Filing Details

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1	NAMES OF REPORTING PERSONS
	S.S. OR I.R.S. IDENTIFICATION NO. OF ABOVE PERSON Westchester Capital Management, LLC 27-3790558
2	CHECK THE APPROPRIATE BOX IF A MEMBER OF A GROUP
	(a)☐
	(b)☒
3	SEC USE ONLY
4	CITIZENSHIP OR PLACE OF ORGANIZATION
	Delaware
NUMBER OF SHARES BENEFICIALLY OWNED BY EACH REPORTING PERSON WITH		5	SOLE VOTING POWER
			66,864 shares
		6	SHARED VOTING POWER
			813,227 shares
		7	SOLE DISPOSITIVE POWER
			66,864 shares
		8	SHARED DISPOSITIVE POWER
			813,227 shares
9	AGGREGATE AMOUNT BENEFICIALLY OWNED BY EACH REPORTING PERSON
	880,091 shares
10	CHECK IF THE AGGREGATE AMOUNT IN ROW (9) EXCLUDES CERTAIN SHARES (SEE INSTRUCTIONS)
	☐
11	PERCENT OF CLASS REPRESENTED BY AMOUNT IN ROW (9)
	7.17%*
12	TYPE OF REPORTING PERSON (SEE INSTRUCTIONS)
	IA

* Based on 12,268,503 Shares outstanding as of November 14, 2023, as reported in the Issuer’s Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on November 14, 2023.

1	NAMES OF REPORTING PERSONS
	S.S. OR I.R.S. IDENTIFICATION NO. OF ABOVE PERSON Westchester Capital Partners, LLC 13-3869675
2	CHECK THE APPROPRIATE BOX IF A MEMBER OF A GROUP
	(a)☐
	(b)☒
3	SEC USE ONLY
4	CITIZENSHIP OR PLACE OF ORGANIZATION
	Delaware
NUMBER OF SHARES BENEFICIALLY OWNED BY EACH REPORTING PERSON WITH		5	SOLE VOTING POWER
			4,872 shares
		6	SHARED VOTING POWER
			None
		7	SOLE DISPOSITIVE POWER
			4,872 shares
		8	SHARED DISPOSITIVE POWER
			None
9	AGGREGATE AMOUNT BENEFICIALLY OWNED BY EACH REPORTING PERSON
	4,872 shares
10	CHECK IF THE AGGREGATE AMOUNT IN ROW (9) EXCLUDES CERTAIN SHARES (SEE INSTRUCTIONS)
	☐
11	PERCENT OF CLASS REPRESENTED BY AMOUNT IN ROW (9)
	0.04%*
12	TYPE OF REPORTING PERSON (SEE INSTRUCTIONS)
	IA

* Based on 12,268,503 Shares outstanding as of November 14, 2023, as reported in the Issuer’s Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on November 14, 2023.

1	NAMES OF REPORTING PERSONS
	S.S. OR I.R.S. IDENTIFICATION NO. OF ABOVE PERSON Virtus Investment Advisers, Inc. 04-2453743
2	CHECK THE APPROPRIATE BOX IF A MEMBER OF A GROUP
	(a)☐
	(b)☐
3	SEC USE ONLY
4	CITIZENSHIP OR PLACE OF ORGANIZATION
	Massachusetts
NUMBER OF SHARES BENEFICIALLY OWNED BY EACH REPORTING PERSON WITH		5	SOLE VOTING POWER
			None
		6	SHARED VOTING POWER
			813,227 shares
		7	SOLE DISPOSITIVE POWER
			None
		8	SHARED DISPOSITIVE POWER
			813,227 shares
9	AGGREGATE AMOUNT BENEFICIALLY OWNED BY EACH REPORTING PERSON
	813,227 shares
10	CHECK IF THE AGGREGATE AMOUNT IN ROW (9) EXCLUDES CERTAIN SHARES (SEE INSTRUCTIONS)
	☐
11	PERCENT OF CLASS REPRESENTED BY AMOUNT IN ROW (9)
	6.63%*
12	TYPE OF REPORTING PERSON (SEE INSTRUCTIONS)
	IA

* Based on 12,268,503 Shares outstanding as of November 14, 2023, as reported in the Issuer’s Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on November 14, 2023.

The amounts reported on this page are also included in the amounts reported by Westchester Capital Management, LLC on this Schedule 13G.

1	NAMES OF REPORTING PERSONS
	S.S. OR I.R.S. IDENTIFICATION NO. OF ABOVE PERSON The Merger Fund 14-1698547
2	CHECK THE APPROPRIATE BOX IF A MEMBER OF A GROUP
	(a)☐
	(b)☐
3	SEC USE ONLY
4	CITIZENSHIP OR PLACE OF ORGANIZATION
	Massachusetts
NUMBER OF SHARES BENEFICIALLY OWNED BY EACH REPORTING PERSON WITH		5	SOLE VOTING POWER
			None
		6	SHARED VOTING POWER
			710,257 shares
		7	SOLE DISPOSITIVE POWER
			None
		8	SHARED DISPOSITIVE POWER
			710,257 shares
9	AGGREGATE AMOUNT BENEFICIALLY OWNED BY EACH REPORTING PERSON
	710,257 shares
10	CHECK IF THE AGGREGATE AMOUNT IN ROW (9) EXCLUDES CERTAIN SHARES (SEE INSTRUCTIONS)
	☐
11	PERCENT OF CLASS REPRESENTED BY AMOUNT IN ROW (9)
	5.79%*
12	TYPE OF REPORTING PERSON (SEE INSTRUCTIONS)
	IV

* Based on 12,268,503 Shares outstanding as of November 14, 2023, as reported in the Issuer’s Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on November 14, 2023.

