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As filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on May 15, 2020
Registration StatementNo. 333-
UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549
FORM F-3
REGISTRATION STATEMENT
UNDER
THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933
TEEKAY LNG PARTNERS L.P.
(Exact name of Registrant as specified in its charters)
| Republic of the Marshall Islands | 98-0454169 | |
(State or other jurisdiction of incorporation or organization) | (I.R.S. Employer Identification Numbers) |
4th Floor, Belvedere Building,
69 Pitts Bay Road,
Hamilton HM 08, Bermuda
Telephone:(441) 298-2530
Fax:(441) 292-3931
(Address, including zip code, and telephone number, including area code, of Registrant’s principal executive office)
Watson Farley & Williams LLP
Attention: Daniel C. Rodgers
250 West 55th Street
New York, New York 10019
(212) 922-2200
(Name, address, including zip code, and telephone number, including area code, of agent for service)
Copies to:
David S. Matheson
Joseph F. Bailey
Perkins Coie LLP
1120 N.W. Couch Street, Tenth Floor
Portland, OR 97209-4128
(503) 727-2008
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Approximate date of commencement of proposed sale to the public: From time to time after this registration statement becomes effective, as determined by market conditions and other factors.
If the only securities being registered on this form are being offered pursuant to dividend or interest reinvestment plans, please check the following box. ☐
If any of the securities being registered on this Form are to be offered on a delayed or continuous basis pursuant to Rule 415 under the Securities Act of 1933, check the following box. ☒
If this Form is filed to register additional securities for an offering pursuant to Rule 462(b) under the Securities Act, please check the following box and list the Securities Act registration statement number of the earlier effective registration statement for the same offering. ☐
If this Form is a post-effective amendment filed pursuant to Rule 462(c) under the Securities Act, check the following box and list the Securities Act registration statement number of the earlier effective registration statement for the same offering. ☐
If this Form is a registration statement pursuant to General Instruction I.C. or a post-effective amendment thereto that shall become effective upon filing with the Commission pursuant to Rule 462(e) under the Securities Act, check the following box. ☐
If this Form is a post-effective amendment to a registration statement filed pursuant to General Instruction I.C. filed to register additional securities or additional classes of securities pursuant to Rule 413(b) under the Securities Act, check the following box. ☐
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is an emerging growth company as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act of 1933. Emerging growth company ☐
If an emerging growth company that prepares its financial statements in accordance with U.S. GAAP, indicate by check mark if the registrant has elected not to use the extended transition period for complying with any new or revised financial accounting standards† provided pursuant to Section 7(a)(2)(B) of the Securities Act. ☐
† The term “new or revised financial accounting standard” refers to any update issued by the Financial Accounting Standards Board to its Accounting Standards Codification after April 5, 2012.
CALCULATION OF REGISTRATION FEE
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| Title of Each Class of Securities to Be Registered | Amount to be Registered(1) | Proposed Maximum Offering Price Per Unit(2) | Proposed Maximum Aggregate Offering Price(2) | Amount of Registration Fee | ||||
Common Units, to be offered by the Selling Unitholder | 10,750,000 | $11.06 | $118,895,000.00 | $15,433 | ||||
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| (1) | Pursuant to 416(a), the number of common units being registered shall be adjusted to include any additional units that may become issuable as a result of any unit distribution, split, combination or similar transaction. |
| (2) | Estimated solely for the purpose of calculating the registration fee pursuant to Rule 457(c) under the U.S. Securities Act of 1933, as amended. The price per unit and aggregate offering price are based on the average of the high and low sale prices of the registrant’s common units on May 8, 2020, as reported on the New York Stock Exchange. |
The Registrant hereby amends this registration statement on such date or dates as may be necessary to delay its effective date until the registrant shall file a further amendment which specifically states that this registration statement shall thereafter become effective in accordance with Section 8(a) of the U.S. Securities Act of 1933, as amended, or until the registration statement shall become effective on such date as the Commission, acting pursuant to said Section 8(a), may determine.
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PROSPECTUS
10,750,000 Common Units Offered by the Selling Unitholder
Teekay LNG Partners L.P.
Common Units
This prospectus relates solely to the possible offer or resale, from time to time, of up to 10,750,000 common units of Teekay LNG Partners L.P. by the Selling Unitholder identified in this prospectus. Please read “Selling Unitholder” for additional information about the offer and sale of these units. We will not receive any of the proceeds from the sale of these common units by the Selling Unitholder.
The Selling Unitholder identified in this prospectus, or its donees, pledgees, transferees or othersuccessors-in-interest, may sell the common units at various times and in various types of transactions, including sales in the open market, sales in negotiated transactions, sales in underwritten offerings and sales by a combination of these methods. The Selling Unitholder may sell the common units to or through underwriters, broker-dealers or agents, who may receive compensation in the form of discounts, concessions or commissions. For additional information on the methods of sale that may be used by the Selling Unitholder, please read “Plan of Distribution.”
This prospectus describes some of the general terms that may apply to the common units and the general manner in which they may be offered. The specific terms of any common units to be offered, and the specific manner in which they may be offered, will be described in one or more supplements to this prospectus. A prospectus supplement may also add, update or change information contained in this prospectus.
Our common units are traded on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol “TGP.” On May 14, 2020, the last reported sale price of our common units on the New York Stock Exchange was $10.98 per unit.
Investing in our securities involves risks. In addition, limited partnerships are inherently different than corporations. You should carefully consider the section entitled “Forward-Looking Statements” contained on page 1 and each of the factors described under “Risk Factors” beginning on page 2 of this prospectus before you make an investment in our securities.
Neither the Securities and Exchange Commission nor any state securities commission has approved or disapproved of these securities or determined if this prospectus is truthful or complete. Any representation to the contrary is a criminal offense.
The date of this prospectus is May 15, 2020
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We have not authorized anyone to provide you with any information other than the information contained in this prospectus, or in any prospectus supplement or “free writing prospectus.” We take no responsibility for, and provide no assurance about the reliability of, any information that others may give you. We are not offering these securities in any jurisdiction where the offer or sale is not permitted. You should not assume that the information in this prospectus or any prospectus supplement, as well as the information we previously filed or hereafter file with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (orSEC) that is incorporated by reference into this prospectus, is accurate as of any date other than its respective date. We intend to disclose material changes in our affairs in an amendment to this prospectus, a prospectus supplement or a future filing with the SEC incorporated by reference in this prospectus.
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This prospectus is part of a registration statement onForm F-3 that we have filed with the SEC using a “shelf” registration process. The Selling Unitholder referred to in the prospectus may offer and resell from time to time up to 10,750,000 of our common units.
This prospectus does not cover the issuance of any of our common units by us to the Selling Unitholder, and we will not receive any of the proceeds from any sale of these common units by the Selling Unitholder. We have agreed to pay the expenses incurred in connection with the registration of the common units owned by the Selling Unitholder covered by this prospectus, other than any underwriting discounts or selling commissions attributable to the sale of the units, each of which are to be paid by the Selling Unitholder.
This prospectus may only be used where it is legal to sell our common units. You should not assume that the information contained in or incorporated by reference into this prospectus, any prospectus supplement or any free writing prospectus we may authorize to be delivered to you is accurate as of any date other than its respective date. Our business, financial condition, results of operations and prospects, as well as other information, may have changed since such dates.
Unless otherwise indicated, references in this prospectus to “Teekay LNG Partners,” “we,” “us” and “our” and similar terms refer to Teekay LNG Partners L.P. and/or one or more of its subsidiaries, except that those terms, when used in this prospectus in connection with the common units described herein, shall mean specifically Teekay LNG Partners L.P. References in this prospectus to “Teekay Corporation” refer to Teekay Corporation and/or any one or more of its subsidiaries.
