FAIR VALUE OF FINANCIAL INSTRUMENTS

6 Months Ended

Jun. 30, 2017

10 - FAIR VALUE OF FINANCIAL INSTRUMENTS

The fair values and carrying values of the Company’s financial instruments at June 30, 2017 and December 31, 2016 which are required to be disclosed at fair value, but not recorded at fair value, are noted below.


	June 30, 2017				December 31, 2016
	Carrying				Carrying
	Value		Fair Value		Value		Fair Value
Cash and cash equivalents	$	147,153	$	147,153	$	133,400	$	133,400
Restricted cash		33,842		33,842		35,668		35,668
Floating rate debt		525,824		525,824		524,377		524,377

The fair value of the floating rate debt under the $400 Million Credit Facility is based on rates obtained on the effective date of the facility, November 10, 2016. The fair value of the floating rate debt under the $98 Million Credit Facility is based on rates the Company obtained upon the effective date of this facility on November 4, 2015, which did not change under the Restated $98 Million Credit Facility effective on November 15, 2016. The fair value of the 2014 Term Loan Facilities is based on rates that Baltic Trading initially obtained upon the effective dates of these facilities which did not change pursuant to the Amended 2014 Term Loan Facilities effective on November 15, 2016. Refer to Note 8 — Debt for further information. The carrying value approximates the fair market value for these floating rate loans. The carrying amounts of the Company’s other financial instruments at June 30, 2017 and December 31, 2016 (principally Due from charterers and Accounts payable and accrued expenses) approximate fair values because of the relatively short maturity of these instruments.

ASC Subtopic 820-10, “Fair Value Measurements & Disclosures” (“ASC 820-10”), applies to all assets and liabilities that are being measured and reported on a fair value basis. This guidance enables the reader of the financial statements to assess the inputs used to develop those measurements by establishing a hierarchy for ranking the quality and reliability of the information used to determine fair values. The fair value framework requires the categorization of assets and liabilities into three levels based upon the assumption (inputs) used to price the assets or liabilities. Level 1 provides the most reliable measure of fair value, whereas Level 3 requires significant management judgment. The three levels are defined as follows:

Level 1—Valuations based on quoted prices in active markets for identical instruments that the Company is able to access. Since valuations are based on quoted prices that are readily and regularly available in an active market, valuation of these instruments does not entail a significant degree of judgment.

Level 2—Valuations based on quoted prices in active markets for instruments that are similar, or quoted prices in markets that are not active for identical or similar instruments, and model-derived valuations in which all significant inputs and significant value drivers are observable in active markets.

Level 3—Valuations based on inputs that are unobservable and significant to the overall fair value measurement.

Cash and cash equivalents and restricted cash are considered Level 1 items as they represent liquid assets with short-term maturities. Floating rate debt is considered to be a Level 2 item as the Company considers the estimate of rates it could obtain for similar debt or based upon transactions amongst third parties. Nonrecurring fair value measurements include a vessel impairment assessment completed at June 30, 2017 and during the interim period during the year ended December 31, 2016 as determined based on third-party scrap quotes, which are Level 2 inputs. As of June 30, 2017, the vessel asset for the Genco Surprise was written down as part of the impairment recorded during the three and six months ended June 30, 2017. The vessels held for sale as of December 31, 2016 were written down as part of the impairment recorded in the interim period during the year ended December 31, 2016. There were no additional adjustments required as of December 31, 2016 when the held for sale criteria was met. Refer to “Impairment of vessel assets” and “Vessels held for sale” sections in Note 2 — Summary of Significant Accounting Policies. The Company did not have any Level 3 financial assets or liabilities as of June 30, 2017 and December 31, 2016.

- Definition

The entire disclosure for the fair value of financial instruments (as defined), including financial assets and financial liabilities (collectively, as defined), and the measurements of those instruments as well as disclosures related to the fair value of non-financial assets and liabilities. Such disclosures about the financial instruments, assets, and liabilities would include: (1) the fair value of the required items together with their carrying amounts (as appropriate); (2) for items for which it is not practicable to estimate fair value, disclosure would include: (a) information pertinent to estimating fair value (including, carrying amount, effective interest rate, and maturity, and (b) the reasons why it is not practicable to estimate fair value; (3) significant concentrations of credit risk including: (a) information about the activity, region, or economic characteristics identifying a concentration, (b) the maximum amount of loss the entity is exposed to based on the gross fair value of the related item, (c) policy for requiring collateral or other security and information as to accessing such collateral or security, and (d) the nature and brief description of such collateral or security; (4) quantitative information about market risks and how such risks are managed; (5) for items measured on both a recurring and nonrecurring basis information regarding the inputs used to develop the fair value measurement; and (6) for items presented in the financial statement for which fair value measurement is elected: (a) information necessary to understand the reasons for the election, (b) discussion of the effect of fair value changes on earnings, (c) a description of [similar groups] items for which the election is made and the relation thereof to the balance sheet, the aggregate carrying value of items included in the balance sheet that are not eligible for the election; (7) all other required (as defined) and desired information.

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