corresp
July 18, 2011
By E-mail
Loan Lauren P. Nguyen,
Division of Corporation Finance,
Securities and Exchange Commission,
100 F Street, N.E.,
Washington, D.C. 20549.
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Re:
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Capital Product Partners L.P. |
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Registration Statement on Form F-4 |
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Filed June 9, 2011 |
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File No. 333-174795 |
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Form 20-F for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2010 |
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Filed February 4, 2011 |
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File No. 001-33373 |
Dear Ms. Nguyen:
On behalf of Capital Product Partners L.P. (the Company), this letter responds to the
comments of the staff of the Securities and Exchange Commission (the Staff) set forth in its
letter of July 6, 2011. In addition, Amendment No. 1 to the registration statement on Form F-4
(File No. 333-174795) (including exhibits thereto) (the Registration Statement), which reflects
many of these responses, has been submitted for filing.
All responses set forth in this letter are those of the Company. All responses are keyed to
the headings indicated in the Staffs comments and are designated with the letter R below the
comment number. The comments themselves are set forth in boldface type. As a result of changes to
the Registration Statement, some page references have changed. The page references in the Staffs
comments refer to page numbers in the registration statement on Form F-4 submitted to the Staff on
June 9, 2011; the page numbers in the Companys responses refer to the page numbers of the
Registration Statement submitted to the Staff on July 18, 2011. Capitalized terms used
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Loan Lauren P. Nguyen
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but not defined in this letter have the meanings specified in the draft of the Registration
Statement submitted on July 18, 2011.
F-4
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General |
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1. |
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Please provide us with copies of any written materials prepared by management or the
advisors and reviewed by the board in connection with its vote to approve the transaction. |
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R: In response to this comment, the board books that the boards of directors of the Company and
Crude Carriers Corp. received from each of their financial advisors are being furnished under
separate cover by counsel to the financial advisors, who have informed the Company that they
will be requesting confidential treatment for such materials pursuant to Exchange Act Rule
12b-4 and Securities Act Rule 418 and pursuant to Title 17 C.F.R. §200.83 (and seeking the
return of such materials promptly following completion of the Staffs review thereof). |
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Each of the Company and Crude Carriers Corp. respectfully advise the Staff that, in each case,
the board books provided to the board of directors by their respective financial advisor
encompass all material information that such financial advisor provided to the board. |
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Prior to printing and distribution of the materials, please provide us mock-ups of
any pages that include any pictures or graphics to be presented. Accompanying captions,
if any, should also be provided. We may have comments after reviewing the materials. |
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R: The Company notes the Staffs comment and will furnish mockups and accompanying captions to
the Staff under separate cover. |
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With a view to revised disclosure, please tell us what consideration the Crude
Independent Committee and Jefferies gave as to how the change from common stock ownership
to limited partnership interests affects, if at all, the value of Crude shareholders
interest in the surviving entity and the determination that the consideration paid is fair
to unaffiliated shareholders. |
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R: The Crude Independent Committee and Jefferies (in each case to the extent expressly set
forth below) reviewed several factors in connection with their |
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Loan Lauren P. Nguyen
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consideration of the differences between the ownership of Crude common stock and CPLP common
units (representing limited partnership interests), including the fact that (i) Crude common
stock and CPLP common units are both publicly traded on U.S. securities exchanges, (ii) since
the time of its initial public offering, CPLP has elected to be treated as a C corporation for
U.S. federal income tax purposes and, therefore, Crude shareholders would not receive
significantly different tax treatment as holders of CPLP common units and (iii) Crude and CPLP
both have similar dividend or distribution policies of distributing available cash to its
equityholders quarterly, and in the case of CPLP unitholders, such distributions are a
contractual right under the CPLP Partnership Agreement. |
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In addition, after comparing the rights of Crude shareholders under the MIBCA and Crudes
charter and bylaws and the holders of CPLP common units under the MILPA and the CPLP
Partnership Agreement, the Crude Independent Committee determined that the Crude shareholders
and holders of CPLP common units had substantially similar rights, including, among other
things, the right to vote in the election of directors, on significant corporate matters such
as mergers, consolidations and similar transactions and on amendments to organizational
documents. The Company believes the section Comparison of Rights of Shareholders of Crude and
Unitholders of CPLP starting on page 113 provides Crude shareholders with appropriate
disclosure regarding the similarities and differences between owning shares of Crude common
stock and owning CPLP common units. |
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With respect to the few instances where the Crude Independent Committee determined, after
consultation with counsel, that there could potentially be meaningful differences between
ownership of Crude common stock and CPLP common units, the Crude Independent Committee
negotiated certain terms with the CPLP Conflicts Committee to address these differences. The
Crude Independent Committee negotiated an agreement by CPLP and Capital Maritime to cause to be
amended, prior to the Effective Time, Section 15.1 of the CPLP Partnership Agreement relating
to the ability of Capital GP to acquire the remaining outstanding securities of any class of
CPLP securities held by all holders other than Capital GP or its affiliates if Capital GP or
its affiliates hold at least 80% of all such securities in such class, so that such right is
triggered at 90% instead of 80%. The Crude Independent Committee sought and received agreement
from the CPLP Conflicts Committee for this closing condition to harmonize Section 15.1 of the
CPLP Partnership Agreement with Section 96 of the MIBCA, which permits a parent to |
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Loan Lauren P. Nguyen
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merge with a subsidiary without shareholder approval if such parent owns at least 90% of the
outstanding voting stock of the subsidiary. The Crude Independent Committee negotiated another
closing condition requiring the amendment of the Omnibus Agreement, dated as of April 3, 2007,
by and among Capital Maritime, Capital GP, Capital Product Operating GP L.L.C. and CPLP to
include terms substantially similar to those contained in the Business Opportunities Agreement,
dated March 1, 2010, between Capital Maritime and Crude. See the disclosures in The Merger
