<SEC-DOCUMENT>0000950142-14-002276.txt : 20150325
<SEC-HEADER>0000950142-14-002276.hdr.sgml : 20150325
<ACCEPTANCE-DATETIME>20141119151959
<PRIVATE-TO-PUBLIC>
ACCESSION NUMBER:		0000950142-14-002276
CONFORMED SUBMISSION TYPE:	CORRESP
PUBLIC DOCUMENT COUNT:		2
FILED AS OF DATE:		20141119

FILER:

	COMPANY DATA:	
		COMPANY CONFORMED NAME:			Star Bulk Carriers Corp.
		CENTRAL INDEX KEY:			0001386716
		STANDARD INDUSTRIAL CLASSIFICATION:	DEEP SEA FOREIGN TRANSPORTATION OF FREIGHT [4412]
		IRS NUMBER:				000000000
		STATE OF INCORPORATION:			1T
		FISCAL YEAR END:			1231

	FILING VALUES:
		FORM TYPE:		CORRESP

	BUSINESS ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		C/O STAR BULK MANAGEMENT INC.
		STREET 2:		40 AGIOU KONSTANTINOU STR, MAROUSSI
		CITY:			ATHENS
		STATE:			J3
		ZIP:			15124
		BUSINESS PHONE:		011-30-210-617-8400

	MAIL ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		C/O STAR BULK MANAGEMENT INC.
		STREET 2:		40 AGIOU KONSTANTINOU STR, MAROUSSI
		CITY:			ATHENS
		STATE:			J3
		ZIP:			15124
</SEC-HEADER>
<DOCUMENT>
<TYPE>CORRESP
<SEQUENCE>1
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<div style="LINE-HEIGHT: 1.25; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; DISPLAY: block"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman; FONT-SIZE: 10pt">November&#160;19, 2014</font></div>

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<div style="LINE-HEIGHT: 1.25; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="left"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman; FONT-SIZE: 10pt">Mr. John Dana Brown</font></div>

<div style="LINE-HEIGHT: 1.25; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="left"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman; FONT-SIZE: 10pt">United States Securities and Exchange Commission</font></div>

<div style="LINE-HEIGHT: 1.25; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="left"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman; FONT-SIZE: 10pt">100 F Street, N.E. Washington D.C. 20549</font></div>

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<div style="LINE-HEIGHT: 1.25; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="left"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman; FONT-SIZE: 10pt">Re:&#160;</font></div>
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<div style="LINE-HEIGHT: 1.25; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="left"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman; FONT-SIZE: 10pt">Star Bulk Carriers Corp.</font></div>

<div style="LINE-HEIGHT: 1.25; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="left"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman; FONT-SIZE: 10pt">Registration Statement on Form F-3</font></div>

<div style="LINE-HEIGHT: 1.25; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="left"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman; FONT-SIZE: 10pt">Filed September 19, 2014</font></div>

<div style="LINE-HEIGHT: 1.25; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="left"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman; FONT-SIZE: 10pt">File No. 333-198832</font></div>
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<div style="LINE-HEIGHT: 1.25; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="left"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman; FONT-SIZE: 10pt">Dear Mr. Brown</font></div>

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<div style="LINE-HEIGHT: 1.25; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="left"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman; FONT-SIZE: 10pt">This letter is submitted on behalf of Star Bulk Carriers Corp. (the &#8220;Company&#8221;) in response to the comments of the staff of the Division of Corporation Finance (the &#8220;Staff&#8221;) of the Securities and Exchange Commission (the &#8220;Commission&#8221;) with respect to the Company&#8217;s Registration Statement on Form F-3 (as so amended, the &#8220;Form F-3&#8221;) filed on September 19, 2014, as set forth in your letter dated October 14, 2014 to the Company (the &#8220;Comment Letter&#8221;).</font></div>

