By Global Marine Group Press Release
October 12, 2017

Chelmsford, United Kingdom – Global Marine Group (“GMG”), a leading provider of offshore engineering services to the telecommunications, oil & gas, and renewables industries, announced today that Global Marine Systems Limited (“GMSL”) has entered into an agreement with Fugro N.V. (“Fugro”) (AMS: “FUR”) under which GMG will acquire Fugro’s trenching and cable lay services business.

The purchase consideration, valued at approximately US$73 million, consists of the issuance to a subsidiary of Fugro of a 23.6% equity interest in Global Marine Holdings LLC (the parent company of GMSL), valued at US$65 million, and an obligation of GMSL to pay Fugro US$7.5 million within one year pursuant to a secured vendor. The acquisition of Fugro’s trenching and cable lay services business involves the transfer to GMG of 23 Fugro employees located in Aberdeen, as well as one vessel (M/V Symphony), two powerful Q1400 trenchers, and two work class remotely operated vehicles. Built in 2011, the M/V Symphony, a multi-purpose vessel with an extensive 1,400m² deck space, will join GMG’s cable installation and maintenance fleet. In addition, as part of this transaction, Fugro will become the preferred provider of marine site characterisation and asset integrity services to GMG.

The acquisition will significantly enhance GMG’s portfolio of service offerings to the market, with a comprehensive range of integrated services, with the immediate capacity to complete additional packages of work in direct response to market demands. This transaction will provide GMG with highly capable, proven assets with a history of delivering complex engineering projects to customers around the world.

Fugro is the world’s leading, independent provider of geo-intelligence and asset integrity solutions. Fugro acquires and analyses data on topography and the subsurface, soil composition, meteorological and environmental conditions, and provides related advice. With its geo-intelligence and asset integrity solutions, Fugro supports the safe, efficient and sustainable development and operation of buildings, industrial facilities and infrastructure and the exploration and development of natural resources.

Since the founding of Fugro’s trenching and cable lay services business in 2012, Fugro has established a strong presence in the renewables market, working with offshore wind farms including Lincs Wind Farm, Humber Gateway, Gwynt y Môr and Rampion.  The business has also conducted multiple operations in oil & gas for major oil companies such as Shell and BP.

“This acquisition is another deliberate step in our strategic plan, adding extensive capabilities of the Fugro trenching and cable lay team to the Global Marine Group and further equipping us with proven assets to support our growth plans,” said Ian Douglas, CEO of Global Marine Group. “I am delighted that Fugro identified us as the right partner to advance their trenching and cable lay business and I am looking forward to welcoming the Aberdeen based trenching team to our corporate family.  We are committed to our vision of engineering a clean and connected future and we will continue to build, align and adapt our business in order to meet the evolving needs of our customers.”

“As we continue to carefully build and develop our business in support of our long-term strategic view, we are delighted to partner with Fugro,” added Dick Fagerstal, Executive Chairman of Global Marine Group.  “Fugro’s long standing world-wide expertise in many segments of the offshore services markets will greatly benefit the Global Marine Group as we work towards our goal of delivering attractive risk adjusted returns for all our constituents.”

“A key objective of Fugro’s ‘Building on Strength’ strategy is to seek a partnership or divest our construction and installation related marine activities,” said Paul van Riel, CEO of Fugro. “We have taken a major step forward in delivering on this strategic objective by contributing our trenching and cable lay services business towards a promising partnership with Global Marine Group. Fugro will participate in a profitable and diversified business with solid growth potential.  This step will also support Fugro’s growth in the nautical market segment.”

The transaction is subject to customary closing conditions, and is expected to close in the fourth quarter 2017.

-ENDS-

Press Enquiries:

Gail Clark, Director of Corporate Communications
T: +44 7884 738262
www.globalmarine.group

Forward Looking Statements

“Safe Harbor” Statement Under the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. This statement reflects the beliefs of the HC2 and its subsidiary, Global Marine Systems, and contains, and certain oral statements made by our representatives from time to time may contain, forward-looking statements, including statements regarding the commencement or completion of the offering. Generally, forward-looking statements include information describing the offering and other actions, events, results, strategies and expectations and are generally identifiable by use of the words “believes,” “expects,” “intends,” “anticipates,” “plans,” “seeks,” “estimates,” “projects,” “may,” “will,” “could,” “might,” or “continues” or similar expressions. These statements are based on the beliefs and assumptions of HC2's management and the management of HC2's subsidiaries (including target businesses). Factors that could cause actual results, events and developments to differ include, without limitation, capital market conditions, the ability of HC2's subsidiaries (including, target businesses following their acquisition) to generate sufficient net income and cash flows to make upstream cash distributions, HC2 and its subsidiaries ability to identify any suitable future acquisition opportunities, efficiencies/cost avoidance, cost savings, income and margins, growth, economies of scale, combined operations, future economic performance, conditions to, and the timetable for, completing the integration of financial reporting of acquired or target businesses with HC2 or HC2 subsidiaries, completing future acquisitions and dispositions, litigation, potential and contingent liabilities, management's plans, changes in regulations, taxes and the risks that may affect the performance of the operating subsidiaries of HC2 and those factors listed under the caption “Risk Factors” in HC2's most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K, Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q and Current Reports on Form 8-K, filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission. All forward-looking statements described herein are qualified by these cautionary statements and there can be no assurance that the actual results, events or developments referenced herein will occur or be realized. HC2 does not undertake any obligation to update or revise forward-looking statements to reflect changed assumptions, the occurrence of unanticipated events or changes to future operation results.

About Global Marine Group

Global Marine Group is a leading provider of engineering and underwater services, responding to the subsea cable installation, maintenance and burial requirements of customers around the world.  The company has a legacy of 165 years in deep and shallow water operations and operates worldwide with main offices in Chelmsford, UK and Singapore.  GMG consists of two business units; Global Marine providing cable solutions to the telecommunications and oil & gas markets and CWind delivering power cable and asset management services topside and subsea to the offshore utilities and renewables market. The Group has two successful joint ventures in China, Huawei Marine Networks Co., Limited (HMN) providing turnkey submarine cable system solutions incorporating system design, integration and installation services and S. B. Submarine Systems Co., Ltd a leading provider of subsea cable installation services in China, both of which demonstrate the true global reach of the company. In September 2014, GMG was acquired by HC2 Holdings Inc.  For more information about The Global Marine Group, Global Marine and CWind, please visit www.globalmarine.group, www.globalmarine.co.uk and www.cwind.global.

About HC2 Holdings, Inc.

HC2 Holdings, Inc. is a publicly traded (NYSE:HCHC) diversified holding company, which seeks opportunities to acquire and grow businesses that can generate long-term sustainable free cash flow and attractive returns in order to maximize value for all stakeholders. HC2 has a diverse array of operating subsidiaries across seven reportable segments, including Construction, Marine Services, Energy, Telecommunications, Life Sciences, Insurance and Other. HC2's largest operating subsidiaries include DBM Global Inc., a family of companies providing fully integrated structural and steel construction services, and Global Marine Systems Limited, a leading provider of engineering and underwater services on submarine cables. Founded in 1994, HC2 is headquartered in New York, New York. Learn more about HC2 and its portfolio companies at www.hc2.com.

For information on HC2 Holdings, Inc., please contact:

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