AgreementOther Covenants and Agreements and The Merger AgreementConditions to Completion
of the Proposed Transaction. The Company has also disclosed on page 57 in The Proposed
TransactionRecommendation of the Crude Independent Committee and the Crude Board; Crudes
Reasons for the Proposed Transaction that the requirement to amend the CPLP Partnership
Agreement to harmonize the rights of unitholders of the combined entity to that of the
shareholders of Crude was a positive factor considered by the Crude Independent Committee in
making its recommendation to the Crude Board. |
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The Company has provided appropriate disclosure regarding the similarities in tax treatment,
but, to further disclose the other mentioned considerations, will add the following bullet
point on page 57 in The Proposed TransactionRecommendation of the Crude Independent
Committee and the Crude Board; Crudes Reasons for the Proposed Transaction immediately before
Negative Factors: |
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The similarities between ownership of Crude common stock and CPLP common units,
including, among other things, the fact that (i) Crude common stock and CPLP common
units are both publicly traded on U.S. securities exchanges and (ii) each of Crude and
CPLP both distribute available cash to its equityholders on a quarterly basis, and in
the case of CPLP unitholders, such distributions are a contractual right under the
CPLP Partnership Agreement. See Comparison of Rights of Shareholders of Crude and
Unitholders of CPLP. |
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Questions and Answers, page v |
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4. |
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Given the significance of the interests of your directors and officers in the
transaction and its approval, please include a separate Q&A to disclose the interests. |
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Loan Lauren P. Nguyen
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R: The Company has reviewed the Staffs comment and revised the Registration Statement at page
vi by adding the following Q&A, and by adding conforming disclosure at page 71. |
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What are the interests of the officers and directors of Crude in the
merger? |
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There is substantial overlap of the ownership and control of Crude and
CPLP. CCIC, the owner of 100% of the Crude Class B stock, is
beneficially owned by the Marinakis family, including the Chairman and
Chief Executive Officer of Crude, Evangelos M. Marinakis. Evangelos
M. Marinakis, Ioannis E. Lazaridis and Gerasimos G. Kalogiratos
collectively own 0.91% of the outstanding shares of Crude common stock
and Mr. Marinakis is the Chief Executive Officer of Capital Maritime,
which is beneficially owned by the Marinakis family and which is also
the owner of Capital GP. Capital Maritime currently owns a 41.9%
interest in CPLP (including its 2% general partner interest through
its ownership of Capital GP), and, following the merger, Capital
Maritime will own a 27.1% interest in the combined company, including
ownership resulting from the general partnership interest in the
combined company held by Capital GP, and, collectively, Capital
Maritime and CCIC would own approximately 31.7% of the combined
company. In addition, there is significant overlap between the senior
management teams of each of Crude and Capital GP. Furthermore, it was
determined after the execution of the merger agreement that Dimitris
Christacopoulos, a member of the Crude Independent Committee would be
designated by Crude as the Crude director who would, in accordance
with the merger agreement, become a director of CPLP upon consummation
of the merger. See The Proposed TransactionInterests of Crudes
Directors and Executive Officers in the Proposed Transaction and The
Proposed TransactionContinuing Board and Management Positions
beginning on page 71. Finally, the vesting requirements relating to
shares of Crude common stock held by members of the Crude Independent
Committee, other than Dimitris Christacopoulos (who collectively hold,
subject to vesting requirements, an aggregate of approximately 20,000
shares of Crude common stock, or the right to receive approximately
31,200 CPLP common units), will lapse immediately prior to the
effective time of the merger, and such shares will vest in full
immediately prior to the effective time of the merger. See The
Proposed TransactionTreatment of Crude Unvested Shares in the
Proposed Transaction beginning on page 84. |
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Loan Lauren P. Nguyen
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What is the required vote to approve and authorize the Merger?, page v |
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5. |
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Quantify the percentage of your outstanding shares that would need to vote in favor
of the merger for it to be approved and state what percentage is held by Crudes officers
and directors. |
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R: The Company has reviewed the Staffs comment and revised the Registration Statement at page
v by adding the following disclosure: , such majority being 49.45% or more of the outstanding
shares of Crude common stock (1.11% of the outstanding shares of Crude common stock is held by
Crudes executive officers and directors). |
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Is the merger expected to be taxable to me?, page viii |
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6. |
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Tell us the degree of uncertainty there is about whether the merger will qualify as a
reorganization within the meaning of Section 368(a) of the IRC. |
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R: The Company notes that the Registration Statement at page viii states that it is a
condition...to complete the merger that CPLP and Crude... receive a legal opinion...to the
effect that the merger should qualify as a reorganization within the meaning of Section
368(a)... The Company believes that by stating that the completion of the merger requires the
receipt of a should-level legal opinion regarding the mergers qualification as a
reorganization within the meaning of Section 368(a), the Company is addressing the level of
uncertainty that the merger will qualify as such. The Company has been advised that a
should-level legal opinion places the uncertainty of qualifying somewhere below a
more-likely-than-not-level opinion and somewhere above a will-level opinion. |
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Summary, page 1 |
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Interests of Certain Persons in the Proposed Transaction, page 7 |
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7. |
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Please quantify the aggregate amounts of all benefits which officers and directors
receive in the merger which regular shareholders do not. Use tabular presentation if that
makes it easier to understand for shareholders. |
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R: Other than the shares of Crude common stock held by members of the Crude Independent
Committee (other than Dimitris Christacopoulos) with respect to which any vesting requirements
will lapse immediately prior to the consummation of the |
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Loan Lauren P. Nguyen
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merger, the officers and directors of Crude will not receive any benefits in the merger that
regular shareholders do not. The Company has revised the Registration Statement at page 7 by
adding the following disclosure: |
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These interests and arrangements include: |
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certain directors and officers of Crude are also directors and/or officers of CPLP,
Capital GP, Capital Maritime and Capital Ship Management, including Evangelos M.