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<div style="LINE-HEIGHT: 1.25; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="left"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman; FONT-SIZE: 10pt">For reference purposes, the text of the Comment Letter has been reproduced herein with responses below each numbered comment. For your convenience, we have italicized the reproduced Staff comments from the Comment Letter, and we have bolded the headings of our responses thereto. Unless otherwise indicated, page references in the descriptions of the Staff&#8217;s comments and our responses refer to the Form F-3. All capitalized terms used and not otherwise defined herein shall have the meanings set forth in the Form F-3, as applicable.</font></div>

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<div style="LINE-HEIGHT: 1.25; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="left"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman; FONT-SIZE: 10pt">The Company has the following responses to the Staff&#8217;s comments:</font></div>

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<div style="TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt"><font style="FONT-STYLE: italic; DISPLAY: inline; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman; FONT-SIZE: 10pt">1.</font></div>
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<div align="left"><font style="FONT-STYLE: italic; DISPLAY: inline; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman; FONT-SIZE: 10pt">It appears that at the time of filing this registration statement not all shares being registered for resale had been issued to the selling shareholder. Please provide us with your analysis regarding whether the selling shareholder was irrevocably bound at the time of filing this registration statement to purchase all of the securities being registered in this offering, discussing for example whether there were any conditions to closing within its control. We note for example your disclosure on page 9 that &#8220;the Excel Vessels will be transferred to us in a series of closings, on a vessel-by-vessel</font></div>
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<div align="left"><font style="FONT-STYLE: italic; DISPLAY: inline; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman; FONT-SIZE: 10pt">basis, <font style="DISPLAY: inline; TEXT-DECORATION: underline">in general</font> upon reaching port after their current voyages and cargoes are discharged&#8221; (emphasis added). For guidance, please refer to Question 139.06 of the Compliance and Disclosure Interpretations on Securities Act Sections, which can be found at http://www.sec.gov/divisions/corpfin/cfguidance.shtml.</font></div>
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<div style="LINE-HEIGHT: 1.25; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="left"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-WEIGHT: bold"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; TEXT-DECORATION: underline">Response to Comment No. 1</font></font></div>

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<div style="LINE-HEIGHT: 1.25; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="left"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman; FONT-SIZE: 10pt">For the reasons set forth below, the Company respectfully submits that issuance of the Company&#8217;s common shares to Excel Maritime Carriers Ltd. (&#8220;<font style="DISPLAY: inline; TEXT-DECORATION: underline">Excel</font>&#8221; or the selling shareholder) may properly be characterized as a transaction &#8220;by an issuer not involving any public offering&#8221; that is eligible to be made pursuant to Section 4(a)(2) of the Securities Act of 1933.&#160;&#160;As a result, the resale of the 29,917,312 common shares to be issued to Excel (the &#8220;Excel Vessel Share Consideration&#8221;) may properly be registered on Form F-3 even though a portion of the Excel Vessel Share Consideration had not been issued at the time the Form F-3 was filed.</font></div>

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<div style="LINE-HEIGHT: 1.25; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="left"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-WEIGHT: bold">Background</font></div>

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<div style="LINE-HEIGHT: 1.25; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="left"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman; FONT-SIZE: 10pt">As disclosed in the Form F-3, on August&#160;19, 2014, the Company entered into the Vessel Purchase Agreement (the &#8220;<font style="DISPLAY: inline; TEXT-DECORATION: underline">Vessel Purchase Agreement</font>&#8221;) with Excel pursuant to which the Company agreed to acquire 34 dry bulk vessels owned by Excel (the &#8220;<font style="DISPLAY: inline; TEXT-DECORATION: underline">Excel Vessels</font>&#8221;) for the Excel Vessel Share Consideration and $288.4 million in cash.</font></div>

