 
1.           Amendments to Section 1 of the Agreement.
 
(a)          The definition of “Acting in Concert” is hereby deleted in its entirety from the Agreement, and all references to “Acting in Concert” in the Agreement are hereby eliminated as set forth in this Amendment.
 
(b)          The definition of “Acquiring Person” is hereby amended and restated in its entirety as follows:
 
Acquiring Person” shall mean any Person who or which, together with all Affiliates and Associates of such Person, shall be the Beneficial Owner of 15% or more of the shares of Common Stock then outstanding, but shall not include the Company, any Subsidiary of the Company or any employee benefit plan of the Company or of any Subsidiary of the Company, or any Person holding shares of Common Stock for or pursuant to the terms of any such plan, but only to the extent related to such plan. Notwithstanding the foregoing, no Person shall be deemed to be an Acquiring Person as the result of an acquisition of shares of Common Stock by the Company which, by reducing the number of shares outstanding, increases the proportionate number of shares beneficially owned by such Person to 15% or more of the shares of Common Stock of the Company then outstanding; provided, however,


that a Person, together with all Affiliates and Associates of such Person, who (i) becomes the Beneficial Owner of 15% or more of the shares of Common Stock of the Company then outstanding by reason of share purchases by the Company and (ii) then after such share purchases by the Company, becomes the Beneficial Owner of any additional shares of Common Stock of the Company (other than pursuant to a dividend or distribution paid or made by the Company on the outstanding shares of Common Stock in shares of Common Stock or pursuant to a split or subdivision of the outstanding shares of Common Stock), such Person shall be deemed to be an Acquiring Person unless upon becoming the Beneficial Owner of such additional shares of Common Stock of the Company such Person does not beneficially own 15% or more of the shares of Common Stock of the Company then outstanding. Notwithstanding the foregoing, (i) if the Board determines in good faith that a Person who would otherwise be an “Acquiring Person,” as defined herein, has become such inadvertently (including, without limitation, because (A) such Person was unaware that it beneficially owned a percentage of the shares of Common Stock that would otherwise cause such Person to be an “Acquiring Person,” as defined herein, or (B) such Person was aware of the extent of the shares of Common Stock it beneficially owned but had no actual knowledge of the consequences of such beneficial ownership under this Agreement) and without any intention of changing or influencing control of the Company, and if such Person divested or divests as promptly as practicable a sufficient number of shares of Common Stock so that such Person would no longer be an “Acquiring Person,” as defined herein, then such Person shall not be deemed to be or to have become an “Acquiring Person” for any purposes of this Agreement; and (ii) if, as of the date hereof or prior to the first public announcement of the adoption of this Agreement, any Person is the Beneficial Owner of 15% or more of the shares of Common Stock outstanding, such Person shall not be or become an “Acquiring Person,” as defined herein, unless and until such time as such Person shall become the Beneficial Owner of additional shares of Common Stock (other than pursuant to a dividend or distribution paid or made by the Company on the outstanding shares of Common Stock in shares of Common Stock or pursuant to a split or subdivision of the outstanding shares of Common Stock), unless, upon becoming the Beneficial Owner of such additional shares of Common Stock, such Person is not then the Beneficial Owner of 15% or more of the shares of Common Stock then outstanding. Notwithstanding the foregoing, if a bona fide swaps dealer who would otherwise be an “Acquiring Person” has become so as a result of its actions in the ordinary course of its business that the Board determines, in its sole discretion, were taken without the intent or effect of evading or assisting any other Person to evade the purposes and intent of this Agreement, or otherwise seeking to control or influence the management or policies of the Company, then, and unless and until the Board shall otherwise determine, such Person shall not be deemed to be an “Acquiring Person” for any purposes of this Agreement.
 
(c) The definition of “Beneficial Owner” in Section 1 of the Agreement is hereby amended and restated in its entirety as follows:
 
A Person shall be deemed the “Beneficial Owner” of and shall be deemed to “Beneficially Own” any securities:
 

(i)
which such Person or any of such Person’s Affiliates or Associates beneficially owns, directly or indirectly, for purposes of Section 13(d) of the Exchange Act and Rule 13d-3 thereunder (or any comparable or successor law or regulation);
 