Marinakis, who is the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Crude as well as the
Chairman of the CPLP Board, a director of Capital Maritime and the Chief Executive
Officer and President of Capital Maritime, Ioannis E. Lazaridis, who is the President
of Crude as well as a director of CPLP and Capital Maritime, the Chief Executive
Officer and Chief Financial Officer of Capital GP and the Chief Financial Officer of
Capital Maritime and Gerasimos G. Kalogiratos, who is a director and the Chief
Financial Officer of Crude as well as the Finance Director of Capital Maritime and the
Investment Relations Officer of CPLP; |
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beneficial ownership by Crude directors and executive officers of CPLP common
units, although no Crude director or executive officer owns common units in a number
representing more than 1.0% of the outstanding CPLP common units; |
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at the time the merger is consummated, the commencement of service on the CPLP
Board by Dimitris Christacopoulos, a member of the Crude Board and Chairman of the
Crude Independent Committee who was designated to assume this
position by the Crude Board after the execution of the merger agreement and in
accordance with the merger agreement; and |
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the lapsing of the vesting requirements relating to shares of Crude common stock
held by members of the Crude Independent Committee, other than Dimitris
Christacopoulos (who collectively hold, subject to vesting requirements, an aggregate
of approximately 20,000 shares of Crude common stock, or the right to receive
approximately 31,200 CPLP common units), immediately prior to the effective time of
the merger. |
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Loan Lauren P. Nguyen
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Comparison of Rights of Shareholders of Crude and Unitholders of CPLP, page 11 |
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8. |
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Please revise to include a more complete description of how owning limited
partnership interests differs from owning common stock. To the extent these differences
are material, please add a risk factor in this regard. |
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R: The Company has reviewed the Staffs comment and revised the Registration Statement at page
11 and at page 114 by adding the following disclosure. |
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For example, while the business and affairs of each of Crude and CPLP are overseen by a board
of directors, because CPLP is a limited partnership, its day-to-day affairs are managed by its
general partner and the general partners officers, at the direction and subject to the
authority of the CPLP Board. Crude is a corporation and has its own officers who are appointed
by the Crude Board. Furthermore, the CPLP Board is composed of seven directors, three
directors who are appointed by its general partner and four directors who are elected by the
holders of CPLP common units that are not affiliated with the general partner or its
affiliates. However, both the Crude Board and the elected directors on the CPLP Board are
classified into three classes, with the terms of each of the classes expiring in successive
years. |
Appointment of Officers
Crude
Under Crudes amended and restated bylaws, the Crude Board is required to elect a Chief
Executive Officer, a Chief Financial Officer and a Secretary, which officers are responsible, under
the direction of the Crude Board, for supervising and managing the daily business and affairs of
Crude. The Crude Board may also elect from time to time such other officers as, in the opinion of
the Crude Board, are desirable for the conduct of the business of Crude.
CPLP
Under the MILPA and the CPLP Partnership Agreement, the business and affairs of CPLP are
generally managed by Capital GP, as general partner, under the direction
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Loan Lauren P. Nguyen
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and subject to the authority of the CPLP Board, and the day-to-day activities of CPLP are
managed by the officers of Capital GP, although the CPLP Board has the authority to appoint and
remove such officers and to determine the scope of such officers authority and compensation (in
each case in such officers capacity as managers to CPLP).
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Comparative Stock Prices and Dividends (page 98), page 11 |
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Please briefly discuss any changes to the dividend policy upon the consummation of
the merger. |
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R: The Company has reviewed the Staffs comment and revised the Registration Statement at page
12 by adding the following disclosure. |
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If the proposed transaction is consummated, CPLP intends to maintain its current
cash distribution target of $0.93 per unit. The payment of distributions by CPLP
following the merger, however, will be subject to approval and declaration by the
CPLP Board and will depend on a variety of factors, including business, financial,
legal and regulatory considerations, including but not limited to vessel earnings
remaining at current levels or improving, refinancing of current debt obligations
under similar terms as CPLPs existing debt obligations in a timely fashion,
operating and voyage expenses remaining at comparable levels, no accidents or
material loss to its vessels occurring, as well as covenants under the combined
companys credit facilities. Please see the relevant subheadings under the
section captioned Risk Factors beginning on page 22. |
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Risk Factors, page 22 |
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Please remove the following language from the introductory paragraph: as well as
other risks and uncertainties not currently known to CPLP or not currently deemed to be
material. Only material risks should be referenced in the risk factors. If risks are
not deemed material then they should not be mentioned. |
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R: The Company has reviewed the Staffs comment and revised the Registration Statement at page
22 accordingly. |
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Loan Lauren P. Nguyen
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CPLPs general partner and its other affiliates, page 23 |
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11. |
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Please discuss in a separate risk factor the risk of conflicts of interest because of
the substantial overlap in ownership, control, and management between CPLP and Crude. We
note your disclosure on page 45. Also quantify the benefits to insiders here. |
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R: The Company has reviewed the Staffs comment and revised the Registration Statement at page
24 and page 45 by adding the following disclosure. |
The directors and officers of Crude may have interests that are in addition to, or differ from,
the interests of Crude shareholders.
Certain directors and officers of Crude are also directors and/or officers of CPLP, Capital GP,
Capital Maritime and Capital Ship Management, including Evangelos M. Marinakis, who is the Chairman
and Chief Executive Officer of Crude as well as the Chairman of the CPLP Board, a director of
Capital Maritime and the Chief Executive Officer and President of Capital Maritime, Ioannis E.
Lazaridis, who is the President of Crude as well as a director of CPLP and Capital Maritime, the
Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer of Capital GP and the Chief Financial Officer
of Capital Maritime and Gerasimos G. Kalogiratos, who is a director and the Chief Financial Officer
of Crude as well as the Finance Director of Capital Maritime and the Investment Relations Officer
of CPLP.