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<div style="LINE-HEIGHT: 1.25; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="left"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman; FONT-SIZE: 10pt">The Vessel Purchase Agreement was furnished as Exhibit 99.1 to a Report on Form 6-K of the Company on September 3, 2014.<font style="FONT-SIZE: 70%; VERTICAL-ALIGN: text-top"><a href="#ref.ID0EMFAC">1</a></font></font></div>

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<div style="LINE-HEIGHT: 1.25; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="left"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman; FONT-SIZE: 10pt">The Vessel Purchase Agreement provides that the Excel Vessels (and in the case of three vessels, the vessel owning entities) will be transferred to the Company in a series of closings, on a vessel-by-vessel basis, in general, upon reaching port after their current voyages and cargoes are discharged. As of October 22, 2014, 14 of the 34 Excel Vessels had been delivered to the Company in accordance with this procedure. The Company expects to receive the remaining 30 Excel Vessels by the end of 2014.</font></div>

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<div style="LINE-HEIGHT: 1.25; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="left"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman; FONT-SIZE: 10pt">The Vessel Purchase Agreement provides that the Company will pay the cash and Excel Vessel Share Consideration relating to each Excel Vessel to Excel at the transfer of each such Excel Vessel, as specified in the Vessel Purchase Agreement.&#160;&#160;As of October 22, 2014, the Company had issued 10,538,050 common shares and paid $97,759,448 million of cash for the Excel Vessels that had been delivered.</font></div>

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<div style="LINE-HEIGHT: 1.25; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="left"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman; FONT-SIZE: 10pt">We refer to the foregoing transactions, together, as the &#8220;Excel Transactions.&#8221;</font></div>

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<div style="LINE-HEIGHT: 1.25; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="left"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-WEIGHT: bold">Analysis</font></div>

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<div style="LINE-HEIGHT: 1.25; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="left"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman; FONT-SIZE: 10pt">Section 4(a)(2) of the Securities Act exempts from the registration requirements of Section 5 of the Securities Act any &#8220;transactions by an issuer not involving any public </font></div>

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<div style="LINE-HEIGHT: 1.25; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="left"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman; FONT-SIZE: 10pt"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman; FONT-SIZE: 10pt"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 70%; VERTICAL-ALIGN: text-top">1</font>&#160;&#160;For your convenience, a copy of the Vessel Purchase Agreement may be found at the following link: </font><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman; FONT-SIZE: 10pt">http://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1386716/000091957414005077/d6095691_ex99-1.htm</font></font></div>

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<div style="LINE-HEIGHT: 1.25; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="left"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman; FONT-SIZE: 10pt">offering.&#8221; The Commission has clarified that &#8220;[w]hether a transaction is one not involving any public offering is essentially a question of fact and necessitates a consideration of all surrounding circumstances, including such factors as the relationship between the offerees and the issuer, the nature, scope, size, type and manner of the offering.&#8221; <font style="FONT-STYLE: italic; DISPLAY: inline">Release No. 33-4552 (November 6, 1962)</font>. The Commission has also clarified that &#8220;[w]hen the primary sale will be made in reliance upon the Section 4(2) exemption, having a registration statement for resale on file before the private offering takes place would cast doubt upon the validity of the exemption because distribution is clearly contemplated. Also, the registration of a secondary offering under such circumstances may call into question whether the offering is a genuine secondary.&#8221; &#160;<font style="FONT-STYLE: italic; DISPLAY: inline">Securities Act Rules Compliance and Disclosure Interpretation 139.06 (&#8220;C&amp;DI 139.06&#8221;)</font></font></div>

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<div style="LINE-HEIGHT: 1.25; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="left"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman; FONT-SIZE: 10pt">C&amp;DI 139.06 also states, in relevant part: &#8220;The resale registration statement may be filed if securities are privately placed, with the closing of the private placement contingent on filing or effectiveness of a resale registration statement. At the time of filing the registration statement, the purchasers in the private placement must be irrevocably bound to purchase the securities subject only to the filing or effectiveness of the registration statement or other conditions outside their control, and the purchase price must be established at the time of the private placement. The purchase price cannot be contingent on the market price at the time of effectiveness of the registration statement.&#8221;</font></div>