Unless otherwise indicated, all references in this prospectus to “dollars” and “$” are to, and amounts are presented in, U.S. Dollars, and financial information presented in this prospectus is prepared in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States (orU.S.GAAP).
You should read carefully this prospectus, any applicable prospectus supplement, any applicable free writing prospectus, and the additional information described below under the headings “Where You Can Find More Information” and “Incorporation of Documents by Reference.”
All statements, other than statements of historical fact, included in or incorporated by reference into this prospectus and any prospectus supplements are “forward-looking statements”. The Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, as amended, provides a “safe harbor” for forward-looking statements to encourage companies to provide prospective information about themselves so long as they identify these statements as forward-looking and provide meaningful cautionary statements identifying important factors that could cause actual results to differ from the projected results. We and our representatives may from time to time make other oral or written statements that are also forward-looking statements. Such statements include, in particular, statements about our operations, cash flows, financial position, plans, strategies, business prospects, changes and trends in our business, and the markets in which we operate. In some cases, you can identify the forward-looking statements by the use of words such as “may,” “will,” “could,” “should,” “would,” “expect,” “plan,” “anticipate,” “intend,” “forecast,” “believe,” “estimate,” “predict,” “propose,” “potential,” “continue” or the negative of these terms or other comparable terminology.
Forward-looking statements reflect management’s current plans, expectations, estimates, assumptions and beliefs concerning future events affecting us. Forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks and are based upon a number of assumptions and estimates that are inherently subject to significant uncertainties and contingencies, many of which are beyond our control. Actual results could differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially include, but are not limited, to those factors discussed under the heading “Risk Factors” and “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations” set forth in our Annual Reports on Form20-F and any Reports on Form6-K that we incorporate herein by reference, as well as in any prospectus supplement relating to this prospectus and other public filings with the SEC.
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Except to the extent required by applicable law or regulation, we undertake no obligation to update any forward-looking statement to reflect any change in our expectations or events or circumstances that may arise after the date on which such statement is made. New factors emerge from time to time, and it is not possible for us to predict all of these factors. In addition, we cannot assess the effect of each such factor on our business or the extent to which any factor, or combination of factors, may cause actual results to be materially different from those contained in any forward-looking statement, and accordingly, you should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements.
Teekay LNG Partners L.P. is an international provider of marine transportation services focusing on liquefied natural gas (or LNG) and liquefied petroleum gas (orLPG). We were formed in 2004 by Teekay Corporation (NYSE: TK), a portfolio manager of marine services to the global oil and natural gas industries, to expand its operations in the LNG shipping sector. Our primary growth strategy focuses on expanding our fleet of LNG and LPG carriers under medium to long-term, fixed-rate charters. In executing our growth strategy, we may engage in vessel or business acquisitions or enter into joint ventures and partnerships with companies that provide increased access to emerging opportunities from global expansion of the LNG and LPG sectors.
We seek to leverage the expertise, relationships and reputation of Teekay Corporation and its affiliates to pursue these opportunities in the LNG and LPG sectors and may consider other opportunities to which our competitive strengths are well suited, including entering into the LNG receiving and regasification terminal business. Teekay Corporation, which beneficially owns and controls our general partner, beneficially owns 40.6% of our common units and a 1.76% general partner interest. Our operations are conducted through, and our operating assets are owned by, our subsidiaries. We own our interests in our subsidiaries through our 100% ownership interest in our operating company, Teekay LNG Operating L.L.C., a Republic of the Marshall Islands limited liability company. Our general partner, Teekay GP L.L.C., a Republic of the Marshall Islands limited liability company, has an economic interest in us and manages our operations and activities.
Our general partner does not receive any management fee or other compensation in connection with its management of our business, but it is entitled to be reimbursed for all direct and indirect expenses incurred on our behalf. Pursuant to certain services agreements between us and certain of our operating subsidiaries, on the one hand, and certain direct and indirect subsidiaries of Teekay Corporation and certain of our joint venture partners, on the other hand, the Teekay Corporation subsidiaries and certain of our joint venture partners provide to us various services including, in the case of operating subsidiaries, substantially all of their managerial, operational and administrative services and other technical and advisory services, and in the case of Teekay LNG Partners L.P., various administrative services.
We are a limited partnership formed under the laws of the Republic of the Marshall Islands. Our principal executive offices are located at 4th Floor, Belvedere Building, 69 Pitts Bay Road, Hamilton HM 08, Bermuda, and our phone number is(441) 298-2530. Our website address iswww.teekaylng.com. The information contained in our website is not part of this prospectus.
Before investing in our securities, you should carefully consider all of the information included or incorporated by reference into this prospectus. In addition, although many of our business risks are comparable to those of a corporation engaged in a similar business, limited partner interests are inherently different from the capital stock of a corporation. When evaluating an investment in any of our securities, you should carefully consider the following risk factor together with all other information included in this prospectus, including those risks discussed under the caption “Risk Factors” in our latest Annual Report onForm 20-F and, if applicable, in our Reports on Form6-K filed with or furnished to the SEC that are incorporated by reference into this prospectus, and information included in any applicable prospectus supplement.
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If any of these risks were to occur, our business, financial condition, operating results or cash flows could be materially adversely affected. In that case, we might be unable to pay distributions on our common units, the trading price of our common units could decline, and you could lose all or part of your investment.
U.S. tax authorities could treat us as a “passive foreign investment company,” which could have adverse U.S. federal income tax consequences to U.S. holders.
Anon-U.S. entity treated as a corporation for U.S. federal income tax purposes, such as us, will be treated as a “passive foreign investment company” (orPFIC), for such purposes in any taxable year for which either (i) at least 75% of its gross income consists of “passive income,” or (ii) at least 50% of the average value of the entity’s assets is attributable to assets that produce or are held for the production of “passive income.” For purposes of these tests, “passive income” includes dividends, interest, gains from the sale or exchange of investment property and rents and royalties (other than rents and royalties that are received from unrelated parties in connection with the active conduct of a trade or business). By contrast, income derived from the performance of services does not constitute “passive income.”
There are legal uncertainties involved in determining whether the income derived from our time-chartering activities constitutes rental income or income derived from the performance of services, including the decision in Tidewater Inc. v. United States, 565 F.3d 299 (5th Cir. 2009), which held that income derived from certain time-chartering activities should be treated as rental income rather than services income for purposes of a foreign sales corporation provision of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (or theCode). However, the Internal Revenue Service (or IRS) stated in an Action on Decision (AOD2010-01) that it disagrees with, and will not acquiesce to, the way that the rental versus services framework was applied to the facts in the Tidewater decision, and in its discussion stated that the time charters at issue in Tidewater would be treated as producing services income for PFIC purposes. The IRS’s statement with respect to Tidewater cannot be relied upon or otherwise cited as precedent by taxpayers. Consequently, in the absence of any binding legal authority specifically relating to the statutory provisions governing PFICs, there can be no assurance that the IRS or a court would not follow the Tidewater decision in interpreting the PFIC provisions of the Code. Nevertheless, based on our and our subsidiaries’ current assets and operations, we intend to take the position that we are not now and have never been a PFIC, and our counsel, Perkins Coie LLP, is of the opinion that it is more likely than not we are not a PFIC based on representations we have made to them regarding the composition of our assets, the source of our income and the nature of our activities and operations. No assurance can be given, however, that this position would be sustained by a court if contested by the IRS, or that we would not constitute a PFIC for any future taxable year if there were to be changes in our assets, income or operations.