In considering the recommendation of the Crude Board (consistent with the recommendation of the
Crude Independent Committee) for the Merger Proposal, you should consider that the directors and
officers of Crude may have interests that differ from, or are in addition to, their interests as
Crude shareholders generally. These interests include the following:
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such directors and officers have the right to indemnification under the organizational
documents of Crude and under the merger agreement; |
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the vesting requirements relating to shares of Crude common stock held by members of
the Crude Independent Committee, other than Dimitris Christacopoulos (who collectively
hold, subject to vesting requirements, an aggregate of approximately 20,000 shares of
Crude common stock, or the right to |
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Loan Lauren P. Nguyen
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receive approximately 31,200 CPLP common units), will
lapse immediately prior to the effective time of the merger, and such shares will vest in
full immediately prior to the effective time of the merger; |
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as designated by the Crude Board after execution of the merger agreement, and in
accordance with the merger agreement, Dimitris Christacopoulos, the Chairman of the Crude
Independent Committee, will commence service on the board of directors of the combined
company at the time the merger is consummated; and |
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certain Crude directors and executive officers own CPLP common units. |
See The Proposed TransactionInterests of Crudes Directors and Executive Officers in the
Proposed Transaction and The Proposed TransactionContinuing Board and Management Positions
beginning on page 71 and The Proposed TransactionTreatment of Crude Unvested Shares in the
Proposed Transaction beginning on page 84.
In addition, the vesting requirements relating to shares of Crude common stock held by members of
the Crude Independent Committee, other than Dimitris Christacopoulos (who collectively hold,
subject to vesting requirements, an aggregate of approximately 20,000 shares of Crude common stock,
or the right to receive approximately 31,200 CPLP common units), will lapse immediately prior to
the effective time of the merger, and such shares will vest in full immediately prior to the
effective time of the merger.
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The combined company may not be able to grow, page 27 |
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12. |
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Please revise to balance the disclosure in the first sentence by disclosing that the
period-linked agreements for three of Crudes vessels and two of CPLPs vessels will
expire in 2011 and new charters have not been entered into at this time. |
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R: The Company has reviewed the Staffs comment and revised the Registration Statement at page
27 by adding the following disclosure. |
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Currently, Crude charters all of its five vessels and CPLP charters one vessel in
the spot charter market or pursuant to spot market-linked time charter agreements.
The period employment of three of Crudes vessels, |
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Loan Lauren P. Nguyen
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and the CPLP vessel, is
scheduled to expire during 2011, and new charters have not been entered into at
this time. |
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The Crude vessels are managed under a floating fee management agreement, page 30 |
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Revise to disclose the reimbursement amounts paid to the manager for the fiscal year
ended December 31, 2010 and discuss whether the fees under the floating fee management
agreement are capped. |
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R: The Company advises the Staff that the fees under the floating fee management agreement are
not capped. The Company has reviewed the Staffs comment and revised the Registration
Statement at page 30 by adding the following disclosure. |
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For the year ended December 31, 2010, Crude paid $22.65 million to the manager
under its management agreement (including $4.82 million in management fees and the
remainder as reimbursement for vessel operating expenses incurred by the
manager). |
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U.S. tax authorities could treat CPLP as a passive foreign investment company, page
31 |
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As the disclosure in this risk factor and the following risk factor consists in part
of legal conclusions, please name legal counsel and provide an appropriate consent or
advise. |
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R: The Company notes that to the extent that these risk factor responses consist of legal
conclusions, each response cross-references the relevant portion of the Material United States
Federal Income Tax Consequences to Crude Shareholders section of the Registration Statement
beginning at page 73, which, for each legal conclusion, contains the appropriate advice of
Sullivan & Cromwell, LLP. In light of these cross-references, the Company believes that the
legal conclusions contained within these risk factor responses already include the appropriate
consent or advice by named legal counsel. As such, the Company respectfully submits to the
Staff that these risk factor responses do not need to be revised. |
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Loan Lauren P. Nguyen
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Proxies and Proxy Solicitation Costs, page 41 |
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We note that proxies may be solicited in person, by telephone, or by other electronic
means. Please confirm that you will file all written soliciting materials, including any
scripts to be used in soliciting proxies by personal interview or telephone. |
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R: The Company confirms that it will file all written soliciting materials, including any
scripts to be used in soliciting proxies by personal interview or telephone. |
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Background of the Proposed Transaction, page 45 |
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16. |
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Please disclose the reasons that the CPLP Board considered to enter into a merger
with Crude at this time when the period-linked charters under the Crude vessels will
expire in 2011 and the spot rates are currently low. |
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R: The Company has reviewed the Staffs comment and revised the Registration Statement at page
55 by adding the following disclosure. |
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The CPLP Board and the CPLP Conflicts Committee consulted with management and
their legal and financial advisors and considered many factors in approving the
merger including, among other factors, that the merger was expected to create a
leader in the tanker industry, with 26 vessels approximating a 2.2 million dwt
fleet, comprised of ultra-modern, high quality vessels with an average age of 2.6
years and vetted with the key major oil companies on employment of crude and
product tankers. The CPLP Board and CPLP Conflicts Committee also expected the
merger to (i) create a large, diversified platform to source growth opportunities,
(ii) provide significant additional operating leverage which should generate
incremental cash flow over time, (iii) improve access to the debt and equity
capital markets to fund growth initiatives, and (iv) be accretive to net asset
values and enhance the potential to increase distributable cash flow to CPLP