(ii)
which such Person or any of such Person’s Affiliates or Associates has directly or indirectly (A) the right or obligation to acquire (whether such right is exercisable or such obligation is required to be performed immediately, after the passage of time, upon the occurrence of a contingency (whether or not such contingency is in the control of such Person) or otherwise) pursuant to any agreement, arrangement or understanding, whether or not in writing (other than customary agreements with and between underwriters and selling group members with respect to a bona fide public offering of securities), or upon the exercise of conversion rights, exchange rights, rights (other than the Rights), warrants or options, or otherwise; provided, however, that a Person shall not be deemed pursuant to this subsection (ii)(A) to be the Beneficial Owner of, or to beneficially own, (1) securities tendered pursuant to a tender or exchange offer made by or on behalf of such Person or any of such Person’s Affiliates or Associates, until such tendered securities are accepted for purchase or exchange, or (2) securities that a Person or any of such Person’s Affiliates or Associates may be deemed to have the right to acquire pursuant to any merger or other acquisition agreement between the Company and such Person (or one or more of its Affiliates or Associates) if such agreement has been approved by the Board prior to there being an Acquiring Person; or (B) the right to vote pursuant to any agreement, arrangement or understanding; provided, however, that a Person shall not be deemed the Beneficial Owner of, or to beneficially own, any security under this subsection (ii)(B) if the agreement, arrangement or understanding to vote such security (1) arises solely from a revocable proxy or consent given to such Person in response to a public proxy or consent solicitation made pursuant to, and in accordance with, the applicable rules and regulations promulgated under the Exchange Act and (2) is not also then reportable on Schedule 13D under the Exchange Act (or any comparable or successor report);
 

(iii)
that are beneficially owned, directly or indirectly, by any other Person (or any Affiliate or Associate thereof) with which such Person or any of such Person’s Affiliates or Associates has any agreement, arrangement or understanding, whether or not in writing (other than customary agreements with and between underwriters and selling group members with respect to a bona fide public offering of securities) for the purpose of acquiring, holding, voting (except to the extent contemplated by the proviso to subsection (ii)(B) above) or disposing of any securities of the Company; provided, however, that in no case shall an officer or director of the Company be deemed (x) the Beneficial Owner of any securities beneficially owned by another officer or director of the Company solely by reason of actions undertaken by such persons in their capacity as officers or directors of the Company or (y) the Beneficial Owner of securities held of record by the trustee of any employee benefit plan of the Company or any Subsidiary of the Company for the benefit of any employee of the Company or any Subsidiary of the Company, other than the officer or director, by reason of any influence that such officer or director may have over the voting of the securities held in the plan;
 

(iv)
that are beneficially owned, directly or indirectly, by a Counterparty (or any of such Counterparty’s Affiliates or Associates) under any Derivatives Contract (without regard to any short or similar position under the same or any other Derivatives Contract) to which such Person or any such Person’s Affiliates or




Associates is a Receiving Party (as such terms are defined in the immediately following paragraph); provided, however, that the number of shares of Common Stock that a Person is deemed to Beneficially Own pursuant to this clause (iv) in connection with a particular Derivatives Contract shall not exceed the number of Notional Common Shares with respect to such Derivatives Contract; provided, further, that the number of securities beneficially owned by each Counterparty (including its Affiliates and Associates) under a Derivatives Contract shall for purposes of this clause (iv) be deemed to include all securities that are beneficially owned, directly or indirectly, by any other Counterparty (or any of such other Counterparty’s Affiliates or Associates) under any Derivatives Contract to which such first Counterparty (or any of such first Counterparty’s Affiliates or Associates) is a Receiving Party, with this proviso being applied to successive Counterparties as appropriate.
 
A “Derivatives Contract” is a contract between two parties (the “Receiving Party” and the “Counterparty”) that is designed to produce economic benefits and risks to the Receiving Party that correspond substantially to the ownership by the Receiving Party of a number of shares of Common Stock specified or referenced in such contract (the number corresponding to such economic benefits and risks, the “Notional Common Shares”), regardless of whether obligations under such contract are required or permitted to be settled through the delivery of cash, Common Stock or other property, without regard to any short position under the same or any other Derivatives Contract. For the avoidance of doubt, interests in broad-based index options, broad-based index futures and broad-based publicly traded market baskets of stocks approved for trading by the appropriate federal governmental authority shall not be deemed to be Derivatives Contracts.
 
2.            Amendment to Section 7(e) of the Agreement.
 
Section 7(e) of the Agreement is hereby amended and restated in its entirety as follows:
 
“(e) Notwithstanding anything in this Agreement to the contrary, from and after the first occurrence of a Triggering Event, any Rights beneficially owned by (i) an Acquiring Person or an Associate or Affiliate of an Acquiring Person, (ii) a transferee of an Acquiring Person or of any such Associate or Affiliate who becomes a transferee after the Acquiring Person becomes such (a “Post-Event Transferee”), (iii) a transferee of an Acquiring Person or of any such Associate or Affiliate who becomes a transferee prior to or concurrently with the Acquiring Person becoming such and receives such Rights pursuant to either (A) a transfer (whether or not for consideration) from the Acquiring Person to holders of equity interests in such Acquiring Person or to any Person with whom the Acquiring Person has any continuing agreement, arrangement or understanding regarding the transferred Rights or (B) a transfer which the Board has determined is part of a plan, arrangement or understanding which has as a primary purpose or effect the avoidance of this Section 7(e) (a “Pre-Event Transferee”) or (iv) any subsequent transferee receiving transferred Rights from a Post-Event Transferee or a Pre-Event Transferee, either directly or through one or more intermediate transferees, shall become null and void without any further action and no holder of such Rights shall have any rights whatsoever with respect to such Rights, whether under any provision of this Agreement or otherwise. The Company shall notify the Rights Agent in writing when this Section 7(e) applies and shall use all reasonable efforts to ensure that the provisions of this Section 7(e) and Section 4(b) hereof are complied with, but shall have no liability to any holder of Rights Certificates or to any other Person (without limiting the rights of the Rights Agent under
 

Section 18) as a result of its failure to make any determinations with respect to an Acquiring Person or any of such Acquiring Person’s Affiliates, Associates, or transferees hereunder.”