If the IRS were to determine that we are or have been a PFIC for any taxable year during which a U.S. Holder (as defined below under “Material United States Federal Income Tax Considerations – United States Federal Income Taxation of U.S. Holders”) held units, such U.S. Holder would face adverse tax consequences. For a more comprehensive discussion regarding the tax consequences to U.S. Holders if we are treated as a PFIC, please read “Item 10 – Additional Information: Material United States Federal Income Tax Considerations – United States Federal Income Taxation of U.S. Holders – Consequences of Possible PFIC Classification” of our Annual Report on Form20-F for the year ended December 31, 2019.
We will not receive any of the proceeds from the sale of common units by the Selling Unitholder under this prospectus and any related prospectus supplement. Please read “Selling Unitholder.”
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The following table sets forth our capitalization and indebtedness as of December 31, 2019. The historical data in the table is derived from, and should be read in conjunction with, our historical financial statements, including accompanying notes, and the section entitled “Item 5. Operating and Financial Review and Prospects — Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations” from our Annual Report onForm 20-F for the year ended December 31, 2019, which is incorporated by reference herein.
| As of December 31, 2019 (in thousands) | ||||
Total cash and cash equivalents | $ | 160,221 | ||
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Long-term debt, including current portion | $ | 1,831,396 | ||
Equity: | ||||
Non-controlling interest | $ | 55,289 | ||
Partners’ equity excluding accumulated other comprehensive income | $ | 1,878,998 | ||
Accumulated other comprehensive income (loss) | $ | (57,312 | ) | |
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Total Capitalization | $ | 3,708,371 | ||
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The following description of our common units does not purport to be complete and is subject to, and qualified in its entirety by reference to, the provisions of our Fifth Amended and Restated Agreement of Limited Partnership (or the partnership agreement), which is incorporated by reference into this prospectus and sets forth the terms of our common units. A copy of the partnership agreement may be obtained from us as described under “Where You Can Find More Information.”
General
Our common units, along with our 9.00% Series A Cumulative Redeemable Perpetual Preferred Units (each, aSeries A Preferred Unit) and 8.50% Series BFixed-to-Floating Rate Cumulative Redeemable Perpetual Preferred Units (each, aSeries B Preferred Unit, and together with the Series A Preferred Units, thePreferred Units), represent limited partnership interests in us. The holders of our common units are entitled to participate in partnership distributions and exercise the rights and privileges available to limited partners under the partnership agreement. Please read “The Partnership Agreement” and “Cash Distributions” below. We no longer have incentive distribution rights (orIDRs) outstanding, as on May 11, 2020 the general partner contributed all of the then outstanding IDRs to us for cancellation in exchange for the issuance of the 10,750,000 common units subject to the registration statement of which this prospectus is a part.
Number of Units
As of the date of this prospectus, there are 88,476,164 common units outstanding, including 35,958,274 common units beneficially owned by Teekay Corporation, in addition to the general partner interest in us that is beneficially owned by Teekay Corporation, which general partner interest is subject to potential dilution and accretion. Our total outstanding common units currently represent an aggregate 98.24% limited partner interest and the general partner interest represents a 1.76% general partner interest in us.
Voting
On any matter in which the holders of the common units are entitled to vote as a class, such holders are entitled to one vote per unit. For a description of matters on which the common units are entitled to vote, please read “The Partnership Agreement.”
Distributions
The holders of common units are entitled to receive, to the extent permitted by law and concurrently with any distributions made relative to the general partner’s economic interest in us, such distributions as may from time to time be declared by the board of directors of our general partner. Upon any liquidation, dissolution or winding up of our affairs, whether voluntary or involuntary, the holders of common units are entitled to receive, concurrently with any distributions made relative to the general partner’s economic interest in us, distributions of our assets, after we have satisfied or made provision for our debts and other obligations and for payment to the holders of any class or series of limited partner interests (including the Series A Preferred Units and the Series B Preferred Units) having preferential rights to receive distributions of our assets. See “The Partnership Agreement” and “Cash Distributions” below.
Exchange Listing
Our common units are listed on the New York Stock Exchange, where they trade under the symbol “TGP.”
Transfer Agent and Registrar
The transfer agent and registrar for our common units is Computershare, Inc. (theTransfer Agent andRegistrar, respectively in each such capacity).
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The following is a description of certain material terms of our partnership agreement. For additional information, we refer you to our partnership agreement, which is filed as an exhibit to the registration statement of which this prospectus is a part.
Organization and Duration
We were formed on November 3, 2004 under the Marshall Islands Limited Partnership Act (or theMarshall Islands Act) and have perpetual existence.
Purpose
Our partnership agreement provides that we may directly or indirectly engage in business activities approved by our general partner, including owning interests in subsidiaries through which we conduct operations. Although our general partner has the ability to cause us to engage in activities other than the marine transportation of liquefied natural gas and crude oil, our general partner has no current plans to do so and may decline to do so free of any fiduciary duty or obligation whatsoever to us or our limited partners, including any duty to act in good faith or in the best interests of us or our limited partners. Our general partner owes a contractual duty of good faith and fair dealing to the holders of Preferred Units pursuant to our partnership agreement. Our general partner is authorized in general to perform all acts it determines to be necessary or appropriate to carry out our purposes and to conduct our business.
Voting Rights
The following matters require the common unitholder vote specified below. Matters requiring the approval of a “common unit majority” require the approval of a majority of our common units.
In voting their common units or any Preferred Units they may hold, our general partner and its affiliates have no fiduciary duty or obligation whatsoever to us or our unitholders, including any duty to act in good faith or in the best interests of us and our unitholders.
Action | Common Unitholder Approval Required | |
| Issuance of additional common units or other limited partner interests | No approval rights. | |
| Amendment of our partnership agreement | Certain amendments may be made by our general partner without the approval of our common unitholders. Other amendments generally require the approval of a common unit majority. Please read “—Amendment of Our Partnership Agreement.” | |
| Amendment of the operating agreement of our operating company and other action taken by us as a member of our operating company | Common unit majority if such amendment or other action would adversely affect our limited partners (or any particular class of limited partners) in any material respect. Please read “—Actions Relating to the Operating Company.” | |
| Merger of our partnership or the sale of all or substantially all of our assets | Common unit majority. Please read “—Merger, Sale or Other Disposition of Assets.” | |
| Dissolution of our partnership | Common unit majority. Please read “—Termination and Dissolution.” | |
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| Reconstitution of our partnership upon dissolution | Common unit majority. Please read “—Termination and Dissolution.” | |
| Withdrawal of our general partner | Our general partner may withdraw as general partner without first obtaining approval of any unitholder by giving 90 days’ written notice, and that withdrawal will not constitute a violation of our partnership agreement. Please read “—Withdrawal or Removal of Our General Partner.” | |
| Removal of our general partner | Not less than 66 2/3% of our outstanding common units, including common units held by the general partner and its affiliates. Please read “—Withdrawal or Removal of Our General Partner.” | |
| Transfer of the general partner interest in us | No approval rights. Please read “—Transfer of General Partner Interest.” | |
| Transfer of ownership interests in our general partner | No approval rights. Please read “—Transfer of Ownership Interests in General Partner.” | |
Holders of the Preferred Units generally have no voting rights, except for the following voting rights:
| • | the consent of the holders of at leasttwo-thirds of our Series A Preferred Units or Series B Preferred Units, as applicable, voting as a separate class, is required prior to adopting any amendment to our partnership agreement that would have a material adverse effect on the existing terms of our Series A Preferred Units or Series B Preferred Units, respectively; |
| • | the consent of the holders of at leasttwo-thirds of the Preferred Units, voting as a class together with holders of any other securities that rank on a parity with the Preferred Units (orparity securities), upon which like voting rights have been conferred and are exercisable, is required prior to (a) issuing any parity securities if the cumulative distributions payable on any Preferred Units are in arrears or (b) creating or issuing any securities expressly made senior to the Preferred Units as to payments of distributions and amounts payable upon liquidation, dissolution or winding up, whether voluntary or involuntary (orsenior securities); and |
| • | in the event that six quarterly distributions, whether consecutive or not, payable on the Series A Preferred Units or Series B Preferred Units are in arrears, holders of Series A Preferred Units and Series B Preferred Units (voting together as a class with all other classes or series of parity securities upon which like voting rights have been conferred and are exercisable) will have the right to elect one member of our general partner’s board of directors, and the size of our general partner’s board of directors will be increased as needed to accommodate such change. Distributions payable on the Series A Preferred Units and Series B Preferred Units will be considered to be in arrears for any quarterly period for which full cumulative distributions through the most recent distribution payment date have not been paid on all outstanding Series A Preferred Units or Series B Preferred Units, as applicable. |
Power of Attorney
Each limited partner, and each person who acquires any limited partner interest from another limited partner, grants to our general partner and, if appointed, a liquidator, a power of attorney to, among other things, execute and file documents required for our qualification, continuance or dissolution. The power of attorney also grants our general partner the authority to amend, and to make consents and waivers under, our partnership agreement.