unitholders. Furthermore, in approving the merger, the CPLP Board and the CPLP
Conflicts Committee expected that the greater size of the combined company would
create greater interest by investors and the merger would result in a larger and
more liquid trading market for the benefit of both Crude stockholders and CPLP
unitholders. |
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Loan Lauren P. Nguyen
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17. |
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Refer to the disclosure in the last paragraph on page 46. Please describe the
alternatives that the CPLP Board considered for achieving the purposes of the merger. |
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R: The Company has reviewed the Staffs comment and revised the Registration Statement at page
46 by adding the following disclosure. |
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The CPLP Conflicts Committee also discussed possible alternatives to a proposed
transaction with Crude, including the potential for raising capital in the high
yield debt or equity markets or the purchase of additional assets in order to
increase distributable cash flow. |
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18. |
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Refer to the disclosure on pages 46-48. We note that the Crude Independent Committee
comprised of independent directors considered the CPLP proposal. Please revise to expand
your discussion regarding the duties of the Crude Independent Committee and any range of
strategic alternatives to be explored by such committee. |
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R: Please see the disclosure regarding the Crude Independent Committees scope of authority,
and its discussions with advisors regarding such authority as well as the probability of
success with respect to an alternative transaction, on pages 50-52. The Crude Independent
Committee sought clarification from the Crude Board on April 27th regarding the scope of the
Crude Independent Committees authority, specifically, whether the Crude Independent Committee
was permitted to pursue alternative transactions. At its April 29th meeting, the Crude Board
confirmed that the Crude Independent Committee was granted such authority at the Crude Boards
February 3rd meeting to first discuss CPLPs proposal. However, the Crude Independent
Committee had been informed previously, and again at the Crude Boards April 29th meeting, that
CCIC would vote against any reasonably foreseeable similar transaction with a party other than
CPLP. The Company has revised the Registration Statement at page 47 to clarify and expand the
disclosure. |
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To clarify the disclosure, the Company proposes to revise the second full paragraph of page 47
by adding the following disclosure. |
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On February 3, 2011, the Crude Board met to discuss several matters, including
the receipt by the Crude Independent Committee of the Initial Proposal. The Crude
Board determined that, given the independence of each of the members of the Crude
Independent Committee and its existing |
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Loan Lauren P. Nguyen
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-15- |
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duties to resolve conflicts between Crude
and Capital Maritime and its affiliates, the Crude Independent Committee should
evaluate and, if appropriate, negotiate the terms of any transaction with CPLP on
behalf of the Crude Board. To that end, the Crude Board adopted resolutions to
authorize the Crude Independent Committee, in its sole discretion, (i) to review
and respond to the Initial Proposal and, if determined appropriate
by the Crude Independent Committee, (ii) to engage in further discussions with
respect to a potential transaction, and in connection therewith, to engage
independent legal and financial advisors to assist in its evaluation and potential
negotiations. The Crude Independent Committee was also given the responsibility
to coordinate the process and any potential follow up actions with respect to a
potential transaction with CPLP. The Crude Board also understood that it had
granted the Crude Independent Committee the authority to consider alternative
transactions to the proposed transaction with CPLP. However, the Crude
Independent Committee was subsequently informed on more than one occasion,
including at the Crude Boards April 29th meeting, that CCIC would vote against
any reasonably foreseeable similar transaction with a party other than CPLP. |
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Arms Length Negotiations, page 58 |
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19. |
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Considering the substantial conflicts of interests involved, please revise to provide
a basis for the belief that the Crude Independent Committee engaged in arms length
negotiations with CPLP regarding the merger. |
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R: The Company has reviewed the Staffs comment and revised the Registration Statement at page
58 by adding the following disclosure. |
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The Crude Independent Committee and the CPLP Conflicts Committee took appropriate
measures so that all discussions regarding the exchange ratio and valuations of
the two companies were conducted between the two independent financial advisors or
the Chairmen of the two committees, each of whom was an independent director.
Furthermore, the substantive negotiations of the non-financial terms of the merger
agreement were conducted directly between Akin Gump and Jones Day on behalf of
their respective committee clients. Though the management of both Crude and CPLP
provided the information necessary for the two |
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Loan Lauren P. Nguyen
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-16- |
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committees and their respective
financial and legal advisors to evaluate the proposed transaction, each of the
committees deliberations was conducted without any members of management present. |
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Opinion of the Crude Independent Committees Financial Advisor, page 60 |
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20. |
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Please disclose in the proxy statement that Jefferies has consented to the inclusion
of, and reference to, its opinion in the proxy statement. |
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R: The Company has reviewed the Staffs comment and revised the Registration Statement at page
60 accordingly. |
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Select Public Company Analysis, page 63 |
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21. |
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Please briefly explain the categories of and distinctions between normal corporate
wet, yield-oriented wet, and yield-oriented MLP. |
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R: The Company has reviewed the Staffs comment and revised the Registration Statement at page
64 by adding the following explanation. |
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Each category referenced above includes companies operating in the maritime
transportation and related industries. The category Wet includes only
companies that transport petroleum and petroleum related fluid resources. The
category Yield-oriented includes companies that have historically distributed
all excess cash to their respective stockholders or partners, as the case may be,
whereas the category Normal Corporate includes companies that have
historically distributed, at the discretion of their respective boards of
directors, only portions of excess cash to their respective stockholders.