The amounts reported on this page are also included in the amounts reported by Virtus Investment Advisers, Inc. on this Schedule 13G.

 

The name of the issuer to which this filing on Schedule 13G relates is Alpha Star Acquisition Corporation (the “Company”).

 

 

The principal executive offices of the Company are located at 80 Broad Street, 5th Floor, New York, New York 10004.

 

 

This statement is being filed jointly by the following (each, a “Reporting Person,” and collectively, the “Reporting Persons”): Westchester Capital Management, LLC (“Westchester”), a Delaware limited liability company, Westchester Capital Partners, LLC (“WCP”), a Delaware limited liability company, Virtus Investment Advisers, Inc. (“Virtus”), a Massachusetts corporation, and The Merger Fund (“MF”), a Massachusetts business trust.

 

Virtus, a registered investment adviser, serves as the investment adviser to each of MF, The Merger Fund VL (“MF VL”), Virtus Westchester Event-Driven Fund (“EDF”) and Virtus Westchester Credit Event Fund (“CEF”).  Westchester, a registered investment adviser, serves as sub-advisor to each of MF, MF VL, EDF, CEF, JNL/Westchester Capital Event Driven Fund (“JNL”), JNL Multi-Manager Alternative Fund (“JARB”) and Principal Funds, Inc. – Global Multi-Strategy Fund (“PRIN”). WCP, a registered investment adviser, serves as investment adviser to Westchester Capital Master Trust (“Master Trust”, together with MF, MF VL, EDF, CEF, JNL, JARB and PRIN, the “Funds”).  The Funds directly hold Ordinary Shares of the Company for the benefit of the investors in those Funds.  Mr. Roy Behren and Mr. Michael T. Shannon each serve as Co-Presidents of Westchester and WCP.

 

Westchester and WCP often make acquisitions in, and dispose of, securities of an issuer on the same terms and conditions and at the same time.  Based on the foregoing and the relationships described herein, these parties may be deemed to constitute a “group” for purposes of Section 13(g)(3) of the Act. The filing of this statement shall not be construed as an admission that the Reporting Persons are a group, or have agreed to act as a group.

 

 

Westchester Capital Management, LLC

100 Summit Drive, Valhalla, NY 10595

Westchester Capital Partners, LLC

100 Summit Drive, Valhalla, NY 10595

Virtus Investment Advisers, Inc.

One Financial Plaza, Hartford, CT 06103

The Merger Fund

101 Munson Street, Greenfield, MA 01301-9683

 

Westchester and WCP are organized under the laws of the State of Delaware. Each of Virtus and MF are organized under the laws of the State of Massachusetts.

 

 

The class of equity securities of the Company to which this filing on Schedule 13G relates is ordinary shares, $0.001 par value per share ("Ordinary Shares").

 

 

The CUSIP number of the Company’s Ordinary Shares is G0230C108.

 

 

The information set forth in Rows 5 through 11 of the cover pages to this Schedule 13G is incorporated herein by reference. Virtus acts as investment adviser to each of MF, MF VL, EDF and CEF.  Westchester acts as sub-advisor to each of MF, MF VL, EDF, CEF, JNL, JARB and PRIN and may be deemed to beneficially own shares of Ordinary Shares held by MF, MF VL, EDF, CEF, JNL, JARB and PRIN.  WCP, as investment adviser to Master Trust, may be deemed to beneficially own shares of Ordinary Shares held by the Master Trust.   Messrs. Behren and Shannon each serve as Co-Presidents of Westchester and WCP.  By virtue of these relationships, Westchester, WCP and Messrs. Behren and Shannon may be deemed to beneficially own the Ordinary Shares held by the Funds, however, each of the Reporting Persons and Messrs. Behren and Shannon disclaim beneficial ownership of such shares of Ordinary Shares, except to the extent of their pecuniary interest therein.  The filing of this Statement shall not be construed as an admission that the Reporting Persons and Messrs. Behren and Shannon are, for the purpose of Section 13(g) of the Act, the beneficial owner of such shares held by the Funds.

 

 

If this statement is being filed to report the fact that as of the date hereof the reporting person has ceased to be the beneficial owner of more than five percent of the class of securities, check the following ☐.

 

 

Not Applicable.

 

 

Not Applicable.

 

 

Not Applicable.

 

 

Not Applicable.

 

 

By signing below I certify that, to the best of my knowledge and belief, the securities referred to above were acquired and are held in the ordinary course of business and were not acquired and are not held for the purpose of or with the effect of changing or influencing the control of the issuer of the securities and were not acquired and are not held in connection with or as a participant in any transaction having that purpose or effect, other than activities solely in connection with a nomination under §240.14a-11.

 

SIGNATURE

After reasonable inquiry and to the best of my knowledge and belief, I certify that the information set forth in this statement is true, complete and correct.

Exhibit A

JOINT FILING AGREEMENT

In accordance with Rule 13d-1(k) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, the undersigned agree to the joint filing on behalf of each of them of a Statement on Schedule 13G (including any and all amendments thereto) with respect to the Ordinary Shares of Alpha Star Acquisition Corporation, and further agree that this Joint Filing Agreement shall be included as an Exhibit to such joint filing. In evidence thereof, the undersigned, being duly authorized, hereby execute this Joint Filing Agreement as of February 14, 2024.

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