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Capital Contributions
No holder of common units or Preferred Units is obligated to make additional capital contributions, except as described below under “—Limited Liability.”
Limited Liability
Assuming that a limited partner does not participate in the control of our business within the meaning of the Marshall Islands Act, the limited partner’s liability under the Marshall Islands Act is limited, subject to possible exceptions, to the amount of capital the limited partner is obligated to contribute to us for the limited partner’s units plus the limited partner’s share of any undistributed profits and assets. If it were determined, however, that the right, or exercise of the right, by our limited partners as a group:
| • | to remove or replace our general partner; |
| • | to approve some amendments to our partnership agreement; or |
| • | to take other action under our partnership agreement; |
constituted that a limited partner “participates in the control” of our business for the purposes of the Marshall Islands Act, then our limited partners could be held personally liable for our obligations under the laws of the Republic of the Marshall Islands, to the same extent as our general partner. This liability would extend to persons who transact business with us and reasonably believe that the limited partner is a general partner. Neither our partnership agreement nor the Marshall Islands Act specifically provides for legal recourse against our general partner if a limited partner were to lose limited liability through any fault of our general partner, although our general partner is liable, generally, for the acts of the partnership. While this does not mean that a limited partner could not seek legal recourse, we know of no precedent for this type of a claim in the Republic of the Marshall Islands case law.
Under the Marshall Islands Act, a limited partnership may not make a distribution to a partner if, at the time of the distribution, after giving effect to the distribution, all liabilities of the limited partnership, other than liabilities to partners on account of their partnership interests and liabilities for which the recourse of creditors is limited to specific property of the limited partnership, would exceed the fair value of the assets of the limited partnership, except that the fair value of property that is subject to liability for which the recourse of creditors is limited shall be included in the assets of the limited partnership only to the extent that the fair value of that property exceeds that liability. The Marshall Islands Act provides that a limited partner who receives a distribution and knew at the time of the distribution that the distribution was in violation of the Marshall Islands Act shall be liable to the limited partnership for the amount of the distribution for three years. Under the Marshall Islands Act, an assignee of partnership interests who becomes a limited partner of a limited partnership is liable for the obligations of the assignor to make contributions to the partnership, except the assignee is not obligated for liabilities unknown to the assignee at the time the assignee became a limited partner and that could not be ascertained from the partnership agreement.
Maintenance of limited liability may require compliance with legal requirements in the jurisdictions in which our subsidiaries conduct business, which may include qualifying to do business in those jurisdictions.
Limitations on the liability of limited partners for the obligations of a limited partner have not been clearly established in many jurisdictions. If, by virtue of our ownership or control of operating subsidiaries or otherwise, it were determined that we were conducting business in any jurisdiction without compliance with the applicable limited partnership or limited liability company statute, or that the right or exercise of the right by our limited partners as a group to remove or replace our general partner, to approve some amendments to our partnership agreement, or to take other action under our partnership agreement constituted “participation in the control” of our business for purposes of the statutes of any relevant jurisdiction, then our limited partners could be held personally liable for our obligations under the law of that jurisdiction to the same extent as our general partner under the circumstances. We intend to operate in a manner that our general partner considers reasonable and necessary or appropriate to preserve the limited liability of our limited partners.
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Issuance of Additional Securities
Our partnership agreement authorizes us to issue an unlimited number of additional partnership securities and rights to buy partnership securities for the consideration and on the terms and conditions determined by our general partner, without the approval of our unitholders, other than the limited approval rights of the Preferred Unitholders described above under “Voting Rights.”
We may fund acquisitions through the issuance of additional common units or other equity securities. Holders of any additional common units, Series A Preferred Units or Series B Preferred Units we may issue will be entitled to share equally with the then-existing holders of our common units, Series A Preferred Units or Series B Preferred Units, as applicable. In addition, the issuance of additional common units or other equity securities interests may dilute the value of the interests of the then-existing holders of our common units in our net assets.
In accordance with the Republic of the Marshall Islands law and the provisions of our partnership agreement, we may also issue additional partnership securities that, as determined by our general partner, have special voting or other rights to which our common units or Preferred Units are not entitled.
Upon issuance of certain additional partnership securities (including our common units, but excluding our Preferred Units) our general partner may elect, in its discretion, whether to make additional capital contributions to maintain its general partner interest in us at the same percentage level as before the issuance. Our general partner’s interest in us will be reduced if we issue certain additional partnership securities and our general partner does not elect to make proportionate capital contributions. Our general partner’s interest does not entitle it to receive any portion of distributions made in respect of the Preferred Units, and our general partner’s interest will not be affected by the issuance of any additional Preferred Units. Our general partner and its affiliates also have the right, which it may from time to time assign in whole or in part to any of its affiliates, to purchase common units or other equity securities whenever, and on the same terms that, we issue those securities to persons other than our general partner and its affiliates, to the extent necessary to maintain its and its affiliates’ percentage interest in us, including its interest represented by common units, that existed immediately prior to each issuance. Other holders of common units do not have similar preemptive rights to acquire additional common units or other partnership securities.
Amendment of Our Partnership Agreement
General
Amendments to our partnership agreement may be proposed only by or with the consent of our general partner. However, our general partner has no duty or obligation to propose any amendment and may decline to do so free of any fiduciary duty or obligation whatsoever to us or our limited partners, including any duty to act in good faith or in the best interests of us or our limited partners. In order to adopt a proposed amendment, other than the amendments discussed below, our general partner must seek written approval of the holders of the number of common units required to approve the amendment or call a meeting of our common unitholders to consider and vote upon the proposed amendment. In addition, holders of Preferred Units must approve certain amendments as described under “—Voting Rights.” Except as we describe below or as otherwise set forth in the partnership agreement, or for amendments that require Series A Preferred Unit or Series B Preferred Unit approval or approval of Series A Preferred Units and Series B Preferred Units voting together as a class with all other classes or series of parity securities upon which like voting rights have been conferred and are exercisable, an amendment must be approved by a common unit majority.
Prohibited Amendments
No amendment may be made that would:
(1) increase the obligations of any limited partner without its consent, unless approved by at least a majority of the type or class or series of limited partner interests so affected;
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(2) increase the obligations of, restrict in any way any action by or rights of, or reduce in any way the amounts distributable, reimbursable or otherwise payable by us to our general partner or any of its affiliates without the consent of our general partner, which may be given or withheld at its option;
(3) change the term of our partnership;
(4) provide that our partnership is not dissolved upon an election to dissolve our partnership by our general partner that is approved by the holders of a common unit majority; or
(5) give any person the right to dissolve our partnership other than our general partner’s right to dissolve our partnership with the approval of the holders of a common unit majority.