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<div style="LINE-HEIGHT: 1.25; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="left"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman; FONT-SIZE: 10pt">An analysis of the various factors specified in C&amp;DI 139.06 supports the conclusion that the issuance of the Excel Vessel Share Consideration to Excel is a valid private placement under Section 4(a)(2) of the Securities Act, and the resale of the Excel Vessel Share Consideration can be registered on Form F-3.</font></div>

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<div style="LINE-HEIGHT: 1.25; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="left"><font style="FONT-STYLE: italic; DISPLAY: inline; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman; FONT-SIZE: 10pt">At the time of filing the Form F-3, Excel had been irrevocably bound, since August 19, 2014, to purchase the Excel Vessel Share Consideration, and the conditions to its obligation to purchase were outside of its control.</font></div>

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<div style="LINE-HEIGHT: 1.25; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="left"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman; FONT-SIZE: 10pt">Upon entering into the Vessel Purchase Agreement on August 19, 2014, Excel was irrevocably bound to deliver the Excel Vessels and receive the relevant consideration specified in the Vessel Purchase Agreement, which included the Excel Vessel Share Consideration.&#160;&#160;The conditions precedent to Excel&#8217;s obligation to accept the Excel Vessel Share Consideration are all outside of Excel&#8217;s control.&#160;&#160;The Form F-3 was not filed until September 19, 2014.</font></div>

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<div style="LINE-HEIGHT: 1.25; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; DISPLAY: block">&#160;</div>

<div style="LINE-HEIGHT: 1.25; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; DISPLAY: block">&#160;</div>

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<div style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; WIDTH: 100%"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman; FONT-SIZE: 10pt">3</font></div>

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<div id="HDR">
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<div style="LINE-HEIGHT: 1.25; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; DISPLAY: block">&#160;</div>

<div style="LINE-HEIGHT: 1.25; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; DISPLAY: block">&#160;</div>

<div style="TEXT-ALIGN: left; LINE-HEIGHT: 1.25; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt">
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<div style="TEXT-ALIGN: left; LINE-HEIGHT: 1.25; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt">
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<div style="LINE-HEIGHT: 1.25; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="left"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman; FONT-SIZE: 10pt">The Vessel Closing Conditions Precedent for Excel&#8217;s obligation to close the transfer of an Excel Vessel (contained in Section 8.1 of the Vessel Purchase Agreement) are:</font></div>

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<div style="TEXT-ALIGN: left; LINE-HEIGHT: 1.25; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt">
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<div style="TEXT-ALIGN: left; LINE-HEIGHT: 1.25; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt">
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<div style="TEXT-ALIGN: left; LINE-HEIGHT: 1.25; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt">
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<div style="TEXT-ALIGN: left; LINE-HEIGHT: 1.25; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt">
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<div style="TEXT-ALIGN: left; LINE-HEIGHT: 1.25; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt">
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<div style="TEXT-ALIGN: left; LINE-HEIGHT: 1.25; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt">
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<div style="TEXT-ALIGN: left; LINE-HEIGHT: 1.25; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt">
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<td style="WIDTH: 36pt">&#160;</td>
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<div style="TEXT-ALIGN: left; LINE-HEIGHT: 1.25; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman; FONT-SIZE: 10pt">There has been no material adverse change to the Company.</font></div>
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<div style="LINE-HEIGHT: 1.25; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; DISPLAY: block">&#160;</div>

<div style="LINE-HEIGHT: 1.25; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; DISPLAY: block">&#160;</div>

<div id="PGBRK" style="TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt">
<div id="FTR">
<div id="GLFTR" style="WIDTH: 100%" align="left"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman; FONT-SIZE: 8pt">&#160; </font></div>
</div>