Further, the category Yield-Oriented MLP is a separate and distinct category
that differs from the category Yield-Oriented Wet in that the former category
comprises only companies that are structured as master limited partnerships
(rather than corporations). |
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Precedent Transaction Analysis, page 65 |
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22. |
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Please disclose the criteria used to determine the comparable precedent transactions
used for the analysis. Tell us whether any additional transactions that fit the criteria
were not used and why not. |
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Loan Lauren P. Nguyen
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-17- |
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R: The Company supplementally advises the Staff that (i) Jefferies did not select the precedent
transactions based on specific criteria, but rather selected transactions involving companies
in the maritime transportation and related industries having similar financial and operating
characteristics as Crude and (ii) there were no
additional transactions that fit such criteria that were not used in this analysis. The
Company has revised the Form-4 at page 65 to this effect by adding the following disclosure. |
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Using publicly available information, Jefferies examined the following five
transactions, announced since September 2006, involving companies in the maritime
transportation and related industries that have financial and operating
characteristics that Jefferies, in its professional judgment, considered to be
similar to Crude. |
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23. |
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We note that all of the public/private transactions you reviewed were announced in
August 2008 and earlier. Please revise to explain why you did not review more recent
transactions. Further, discuss why you believe these transactions are useful for
comparison in light of the substantial time that has passed since they were announced and
the intervening downturn in the global economy and shipping industry. |
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R: The Company has reviewed the Staffs comment and revised the Registration Statement at page
65 by adding the following disclosure. |
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Jefferies did not include any transactions announced after August 2008 in its
analysis because publicly disclosed information was not available for any
transaction announced thereafter that Jefferies deemed relevant. |
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The Company also directs the Staffs attention to the following disclosure on page 66 of the
Registration Statement: No transaction utilized as a comparison in the precedent transaction
analysis is identical to the merger. |
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Interests of Crudes Directors and Executive Officers in the Proposed Transaction, page
71 |
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24. |
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Please disclose in additional detail the significant overlap in ownership and
management of Crude and CPLP and Crude and Capital GP. |
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R: The Company has reviewed the Staffs comment and revised the Registration Statement at page
71 by adding the following disclosure. |
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Loan Lauren P. Nguyen
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-18- |
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These interests and arrangements include: |
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certain directors and officers of Crude are also directors and/or officers of CPLP,
Capital GP, Capital Maritime and Capital Ship Management, including Evangelos M.
Marinakis, who is the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Crude as well as the
Chairman of the CPLP Board, a director of Capital Maritime and the Chief Executive
Officer and President of Capital Maritime, Ioannis E. Lazaridis, who is the President
of Crude as well as a director of CPLP and Capital Maritime, the Chief Executive
Officer and Chief Financial Officer of Capital GP and the Chief Financial Officer of
Capital Maritime, and Gerasimos G. Kalogiratos, who is a director and the Chief
Financial Officer of Crude as well as the Finance Director of Capital Maritime and the
Investment Relations Officer of CPLP; |
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beneficial ownership by Crude directors and executive officers of CPLP common
units, although no Crude director or executive officer owns common units in a number
representing more than 1.0% of the outstanding CPLP common units; |
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at the time the merger is consummated, the commencement of service on the CPLP
Board by Dimitris Christacopoulos, a member of the Crude Board and Chairman of the
Crude Independent Committee who was designated to assume this
position by the Crude Board after the execution of the merger agreement and in
accordance with the merger agreement; and |
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the lapsing of the vesting requirements relating to shares of Crude common stock
held by members of the Crude Independent Committee, other than Dimitris
Christacopoulos (who collectively hold, subject to vesting requirements, an aggregate
of approximately 20,000 shares of Crude common stock, or the right to receive
approximately 31,200 CPLP common units), immediately prior to the effective time of
the merger. |
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In addition, there is substantial overlap of the ownership and control of Crude and
CPLP. CCIC, the owner of 100% of the Crude Class B stock, is beneficially owned by
the Marinakis family, including the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Crude,
Evangelos M. Marinakis. Evangelos M. Marinakis, Ioannis E. Lazaridis and Gerasimos G.
Kalogiratos collectively own 0.91% of the outstanding shares of Crude common stock and
Mr. |
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Loan Lauren P. Nguyen
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-19- |
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Marinakis is the Chief Executive Officer of Capital Maritime, which is
beneficially owned by the Marinakis family and which is also the owner of
Capital GP. Capital Maritime currently owns a 41.9% interest in CPLP (including its 2%
general partner interest through its ownership of Capital GP), and following the
merger, Capital Maritime will own a 27.1% interest in the combined company, including
ownership resulting from the general partnership interest in the combined company held
by Capital GP, and collectively, Capital Maritime and CCIC would own approximately
31.7% of the combined company. |
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Treatment of Existing Debt Facilities in the Proposed Transaction, page 72 |
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25. |
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Please revise to name the financial institution that CPLP has entered into a
commitment letter with to partially finance the acquisition of the Cape Agamemnon. |
R: The Company has reviewed the Staffs comment and has revised the Registration Statement at
page 72 to add the following disclosure.
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In connection with CPLPs acquisition of the dry cargo vessel Cape Agamemnon from
Capital Maritime, CPLP drew down on a new credit facility of $25 million provided
by Credit Agricole Emporiki Bank in order to partially finance the acquisition of
the shares of the vessel owning company of the Cape Agamemnon from Capital
Maritime. |
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Material United States Federal Income Tax Consequences, page 73 |
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26. |
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It appears you intend to file short-form tax opinions. Please revise this section to
name tax counsel and clarify that the discussion in this section is counsels opinion
rather than a summary. |
R: The Company has reviewed the Staffs comment and revised the Registration Statement at page
73 by adding the following disclosure.
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The following discussion of the material United States federal income tax
consequences of the merger to holders of Crude common stock and of the ownership
of CPLP common units received in the merger , to the extent it consists of
statements as to matters of tax law, is the opinion of Sullivan & |
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Loan Lauren P. Nguyen
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-20- |
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Cromwell LLP,
and that portion of the discussion under the heading The Merger is also the
opinion of Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld LLP. |
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Unaudited Pro Form Condensed Combined Financial Information, page 100 |
Note 2 Pro forma Adjustments related to the Merger, page 106
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27. |
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Footnote (a) indicates you intend to record the acquisition at fair value under FASB
ASC 805, as you do not consider the parties to the transaction to be under common control.
We note from the disclosure on page F-10 of your Form 20-F for the year ended December
31, 2010 that, as of July 22, 2010, you no longer consider yourself under common control
with CMTC due to the elections of two Class III directors by non-CMTC unitholders,
resulting in the majority of the board being elected by non-CMTC controlled unitholders.