The provision of our partnership agreement preventing the amendments having the effects described in clauses (1) through (5) above can be amended upon the approval of the holders of at least 90% of the outstanding units voting together as a single class (including units owned by our general partner and its affiliates).
No Unitholder Approval
Our general partner may generally make amendments to our partnership agreement without the approval of any limited partner to reflect:
(1) a change in our name or the location of our principal place of business, registered agent or registered office;
(2) the admission, substitution, withdrawal or removal of partners in accordance with our partnership agreement;
(3) a change that our general partner determines to be necessary or appropriate for us to qualify or to continue our qualification as a limited partnership or a partnership in which the limited partners have limited liability under the laws of any jurisdiction or to ensure that neither we, our operating company nor its subsidiaries will be taxed as entities for Marshall Islands income tax purposes;
(4) an amendment that is necessary, upon the advice of our counsel, to prevent us or our general partner or its directors, officers, agents, or trustees from in any manner being subjected to the provisions of the U.S. Investment Company Act of 1940, the U.S. Investment Advisors Act of 1940, or plan asset regulations adopted under the U.S. Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, whether or not substantially similar to plan asset regulations currently applied or proposed;
(5) an amendment that our general partner determines to be necessary or appropriate for the authorization of additional partnership securities or rights to acquire partnership securities (subject to the limited approval rights of holders of Preferred Units described above under “—Voting Rights”);
(6) any amendment expressly permitted in our partnership agreement to be made by our general partner acting alone;
(7) an amendment effected, necessitated, or contemplated by a merger agreement that has been approved under the terms of our partnership agreement;
(8) any amendment that our general partner determines to be necessary or appropriate for the formation by us of, or our investment in, any corporation, partnership or other entity, as otherwise permitted by our partnership agreement;
(9) a change in our fiscal year or taxable year and related changes;
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(10) certain mergers or conveyances as set forth in our partnership agreement; or
(11) any other amendments substantially similar to any of the matters described in (1) through (10) above.
In addition, our general partner may make amendments to our partnership agreement without the approval of any limited partner (subject to the limited approval rights of holders of Preferred Units described under “—Voting Rights”) if our general partner determines that those amendments:
(1) do not adversely affect our limited partners (or any particular class or series of limited partners) in any material respect;
(2) are necessary or appropriate to satisfy any requirements, conditions, or guidelines contained in any opinion, directive, order, ruling or regulation of any Republic of the Marshall Islands authority;
(3) are necessary or appropriate to facilitate the trading of limited partner interests or to comply with any rule, regulation, guideline or requirement of any securities exchange on which our units are or will be listed for trading;
(4) are necessary or appropriate for any action taken by our general partner relating to splits or combinations of our limited partner interests under the provisions of our partnership agreement; or
(5) are required to effect the intent of the provisions of our partnership agreement or are otherwise contemplated by our partnership agreement.
Opinion of Counsel and Unitholder Approval
Our general partner will not be required to obtain an opinion of counsel that an amendment will not result in a loss of limited liability to our limited partners if one of the amendments described above under “—No Unitholder Approval” should occur. No other amendments to our partnership agreement will become effective without the approval of holders of at least 90% of our outstanding units voting as a single class unless we obtain an opinion of counsel to the effect that the amendment will not affect the limited liability under applicable law of any of our limited partners.
In addition to the above restrictions, any amendment that would have a material adverse effect on the rights or privileges of any type or class or series of units (other than Preferred Units) in relation to other classes or series of units requires the approval of at least a majority of the type or class of units so affected; provided, however, that any amendment that would have a material adverse effect on the existing terms of the Series A Preferred Units or Series B Preferred Units requires the approval of at leasttwo-thirds of the outstanding Series A Preferred Units or Series B Preferred Units, respectively. Any amendment that reduces the voting percentage required to take any action must be approved by the affirmative vote of limited partners whose aggregate outstanding units constitute not less than the voting requirement sought to be reduced.
Actions Relating to the Operating Company
Without the approval of the holders or units representing a unit majority, our general partner is prohibited from consenting on our behalf, as the sole member of our operating company, to any amendment to the limited liability company agreement of our operating company or taking any action on its behalf permitted to be taken by a limited partner of our operating company, in each case that would adversely affect our unitholders (or any particular class of our unitholders) in any material respect.
Merger, Sale or Other Disposition of Assets
A merger or consolidation of us requires the consent of our general partner, in addition to the approval of a common unit majority. However, our general partner will have no duty or obligation to consent to any merger or consolidation and may decline to do so free of any fiduciary duty or obligation whatsoever to us or the limited partners, including any duty to act in good faith or in the best interests of us or the limited partners; provided, however, that our general partner owes a contractual duty of good faith and fair dealing to holders of Preferred Units pursuant to our partnership agreement. In addition, our partnership agreement generally prohibits our general partner, without common unitholder approval, from causing us to sell, exchange, or otherwise dispose of all or substantially all of our assets. Our general partner may, however, mortgage, pledge, hypothecate, or grant a security interest in all or substantially all of our assets without unitholder approval.
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If conditions specified in our partnership agreement are satisfied, our general partner may convert us or any of our subsidiaries into a new limited liability entity or merge us or any of our subsidiaries into, or convey some or all of our assets to, a newly formed entity if the primary purpose of that conversion, merger or conveyance is to effect a change in our legal form into another limited liability entity and the governing instruments of the new entity provide our limited partners with substantially the same or greater rights and no greater obligations as are contained in our partnership agreement.
Our unitholders are not entitled to dissenters’ rights of appraisal under our partnership agreement or applicable law in the event of a conversion, merger or consolidation, a sale of substantially all of our assets, or any other transaction or event.
Termination and Dissolution
We will continue as a limited partnership until terminated under our partnership agreement. We will dissolve upon:
(1) the election of our general partner to dissolve us, if approved by a common unit majority;
(2) the sale, exchange, or other disposition of all or substantially all of our assets and properties and our subsidiaries;
(3) the entry of a decree of judicial dissolution of us; or
(4) the withdrawal or removal of our general partner or any other event that results in its ceasing to be our general partner other than by reason of a transfer of its general partner interest in accordance with our partnership agreement or withdrawal or removal following approval and admission of a successor.
Upon a dissolution under clause (4), the holders of a common unit majority may also elect, within specific time limitations, to continue our business on the same terms and conditions described in our partnership agreement by appointing as general partner an entity approved by the holders of a common unit majority, subject to our receipt of an opinion of counsel to the effect that the action would not result in the loss of limited liability of any limited partner.
Liquidation and Distribution of Proceeds
Upon our dissolution, unless we are continued as a new limited partnership, the liquidator authorized to wind up our affairs will, acting with all of the powers of our general partner that are necessary or appropriate, liquidate our assets and apply the proceeds of the liquidation as described in our partnership agreement.
In the event of any liquidation, dissolution or winding up of our affairs, whether voluntary or involuntary, holders of the Series A Preferred Units and Series B Preferred Units will have the right to receive the liquidation preference of $25.00 per unit, plus an amount equal to all accumulated and unpaid distributions thereon to the date of payment, whether or not declared, before any payments are made to holders of our common units or any other securities ranking junior to the Preferred Units with respect to payments of distributions and amounts payable upon any liquidation, dissolution or winding up. The liquidator may defer liquidation or distribution of our assets for a reasonable period or distribute assets to partners in kind if it determines that a sale would be impractical or would cause undue loss to our partners.