<div id="PN" style="PAGE-BREAK-AFTER: always; WIDTH: 100%">
<div style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; WIDTH: 100%"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman; FONT-SIZE: 10pt">4</font></div>

<div style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; WIDTH: 100%">
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</div>
</div>

<div id="HDR">
<div id="GLHDR" style="WIDTH: 100%" align="right"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman; FONT-SIZE: 8pt">&#160; </font></div>
</div>
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<div style="LINE-HEIGHT: 1.25; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; DISPLAY: block">&#160;</div>

<div style="LINE-HEIGHT: 1.25; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; DISPLAY: block">&#160;</div>

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<div style="LINE-HEIGHT: 1.25; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; DISPLAY: block"><br>
</div>

<div style="LINE-HEIGHT: 1.25; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="left"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman; FONT-SIZE: 10pt">None of the conditions precedent would allow Excel to control whether it is obligated to accept the Excel Vessel Share Consideration or not.&#160;&#160;Therefore, Excel was irrevocably bound at the time it entered into the Vessel Purchase Agreement to purchase the Excel Vessel Share Consideration, subject only to conditions outside its control.</font></div>

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</div>

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<div style="LINE-HEIGHT: 1.25; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; DISPLAY: block"><br>
</div>

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<div style="LINE-HEIGHT: 1.25; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="justify">&#160;</div>

<div style="LINE-HEIGHT: 1.25; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="left"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman; FONT-SIZE: 10pt">For this reason, since Excel cannot change the amount of consideration for the 34 Excel Vessels, since August 19, 2014 (the date of the Vessel Purchase Agreement), it has entirely assumed the market risk of a possible downturn in the value of the Company&#8217;s common shares, indicating that the private placement of the Excel Vessel Share Consideration (and Excel&#8217;s investment decision with respect to such shares) occurred on the date of the Vessel Purchase Agreement, which was a month before the Form F-3 was filed, on September 19, 2014.</font></div>

<div style="LINE-HEIGHT: 1.25; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="justify">&#160;</div>

<div style="LINE-HEIGHT: 1.25; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="left"><font style="FONT-STYLE: italic; DISPLAY: inline; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman; FONT-SIZE: 10pt">Clarification of original submission.</font></div>

<div style="LINE-HEIGHT: 1.25; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="justify">&#160;</div>

<div style="LINE-HEIGHT: 1.25; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="left"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman; FONT-SIZE: 10pt">In the Form F-3, as you have pointed out, the Company states that &#8220;the Excel Vessels will be transferred to us in a series of closings, on a vessel-by-vessel basis, <font style="DISPLAY: inline; TEXT-DECORATION: underline">in general</font> upon reaching port after their current voyages and cargoes are discharged.&#8221; (emphasis added). The use of the words &#8220;in general&#8221; was not intended to indicate that Excel has any power to change the terms of the Vessel Purchase Agreement.</font></div>

<div style="LINE-HEIGHT: 1.25; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="justify">&#160;</div>

<div style="LINE-HEIGHT: 1.25; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="left"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman; FONT-SIZE: 10pt"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt">The words &#8220;in general&#8221; were used because not all of the Excel Vessels will be transferred at the end of their current voyages when their cargoes are discharged.&#160;&#160;Thirty-one of the Excel Vessels will be transferred as individual vessels at the end of their current voyages, while three Excel Vessels will be transferred subject to existing charters </font>(<font style="FONT-STYLE: italic; DISPLAY: inline">Christine</font> (tbr<font style="FONT-STYLE: italic; DISPLAY: inline"> Star Martha</font>), <font style="FONT-STYLE: italic; DISPLAY: inline">Sandra</font> (tbr<font style="FONT-STYLE: italic; DISPLAY: inline"> Star Pauline</font>) and <font style="FONT-STYLE: italic; DISPLAY: inline">Lowlands Beilun</font> (tbr<font style="FONT-STYLE: italic; DISPLAY: inline"> Star Despoina</font>)), in which </font></div>