We further note that, although your ownership stake has decreased to 31.2% at December 31,
2010, Capital Ship Management, a subsidiary of CMTC, still provides significant commercial
and technical management services (including the commercial and technical management of
your vessels, class certifications, vessel maintenance and crewing, purchasing and
insurance and shipyard supervision) as well as administrative, financial and other support
services to you through a management agreement and an administrative services agreement.
In addition, your Chairman is also the CEO of CMTC, and your CEO and CFO is also the CFO
of CMTC. Finally, we note that your next largest shareholder, Kayne Anderson Capital
Advisors L.P., only owns about 11% of your common units outstanding at December 31, 2010.
Please tell us why you believe the level of operational control held by CMTC does not
constitute common control. Specifically address operations and ship management agreements
in your analysis. |
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R:
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Pursuant to ASC 810-20-25-3 Control of Partnerships and Similar Entities: General Partner
is Presumed to Control a Limited Partnership, the general partners in a limited partnership
are presumed to control that limited partnership regardless of the extent of the general
partners ownership interest in the limited partnership unless the presumption of control can
be overcome as further explained in ASC 810-20-25. |
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Under the CPLP Partnership Agreement, CMTC and its affiliates are not permitted to participate
in the election of four out of the CPLP Boards seven directors. This provision ensures that a
majority of the directors on the CPLP Board are elected by CPLP limited unitholders that are
not CMTC or its affiliates (the Unaffiliated Unitholders), and since July 22, 2010 a majority
of the CPLP Board has been elected by Unaffiliated Unitholders. |
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The CPLP Partnership Agreement provides that the CPLP Board has the power to oversee, direct
the operations of, manage and determine the strategies and policies of CPLP. The CPLP Board as
a matter of course, directly exercises its authority in various areas, including without
limitation, (i) reviewing and approving, through its Conflicts Committee (which is comprised
exclusively of independent directors), transactions with related parties, including purchasing
of the vessels from CMTC as recommended by Capital GP, entering into time charter agreements
for chartering CPLPs vessels to CMTC and management fees, (ii) reviewing and approving the
financial statements of CPLP as well quarterly or special dividend distributions, (iii)
reviewing and approving the issuance or cancellation of CPLP units, (iv) reviewing and
approving the aggregate number and type of awards available under the CPLP Equity Plan, (v)
reviewing and approving the entering into of any debt instruments by CPLP, (vi) establishing
commercial and chartering strategies that are consistent with the dividend policy and other
policies set by the CPLP Board, and (vii) reviewing and approving any material contracts,
including with respect to the selection of CPLPs fleet, commercial and technical manager. In
addition, the CPLP Board determines the extent of the power that the general partner has
regarding the management, operations and affairs of CPLP. |
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For example, in the case of acquisitions of any CPLP vessels, the Capital GP CEO and CFO
prepare forecasts regarding the financial and operating effect that the transaction would have
on CPLP, together with the revised forecasts of CPLPs projected cash flows when combined with
the cash flows from proposed vessel acquisition. These forecasts are presented to the
Conflicts Committee of the CPLP Board and further to the CPLP Board for each of their approval
based on the established authorities as noted above. |
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CSM provides commercial and technical management services to CPLPs fleet as well as
administrative, financial and other support services to CPLP through a management agreement and
an administrative services agreement. While CSM
has been engaged in managing the day to day operations of CPLPs fleet, these day to day
decisions are made within the parameters established by the CPLP Board. The management
agreement commences from the date on which each vessel begins its operations and continues for
approximately five years up to and including the date each vessel has its first special survey,
unless terminated by either CSM or Capital GP on behalf of CPLP on not less than one hundred
and twenty days notice if conditions as further listed in the management agreement are present. |
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An administrative services agreement requires CSM to maintain CPLPs books and records, provide
accounting services, prepare financial statements, assist in communication with investors and
provide other clerical and administrative services to CPLP, but does not provide CSM with the
authority to make any governance decisions. |
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In addition, the CPLP Board has exercised its authority to limit the powers of Capital GP as
general partner. For example, the CPLP Board has placed restrictions on the ability of Capital
GP, as general partner, to take certain actions without prior approval of the CPLP Board,
including, among others, to (i) make a purchase or sale of assets of CPLP representing 10% or
more of the fair market value of the CPLPs assets prior to such purchase or sale, (ii) incur
debt if such incurrence would result in CPLPs becoming overleveraged, and (iii) mortgage,
pledge, hypothecate, or grant a security interest in all or substantially all of the CPLPs
assets for purposes other than securing the indebtedness that does not result in CPLPs
becoming overleveraged. The CPLP Board has authority to tighten or loosen these restrictions
and to otherwise restrict the scope of Capital GPs authority. |
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Taking into account these facts and circumstances, CPLP concluded that the rights of
Unaffiliated Unitholders overcome the presumption of control by CPLPs general partner, because
the Unaffiliated Unitholders have substantive participation rights allowing them to participate
in certain financial and operating decisions of CPLP that are made in the ordinary course of
business through their control of the CPLP Board, and therefore CPLP is not under common
control with CMTC. |
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Loan Lauren P. Nguyen
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-21- |
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Exhibit 5.1 |
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28. |
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Please have counsel remove assumption (iv) in the listing of assumptions in the first
paragraph on page 2. It is not appropriate for counsel to assume that there are no
modifications to agreements among persons who include its client. |
R: In response to the Staffs comment, Watson, Farley & Williams (New York) LLP revised its
opinion and submitted to the Staff the revised form of opinion under Exhibit 5.1 on July 18,
2011.
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29. |
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Revise to remove the last sentence of the first paragraph on page 2 as the assumption
is overly broad and inappropriate. |
R: In response to the Staffs comment, Watson, Farley & Williams (New York) LLP revised its
opinion and submitted to the Staff the revised form of opinion under Exhibit 5.1 on July 18,
2011.