Withdrawal or Removal of Our General Partner
Our general partner may withdraw as general partner without first obtaining approval of any common unitholder by giving 90 days’ written notice, and that withdrawal will not constitute a violation of our partnership agreement. In addition, our partnership agreement permits our general partner in some instances to sell or otherwise transfer all of its general partner interest without the approval of the common unitholders. Please read “—Transfer of General Partner Interest.”
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Upon withdrawal of our general partner under any circumstances, other than as a result of a transfer by our general partner of all or a part of its general partner interest, the holders of a common unit majority, may select a successor to that withdrawing general partner. If a successor is not elected, or is elected but an opinion of counsel regarding limited liability matters cannot be obtained, we will be dissolved, wound up and liquidated, unless within a specified period of time after that withdrawal, the holders of a common unit majority agree in writing to continue our business and to appoint a successor general partner. Please read “—Termination and Dissolution.”
Our general partner may not be removed unless that removal is approved by the vote of the holders of not less than 66 2/3% of our outstanding common units, including units held by our general partner and its affiliates, and we receive an opinion of counsel regarding limited liability matters.
Any removal of our general partner is also subject to the approval of a successor general partner by the vote of the holders of a common unit majority, including common units held by the general partner and its affiliates. The ownership of more than 33 1/3% of our outstanding common units by our general partner and its affiliates would give them the practical ability to prevent our general partner’s removal.
Our partnership agreement also provides that if our general partner is removed as our general partner under circumstances where cause does not exist and units held by our general partner and its affiliates are not voted in favor of that removal, our general partner will have the right to convert its general partner interest into common units or to receive cash in exchange for its general partner interest based on the fair market value of the general partner interest at the time.
In the event of removal of our general partner under circumstances where cause exists or withdrawal of our general partner where that withdrawal violates our partnership agreement, a successor general partner will have the option to purchase the general partner interest of the departing general partner for a cash payment equal to the fair market value of the general partner interest. Under all other circumstances where our general partner withdraws or is removed by our limited partners, the departing general partner will have the option to require the successor general partner to purchase the general partner interest of the departing general partner for its fair market value. In each case, this fair market value will be determined by agreement between the departing general partner and the successor general partner. If no agreement is reached, an independent investment banking firm or other independent expert selected by the departing general partner and the successor general partner will determine the fair market value. Or, if the departing general partner and the successor general partner cannot agree upon an expert, then an expert chosen by agreement of the experts selected by each of them will determine the fair market value.
If the option described above is not exercised by either the departing general partner or the successor general partner, the departing general partner’s general partner interest will automatically convert into common units equal to the fair market value of the general partner interest as determined by an investment banking firm or other independent expert selected in the manner described in the preceding paragraph.
In addition, we will be required to reimburse the departing general partner for all amounts due the departing general partner, including, without limitation, any employee-related liabilities, including severance liabilities, incurred for the termination of any employees employed by the departing general partner or its affiliates for our benefit.
Transfer of General Partner Interest
Our general partner may transfer all or any of its general partnership interest in us to another person, without unitholder approval. As a condition of this transfer, the transferee must, among other things, assume the rights and duties of our general partner, agree to be bound by the provisions of our partnership agreement and furnish an opinion of counsel regarding limited liability.
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Our general partner and its affiliates may at any time transfer units to one or more persons, without unitholder approval.
Transfer of Ownership Interests in General Partner
At any time, members of our general partner may sell or transfer all or part of their membership interests in our general partner to an affiliate or a third party without the approval of our unitholders.
Transfer of Common Units and Preferred Units
By transfer of common units or Preferred Units in accordance with our partnership agreement, each transferee of common units or Preferred Units automatically is admitted as a limited partner with respect to the common units or Preferred Units transferred when such transfer and admission is reflected in our books and records. Our general partner will cause any transfers to be recorded in our books and records no less frequently than quarterly. Each transferee automatically is deemed to:
| • | represent that the transferee has the capacity, power and authority to become bound by our partnership agreement; |
| • | agree to be bound by the terms and conditions of, and to have executed, our partnership agreement; |
| • | grants power of attorney to officers of our general partner and any liquidator of us as specified in our partnership agreement; and |
| • | give the consents and approvals contained in our partnership agreement. |
We are entitled to treat the nominee holder of a common unit or Preferred Unit as the absolute owner. In that case, the beneficial holder’s rights are limited solely to those that it has against the nominee holder as a result of any agreement between the beneficial owner and the nominee holder. Common units and Preferred Units are securities and are transferable according to the laws governing transfer of securities. In addition to other rights acquired upon transfer, the transferor gives the transferee the right to become a limited partner in our partnership for the transferred common units.
Until a common unit or Preferred Unit has been transferred on our books, we and our transfer agent may treat the record holder of the unit as the absolute owner of such unit for all purposes, except as otherwise required by law or stock exchange regulations.
Change of Management Provisions
Our partnership agreement contains specific provisions that are intended to discourage a person or group from attempting to remove Teekay GP L.L.C. as our general partner or otherwise change management. If any person or group other than our general partner and its affiliates acquires beneficial ownership of 20% or more of our partnership securities of any class or series then outstanding, that person or group will lose voting rights on all of its partnership securities. This loss of voting rights does not apply to the Preferred Units or to any person or group that acquires the partnership securities from our general partner or its affiliates and any transferees of that person or group approved by our general partner or to any person or group who acquires the partnership securities with the prior approval of the board of directors of our general partner.
Our partnership agreement also provides that if our general partner is removed under circumstances where cause does not exist and units held by our general partner and its affiliates are not voted in favor of that removal, our general partner will have the right to convert its general partner interest into common units or to receive cash in exchange for those interests.
Call Right
If at any time our general partner and its affiliates hold more than 80% of the then-issued and outstanding limited partner interests of any class or series, except for the Preferred Units, our general partner will have the right, which it may assign in whole or in part to any of its affiliates or to us, to acquire all, but not less than all, of the remaining limited partner interests of the class or series held by unaffiliated persons as of a record date to be selected by our general partner, on at least 10 but not more than 60 days’ notice. The purchase price in this event is the greater of (x) the average of the daily closing prices of the limited partner interests of such class or series over the 20 trading days preceding the date three days before notice of exercise of the call right is first mailed and (y) the highest price paid by our general partner or any of its affiliates for limited partner interests of such class or series during the90-day period preceding the date such notice is first mailed.
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As a result of our general partner’s right to purchase outstanding limited partner interests, a holder of limited partner interests (except for the Preferred Units) may have the holder’s limited partner interests purchased at an undesirable time or price.
Meetings; Voting
Unlike the holders of common stock in a corporation, the holders of our common units have only limited voting rights on matters affecting our business. They have no right to elect our general partner (who manages our operations and activities) or the directors of our general partner, on an annual or other continuing basis. On those matters that are submitted to a vote of common unitholders, each record holder of a common unit may vote according to the holder’s percentage interest in us, although additional limited partner interests having special voting rights could be issued.
Preferred Unitholders generally have no voting rights. However, Preferred Unitholders have limited voting rights as described above under “—Voting Rights.”
Except as described below regarding a person or group owning 20% or more of any class or series of limited partner interest then outstanding, limited partners as of the record date will be entitled to notice of, and to vote at, any meetings of our limited partners and to act upon matters for which approvals by the holders of such class or series of limited partner interests may be solicited.