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<div style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; WIDTH: 100%"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman; FONT-SIZE: 10pt">5</font></div>

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<div style="LINE-HEIGHT: 1.25; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="left"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman; FONT-SIZE: 10pt">&#160;</font></div>

<div style="LINE-HEIGHT: 1.25; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="left"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman; FONT-SIZE: 10pt">case the vessel owning entities will be transferred to the Company at a time when their vessel is on the ballast leg of a voyage or in port, cargo free.</font></div>

<div style="LINE-HEIGHT: 1.25; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="justify">&#160;</div>

<div style="LINE-HEIGHT: 1.25; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="left"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-WEIGHT: bold">Conclusion:</font></div>

<div style="LINE-HEIGHT: 1.25; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="justify">&#160;</div>

<div style="LINE-HEIGHT: 1.25; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="left"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman; FONT-SIZE: 10pt">Based on the foregoing, the Company believes and respectfully submits that the issuance of the Excel Vessel Share Consideration to Excel as consideration under the Vessel Purchase Agreement was a private placement of securities under Section 4(a)(2) of the Securities Act that irrevocably occurred on August 19, 2014, and the resale of such shares can therefore be registered under the Form F-3, even though a portion of these shares had not been issued to Excel at the time the Form F-3 was filed.</font></div>

<div style="LINE-HEIGHT: 1.25; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="justify">&#160;</div>

<div style="LINE-HEIGHT: 1.25; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="left"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman; FONT-SIZE: 10pt"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; TEXT-DECORATION: underline">Exhibit 5.1</font></font></div>

<div>
<table align="center" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" id="hangingindent" width="100%" style="FONT-FAMILY: times new roman; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">
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<td style="WIDTH: 18pt">
<div><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman; FONT-SIZE: 8pt">&#160; </font></div>
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<td style="WIDTH: 18pt">
<div style="TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt"><font style="FONT-STYLE: italic; DISPLAY: inline; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman; FONT-SIZE: 10pt">2.</font></div>
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<td>
<div align="left"><font style="FONT-STYLE: italic; DISPLAY: inline; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman; FONT-SIZE: 10pt">It appears that some shares being registered in this offering have not been issued. Please have counsel revise the legality opinion to state that unissued shares will be legally issued, fully paid and non-assessable.</font></div>
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</div>

<div style="LINE-HEIGHT: 1.25; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; DISPLAY: block"><br>
</div>

<div style="LINE-HEIGHT: 1.25; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="justify"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-WEIGHT: bold"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; TEXT-DECORATION: underline">Response to Comment No. 2</font></font></div>

<div style="LINE-HEIGHT: 1.25; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; DISPLAY: block"><br>
</div>

<div style="LINE-HEIGHT: 1.25; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="left"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman; FONT-SIZE: 10pt">The legality opinion of counsel will be revised to state that the unissued shares will be legally issued, fully paid and non-assessable when they are issued as payment for the Excel Vessels under the Vessel Purchase Agreement.</font></div>

<div style="LINE-HEIGHT: 1.25; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; DISPLAY: block"><br>
</div>

<div style="LINE-HEIGHT: 1.25; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="center"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman; FONT-SIZE: 10pt">*&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;*&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;*</font></div>

<div style="LINE-HEIGHT: 1.25; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="justify">&#160;</div>

<div style="LINE-HEIGHT: 1.25; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="left"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman; FONT-SIZE: 10pt">If you should have any questions about this letter, please call me at 011-30-210-617-8400.</font></div>

<div style="LINE-HEIGHT: 1.25; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="justify">&#160;</div>