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Exhibit 8.1 |
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30. |
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Please have counsel revise the penultimate paragraph to clarify that the discussion
in the material tax consequences section is counsels opinion, rather than that the
statements . . . [are] accurate in all material respects. |
R: In response to the Staffs comment, Sullivan & Cromwell LLP revised its opinion and
submitted to the Staff the revised form of opinion under Exhibit 8.1 on July 18, 2011.
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Exhibit 8.2 |
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31. |
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The tax opinion should speak as of the date of effectiveness. Please have counsel
revise opinion paragraph B accordingly. Alternatively, confirm that you will refile the
opinion on the date of effectiveness. |
R: The Company understands from Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld LLC that on the date of
effectiveness, it will file an opinion dated, and which speaks as of, that date.
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32. |
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Please have counsel remove solely from the first sentence of the last paragraph of
the opinion. |
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Loan Lauren P. Nguyen
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-22- |
R: The Company understands from Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld LLC that as requested, the word
solely will be removed in its opinion filed on the date of effectiveness.
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Exhibit 99.1 |
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33. |
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Please refile the consent of Jefferies & Company, Inc. as an exhibit 23. Refer to
Item 601(b)(23) of Regulation S-K. |
R: The Company respectfully submits that, consistent with long-standing practices and other
Form F-4 filings for similar transactions reviewed by the Staff, such as Novartis AG/Alcon,
Inc. and CSR plc/Zoran Corporation, the Company believes that filing such consent as an Exhibit
99 is customary and appropriate and the Company is unaware of any policy or interpretative
positions of the Staff to the contrary.
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Exhibit 99.2 |
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34. |
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Please mark your form of proxy Preliminary Copy, as required by Rule 14a-6(e)(1). |
R: The Company has reviewed the Staffs comment and revised Exhibit 99.2 accordingly.
Form 20-F for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2010 for Capital Product Partners L.P.
D. Risk Factors, page 8
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35. |
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Please confirm that you will remove the third sentence of the introductory paragraph
in future filings. Only material risks should be discussed in the risk factors; if a risk
is not deemed material, it should not be referenced here. |
R: The Company has reviewed the Staffs comment and confirms that it will revise future filings
accordingly.
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Loan Lauren P. Nguyen
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-23- |
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Item 5B, Liquidity and Capital Resources, page 56 |
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Borrowings, page 59 |
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36. |
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We note from your disclosure in Note 6 on page F-21 that you amended your two credit
facilities on June 30, 2010 to change how such facilities were collateralized. In this
regard, please discuss the underlying reasons for this change in your discussion of
borrowings in future filings. |
R: The Company has reviewed the Staffs comment and confirms that it will revise future filings
accordingly.
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37. |
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Due to the volatility in vessel market values, please consider revising this section
in future filings to include the results of your calculation of the 125% minimum value
covenant as part of your discussion of liquidity. Such discussion would provide greater
insight into the likelihood of a covenant violation. This disclosure may include the
exact calculation and aggregate market value of vessels as compared to the outstanding
balance and/or a sensitivity analysis discussing the impact a 10% change in vessel market
value may have on your continued compliance with this covenant. In the alternative, we
suggest you present a table similar to that found on page F-21 in this section, and
include the aggregate fair market value of the vessels collateralizing each credit
facility. |
R: The Company has reviewed the Staffs comment and confirms that it will revise future filings
accordingly.
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Loan Lauren P. Nguyen
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-24- |
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Critical Accounting Policies, page 61 |
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38. |
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Please revise your disclosure in future filings to include a discussion of any
vessels that have a market value lower than their carrying value. In this regard, we
suggest that you include a table similar to that found on table on page 37 summarizing the
date of acquisition and the purchase price of each vessel in your fleet, but also
identifying those vessels whose estimated market values are less than their carrying
values. Please add disclosure below the table of the aggregate market value and aggregate
book value of any such vessels. In addition, this table should be accompanied by
disclosure discussing the related accounting treatment of your vessels, and describing the
circumstances under which you would record an impairment loss for such vessels, such as
when any of these vessels were classified as held for sale. |
R: The Company has reviewed the Staffs comment and confirms that it will revise future filings
accordingly.
* * * * *
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Loan Lauren P. Nguyen
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-25- |
Please note that the appropriate contact at Deloitte & Touche LLP is Jack Azose, who may be
reached in New York at (212) 436-4838.
The Company would greatly appreciate receiving the Staffs comments on the revised
Registration Statement as soon as possible. On behalf of the Company and its advisors, we once
again thank you and the Staff for your assistance to date in connection with the review of the
Companys submission.
If you have any questions relating to the foregoing, please feel free to call me at (212)
558-3445. I may also be reached by facsimile at (212) 558-3588 and by e-mail at
claytonj@sullcrom.com. In my absence, please call Vijay S. Iyer at (212) 558-1671. He may also be
reached by facsimile at (212) 291-9851 and by e-mail at iyerv@sullcrom.com.
Very truly yours,
/s/ Jay Clayton
Jay Clayton
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cc: |
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Amy Geddes
David Humphrey
J. Nolan McWilliams
(Securities and Exchange Commission)
Ioannis E. Lazaridis
Jerry Kalogiratos
Irina Taka
(Capital Product Partners L.P.)
Vangelis G. Bairactaris, Esq.
(G.E. Bairactaris & Partners)
George Cambanis
Daiva Kazlauskas
(Deloitte. Hadjipavlou Sofianos & Cambanis S.A.)
Jack Azose
(Deloitte & Touche LLP) |
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Loan Lauren P. Nguyen
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-26- |
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J. Mark Metts, Esq.
Angela Olivarez, Esq.
(Jones Day LLP)
J. Vincent Kendrick, Esq.
Patrick Hurley, Esq.
(Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld LLP)
David C. Spitzer, Esq.
Vijay S. Iyer
Eric A. Treichel
(Sullivan & Cromwell LLP) |