Any action that is required or permitted to be taken by our unitholders, or any applicable class or series thereof, may be taken either at a meeting of the applicable unitholders or without a meeting if consents in writing describing the action so taken are signed by holders of the number of units necessary to authorize or take that action at a meeting. Meetings of our unitholders may be called by our general partner or by unitholders owning at least 20% of the outstanding units of the class or series for which a meeting is proposed. Unitholders may vote either in person or by proxy at meetings. The holders of a majority of the outstanding units of the class, classes or series for which a meeting has been called, represented in person or by proxy, will constitute a quorum unless any action by the unitholders requires approval by holders of a greater percentage of the units, in which case the quorum will be the greater percentage.
If at any time any person or group, other than our general partner and its affiliates, or a direct or subsequently approved transferee of our general partner or its affiliates or a transferee approved by the board of directors of our general partner, acquires, in the aggregate, beneficial ownership of 20% or more of our partnership securities of any class or series then outstanding, that person or group will lose voting rights on all of its partnership interests, except for the Preferred Units, and such partnership interests may not be voted on any matter and will not be considered to be outstanding when sending notices of a meeting of unitholders, calculating required votes, determining the presence of a quorum, or for other similar purposes. Common units and Preferred Units held in nominee or street name account will be voted by the broker or other nominee in accordance with the instruction of the beneficial owner unless the arrangement between the beneficial owner and the beneficial owner’s nominee provides otherwise.
Any notice, demand, request report, or proxy material required or permitted to be given or made to record holders of common units or Preferred Units under our partnership agreement will be delivered to the record holder by us or by our transfer agent.
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Status as Limited Partner
Except as described above under “—Limited Liability,” our common units and Preferred Units will be fully paid, and our unitholders will not be required to make additional contributions. By transfer of common units or Preferred Units in accordance with our partnership agreement, each transferee of common units and Preferred Units shall be admitted as a limited partner with respect to the common units or Preferred Units transferred when such transfer and admission is reflected in our books and records.
Indemnification
Under our partnership agreement, in most circumstances we will indemnify the following persons, to the fullest extent permitted by law, from and against all losses, claims, damages or similar events:
| (1) | our general partner; |
| (2) | any departing general partner; |
| (3) | any person who is or was an affiliate of our general partner or any departing general partner; |
| (4) | any person who is or was an officer, director, member, fiduciary, trustee or partner of any entity described in (1), (2) or (3) above; |
| (5) | any person who is or was serving as a director, officer, member, partner, fiduciary or trustee of another person at the request of our general partner or any departing general partner or any affiliate of the general partner or any departing general partner; provided that such person will not be indemnified by reason of providing, on afee-for-services basis, trustee fiduciary or custodial services; or |
| (6) | any person designated by our general partner. |
Any indemnification under these provisions will only be out of our assets. Unless it otherwise agrees, our general partner will not be personally liable for, or have any obligation to contribute or lend funds or assets to us to enable us to effectuate, indemnification.
We are authorized to purchase insurance against liabilities asserted against and expenses incurred by persons for our activities, regardless of whether we would have the power to indemnify the person against liabilities under our partnership agreement.
Reimbursement of Expenses
Our partnership agreement requires us to reimburse our general partner for all direct and indirect expenses it incurs or payments it makes on our behalf and all other expenses allocable to us or otherwise incurred by our general partner in connection with operating our business. These expenses include salary, bonus, incentive compensation and other amounts paid to persons who perform services for us or on our behalf, and expenses allocated to our general partner by its affiliates. Our general partner is entitled to determine the expenses that are allocable to us.
Books and Reports
Our general partner is required to keep appropriate books of our business at our principal offices. The books will be maintained for both tax and financial reporting purposes on an accrual basis. For tax and fiscal reporting purposes, our fiscal year is the calendar year.
We intend to furnish or make available to record holders of our common units and Preferred Units, within 120 days after the close of each fiscal year, an annual report containing audited financial statements and a report on those financial statements by our independent chartered accountants. Except for our fourth quarter, we also intend to furnish or make available summary financial information within 90 days after the close of each quarter.
We intend to furnish each record holder of a unit with information reasonably required for U.S. tax reporting purposes within 90 days after the close of each calendar year. This information is expected to be furnished in summary form so that some complex calculations normally required of partners can be avoided. Our ability to furnish this summary information to unitholders will depend on the cooperation of unitholders in supplying us with specific information. Every unitholder will receive information to assist the unitholder in determining the unitholder’s U.S. federal and state tax liability and filing obligations, regardless of whether such unitholder supplies us with information.
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Right to Inspect Our Books and Records
Our partnership agreement provides that a limited partner can, for a purpose reasonably related to the limited partner’s interest as a limited partner, upon reasonable demand and at the limited partner’s own expense, have furnished to the limited partner:
| (1) | a current list of the name and last known address of each partner; |
| (2) | a copy of our tax returns; |
| (3) | information as to the amount of cash, and a description and statement of the agreed value of any other property or services, contributed or to be contributed by each partner and the date on which each became a partner; |
| (4) | copies of our partnership agreement, the certificate of limited partnership of our partnership, related amendments and powers of attorney under which they have been executed; |
| (5) | information regarding the status of our business and financial condition; and |
| (6) | any other information regarding our affairs as is just and reasonable. |
Our general partner may, and intends to, keep confidential from the limited partners’ trade secrets or other information the disclosure of which our general partner believes in good faith is not in our best interests or that we are required by law or by agreements with third parties to keep confidential.
Registration Rights
Under our partnership agreement, we have agreed to register for resale under the U.S. Securities Act of 1933, as amended (or theSecurities Act), and applicable state securities laws any common units or other partnership securities proposed to be sold by our general partner or any of its affiliates or their assignees if an exemption from the registration requirements is not otherwise available or advisable. These registration rights continue for two years following any withdrawal or removal of Teekay GP L.L.C. as our general partner. We are obligated to pay all expenses incidental to the registration, excluding underwriting discounts and commissions.
Conflicts of Interest
Conflicts of interest exist and may arise in the future as a result of the relationships between our general partner and its affiliates, including Teekay Corporation, on the one hand, and us and our unaffiliated limited partners, on the other hand. The directors and officers of our general partner, Teekay GP L.L.C., have certain fiduciary duties to manage our general partner in a manner beneficial to its owner, Teekay Corporation. At the same time, our general partner has a fiduciary duty to manage us in a manner beneficial to us and our unitholders. Teekay Corporation has the authority to appoint our general partner’s directors, who in turn appoint our general partner’s officers. Under our partnership agreement, (a) the duties owed by our general partner and its officers and directors to our holders of common units are limited, and (b) we, our general partner and our general partner’s officers and directors do not owe any fiduciary duties to the Preferred Unitholders other than a contractual duty of good faith and fair dealing pursuant to our partnership agreement.
Our partnership affairs are governed by our partnership agreement and the Marshall Islands Act. The provisions of the Marshall Islands Act resemble provisions of the limited partnership laws of a number of states in the United States, most notably Delaware. We are not aware of any material difference in unitholder rights between the Marshall Islands Act and the Delaware Revised Uniform Limited Partnership Act. The Marshall Islands Act also provides that, fornon-resident limited partnerships such us, it is to be applied and construed to make the laws of the Republic of the Marshall Islands, with respect to the subject matter of the Marshall Islands Act, uniform with the laws of the State of Delaware and, so long as it does not conflict with the Marshall Islands Act or decisions of certain Republic of the Marshall Islands courts, thenon-statutory law of the courts of the State of Delaware is adopted as the law of the Republic of the Marshall Islands. There have been, however, few, if any, court cases in the Republic of the Marshall Islands interpreting the Marshall Islands Act, in contrast to Delaware, which has a fairly well-developed body of case law interpreting its limited partnership statute. Accordingly, we cannot predict whether Republic of the Marshall Islands courts would reach the same conclusions as courts in Delaware. For example, the rights of our unitholders and fiduciary responsibilities of our general partner under Republic of the Marshall Islands law are not as clearly established as under judicial precedent in existence in Delaware. Due to the less developed nature of Republic of the Marshall Islands law, our public unitholders may have more difficulty in protecting their interests in the face of actions by our general partner or controlling unitholders than would unitholders of a limited partnership organized in the United States.