<div style="LINE-HEIGHT: 1.25; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="justify">
<div>
<table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="100%" style="FONT-FAMILY: times new roman; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">
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<td valign="top" width="50%"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman; FONT-SIZE: 10pt">&#160;</font></td>
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<div style="TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="left"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman; FONT-SIZE: 10pt"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-WEIGHT: bold"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-WEIGHT: normal">Very truly yours,</font></font></font></div>
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<td valign="top" width="12%"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman; FONT-SIZE: 10pt">&#160;</font></td>
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<td valign="top" width="50%"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman; FONT-SIZE: 10pt">&#160;</font></td>
<td colspan="2" valign="top" width="38%"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman; FONT-SIZE: 10pt">&#160;</font></td>
<td valign="top" width="12%"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman; FONT-SIZE: 10pt">&#160;</font></td>
</tr><tr>
<td valign="top" width="50%"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman; FONT-SIZE: 10pt">&#160;</font></td>
<td colspan="2" valign="top" width="38%">
<div style="TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="left"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman; FONT-SIZE: 10pt"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-WEIGHT: normal">Star Bulk Carriers Corp.</font></font></div>
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<td valign="top" width="35%"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman; FONT-SIZE: 10pt">&#160;</font></td>
<td valign="top" width="12%"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman; FONT-SIZE: 10pt">&#160;</font></td>
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<td align="left" valign="top" width="50%" style="BORDER-BOTTOM: #ffffff solid">
<div style="TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="left"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman; FONT-SIZE: 10pt">&#160;</font></div>
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<td valign="top" width="3%" style="BORDER-BOTTOM: #ffffff solid">
<div style="TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="left"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman; FONT-SIZE: 10pt">By: </font></div>
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<td align="left" nowrap valign="top" width="35%" style="BORDER-BOTTOM: black 2px solid">/s/ Christos Begleris</td>
<td valign="top" width="12%" style="BORDER-BOTTOM: #ffffff solid"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman; FONT-SIZE: 10pt">&#160;</font></td>
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<td valign="top" width="50%"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman; FONT-SIZE: 10pt">&#160;</font></td>
<td valign="top" width="3%"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman; FONT-SIZE: 10pt">&#160;</font></td>
<td align="left" nowrap valign="bottom" width="35%"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman; FONT-SIZE: 10pt">Name: Christos Begleris</font></td>
<td valign="top" width="12%"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman; FONT-SIZE: 10pt">&#160;</font></td>
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<td valign="top" width="50%"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman; FONT-SIZE: 10pt">&#160;</font></td>
<td valign="top" width="3%"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman; FONT-SIZE: 10pt">&#160;</font></td>
<td valign="top" width="35%"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman; FONT-SIZE: 10pt">Title:&#160;&#160;&#160;Co-Chief Financial Officer</font></td>
<td valign="top" width="12%"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman; FONT-SIZE: 10pt">&#160;</font></td>
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<div style="LINE-HEIGHT: 1.25; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="justify">&#160;</div>

<div style="LINE-HEIGHT: 1.25; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="left">
<table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" id="hangingindent" width="100%" style="FONT-FAMILY: times new roman; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">
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<div style="LINE-HEIGHT: 1.25; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="left"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman; FONT-SIZE: 10pt"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman; FONT-SIZE: 10pt">cc:&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160; &#160;</font></font></div>
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<td align="left">
<div style="LINE-HEIGHT: 1.25; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="left"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman; FONT-SIZE: 10pt"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman; FONT-SIZE: 10pt">Robert E. Lustrin, </font><font style="FONT-STYLE: italic; DISPLAY: inline">Seward &amp; Kissel LLP</font></font></div>

<div style="LINE-HEIGHT: 1.25; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="left">Lawrence G. Wee, <font style="FONT-STYLE: italic; DISPLAY: inline">Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton &amp; Garrison LLP</font></div>
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<div style="LINE-HEIGHT: 1.25; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="left"><font style="FONT-STYLE: italic; DISPLAY: inline">&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160; </font></div>

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end
</TEXT>
</DOCUMENT>
</SEC-DOCUMENT>