3.
Capitalized Terms. Capitalized terms used but not defined in this Amendment shall have the respective meanings given to them in the Agreement.
 
4.
Effect of Amendment. Except as expressly provided in this Amendment, the terms of the Agreement shall remain in full force and effect.
 
5.
Benefits of this Amendment. Nothing in this Amendment shall be construed to give to any Person other than the Company, the Rights Agent and the registered holders of the Rights Certificates (and, prior to the Distribution Date, the shares of Common Stock) any legal or equitable right, remedy or claim under this Amendment; but this Amendment shall be for the sole and exclusive benefit of the Company, the Rights Agent and the registered holders of the Rights Certificates (and, prior to the Distribution Date, the shares of Common Stock).
 
6.
Severability. If any term, provision, covenant or restriction of this Amendment is held by a court of competent jurisdiction or other applicable authority to be invalid, void or unenforceable, the remainder of the terms, provisions, covenants and restrictions of this Amendment shall remain in full force and effect and shall in no way be affected, impaired or invalidated; provided, however, that notwithstanding anything in this Amendment to the contrary, if any such term, provision, covenant or restriction is held by such court or authority to be invalid, void or unenforceable and the Board determines in its good faith judgment that severing such invalid, void or unenforceable language from this Amendment would adversely affect the purpose or effect of this Amendment, the right of redemption set forth in Section 23 of the Agreement shall be reinstated and shall not expire until the Close of Business on the tenth day following the date of such determination by the Board; further, provided, however, that if such excluded term, provision, covenant or restriction shall materially and adversely affect the rights, immunities, liabilities, duties or obligations of the Rights Agent, the Rights Agent shall be entitled to resign upon ten (10) days’ written notice to the Company.
 
7.
Governing Law; Jurisdiction. This Amendment shall be deemed to be a contract made under the laws of the State of New York and for all purposes shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of such jurisdiction applicable to contracts to be made and performed entirely within such jurisdiction. Each party hereto hereby agrees that any action, proceeding or claim against it arising out of or relating in any way to this Amendment shall be brought and enforced in the courts of the State of New York or the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York, and irrevocably submits to such jurisdiction, which jurisdiction shall be exclusive. Each party hereto hereby waives any objection to such exclusive jurisdiction and that such courts represent an inconvenient forum. Any such process or summons to be served upon each party hereto may be served by transmitting a copy thereof by registered or certified mail, return receipt requested, postage prepaid, addressed to it at the address set forth in Section 26 of the Agreement. Such mailing shall be deemed personal service and shall be legal and binding upon such party hereto in any such action, proceeding or claim.
 
8.
Counterparts. This Amendment may be executed in any number of one or more counterparts, and each of such counterparts by the different parties hereto in separate counterparts, each of which when executed shall for all purposes be deemed to be an



original, but all such counterparts of which shall together constitute but one and the same instrument. Delivery of an executed signature page of this Amendment by facsimile or other customary means of electronic transmission (e.g., “PDF”) shall be as effective as delivery of a manually executed counterpart hereof.
 
9.
Descriptive Headings; Rules of Construction. Descriptive headings of the several Sections of this Amendment are inserted for convenience only and shall not control or affect the meaning or construction of any of the provisions hereof. The words “include”, “includes” and “including” shall be deemed to be followed by the phrase “without limitation”, whether or not so expressed. The words “hereof”, “herein” and “herewith” and words of similar import shall, unless otherwise stated, be construed to refer to this Amendment as a whole and not to any particular provision of this Amendment, and clause, section, subsection, paragraph and exhibit references are to the clauses, sections, subsections, paragraphs and exhibits of this Amendment unless otherwise specified. The meaning assigned to each term defined herein shall be equally applicable to both the singular and the plural forms of such term, and words denoting any gender shall include all genders. Where a word or phrase is defined herein, unless the context otherwise requires, each of its other grammatical forms shall have a corresponding meaning.

[Signature page follows]
 

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have executed this Third Amendment to Shareholders Rights Agreement as of the date first set forth above.
 

GENCO SHIPPING & TRADING LIMITED




By: /s/ John C. Wobensmith

Name: John C. Wobensmith

Title:   Chief Executive Officer and President
 

COMPUTERSHARE INC.


 

By: /s/ Eugene Leybovich

Name: Eugene Leybovich

Title:   Vice President, Issuer Services