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Whenever a conflict arises between our general partner or its affiliates, on the one hand, and us or any other partner, on the other, our general partner will resolve that conflict. Our partnership agreement contains provisions that modify and restrict our general partner’s fiduciary duties to our unitholders under Republic of the Marshall Islands law. Our partnership agreement also restricts the remedies available to unitholders for actions taken by our general partner that, without those limitations, might constitute breaches of fiduciary duties.
Our general partner will not be in breach of its obligations under the partnership agreement or its duties to us or the common unitholders if the resolution of the conflict is:
| • | approved by the conflicts committee of our general partner’s board of directors, although our general partner is not obligated to seek such approval; |
| • | approved by the vote of a majority of the outstanding common units, excluding any common units owned by our general partner or any of its affiliates, although our general partner is not obligated to seek such approval; |
| • | on terms no less favorable to us than those generally being provided to or available from unrelated third parties, but our general partner is not required to obtain confirmation to such effect from an independent third party; or |
| • | “fair and reasonable” to us, taking into account the totality of the relationships between the parties involved, including other transactions that may be particularly favorable or advantageous to us. |
Our general partner may, but is not required to, seek the approval of such resolution from the conflicts committee of the board of directors of our general partner or from the common unitholders. If our general partner does not seek approval from the conflicts committee, and the board of directors of our general partner determines that the resolution or course of action taken with respect to the conflict of interest satisfies either of the standards set forth in the third and fourth bullet points above, then it will be presumed that, in making its decision, the board of directors, including the board members affected by the conflict, acted in good faith, and in any proceeding brought by or on behalf of any limited partner or the partnership, the person bringing or prosecuting such proceeding will have the burden of overcoming such presumption. Unless the resolution of a conflict is specifically provided for in our partnership agreement, our general partner or the conflicts committee may consider any factors it determines in good faith to consider when resolving a conflict. When our partnership agreement requires someone to act in good faith, it requires that person to reasonably believe that the person is acting in the best interests of the partnership, unless the context otherwise requires. The definition of good faith specified above does not apply to the contractual duty of good faith and fair dealing we owe to Preferred Unitholders.
Conflicts of interest could arise in the situations described below, among others.
Actions taken by our general partner may affect the amount of cash available for distribution to unitholders.
The amount of cash that is available for distribution to unitholders is affected by decisions of our general partner regarding such matters as:
| • | the amount and timing of asset purchases and sales; |
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| • | cash expenditures; |
| • | borrowings; |
| • | the issuance of additional units; and |
| • | the creation, reduction or increase of reserves in any quarter. |
In addition, borrowings by us and our affiliates do not constitute a breach of any duty owed by our general partner to our unitholders.
Our partnership agreement provides that we and our subsidiaries may borrow funds from our general partner and its affiliates. Our general partner and its affiliates may not borrow funds from us or our operating subsidiaries.
Neither our partnership agreement nor any other agreement requires Teekay Corporation to pursue a business strategy that favors us or utilizes our assets or dictates what markets to pursue or grow. Teekay Corporation’s directors and officers have a fiduciary duty to make these decisions in the best interests of the shareholders of Teekay Corporation, which may be contrary to our interests.
Because certain officers and directors of our general partner are also directors and officers of Teekay Corporation, such directors and officers have fiduciary duties to Teekay Corporation that may cause them to pursue business strategies that disproportionately benefit Teekay Corporation or which otherwise are not in the best interests of us or our unitholders.
Our general partner is allowed to take into account the interests of parties other than us, such as Teekay Corporation, in resolving conflicts of interest.
Our partnership agreement contains provisions that restrict the standards to which our general partner would otherwise be held by Republic of the Marshall Islands law. For example, our partnership agreement permits our general partner to make a number of decisions in its individual capacity, as opposed to in its capacity as our general partner. This entitles our general partner to consider only the interests and factors that it desires, and it has no duty or obligation to give any consideration to any interest of or factors affecting us, our affiliates or any limited partner. Decisions made by our general partner in its individual capacity are made by its sole owner, Teekay Corporation, and not by the board of directors of our general partner. Examples include the exercise of its limited call right, its voting rights with respect to the units it owns, its registration rights and its determination whether to consent to any merger or consolidation involving us.
We reimburse our general partner and its affiliates for expenses.
We reimburse our general partner and its affiliates for costs incurred in managing and operating us, including costs incurred in rendering corporate staff and support services to us. Our partnership agreement provides that our general partner determine in good faith the expenses that are allocable to us.
Our general partner has limited its liability regarding our obligations.
Our general partner has limited its liability under contractual arrangements so that the other party has recourse only to our assets and not against our general partner or its assets or any affiliate of our general partner or its assets. Our partnership agreement provides that any action taken by our general partner to limit its or our liability is not a breach of our general partner’s fiduciary duties owed to common unitholders or a breach of our general partner’s contractual duty of good faith and fair dealing to Preferred Unitholders, even if we could have obtained terms that are more favorable without the limitation on liability.
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Common unitholders and Preferred Unitholders have no right to enforce obligations of our general partner and its affiliates under agreements with us.
Any agreements between us, on the one hand, and our general partner and its affiliates, on the other, do not and will not grant to the common unitholders or Preferred Unitholders, separate and apart from us, the right to enforce the obligations of our general partner and its affiliates in our favor.
Contracts between us, on the one hand, and our general partner and its affiliates, on the other, are not the result of arms’-length negotiations.
Neither our partnership agreement nor any of the other agreements, contracts and arrangements between us and our general partner and its affiliates are or will be the result of arms’-length negotiations. Our partnership agreement generally provides that any affiliated transaction, such as an agreement, contract or arrangement between us and our general partner and its affiliates, must be:
| • | on terms no less favorable to us than those generally being provided to or available from unrelated third parties; or |
| • | “fair and reasonable” to us, taking into account the totality of the relationships between the parties involved (including other transactions that may be particularly favorable or advantageous to us). |
Our general partner may also enter into additional contractual arrangements with any of its affiliates on our behalf, and our general partner will determine, in good faith, the terms of any of these transactions.
Except in limited circumstances, our general partner has the power and authority to conduct our business without limited partner approval.
Under our partnership agreement, our general partner has full power and authority to do all things (other than those items that require limited partner approval or with respect to which our general partner has sought conflicts committee approval) on such terms as it determines to be necessary or appropriate to conduct our business including, among others, the following:
| • | the making of any expenditures, the lending or borrowing of money, the assumption or guarantee of, or other contracting for, indebtedness and other liabilities, the issuance of evidences of indebtedness, including indebtedness that is convertible into securities of the partnership (subject to the limited approval rights of holders of Preferred Units described under “—Voting Rights”), and the incurring of any other obligations; |
| • | the making of tax, regulatory and other filings, or rendering of periodic or other reports to governmental or other agencies having jurisdictions over our business or assets; |
| • | the negotiation, execution and performance of any contracts, conveyances or other instruments; |
| • | the distribution of partnership cash; |
| • | the selection and dismissal of employees and agents, outside attorneys, accountants, consultants and contractors and the determination of their compensation and other terms of employment or hiring; |
| • | the maintenance of insurance for our benefit and the benefit of our partners; |
| • | the formation of, or acquisition of an interest in, and the contribution of property and the making of loans to, any other limited or general partnerships, joint ventures, corporations, limited liability companies or other relationships; |
| • | the control of any matters affecting our rights and obligations, including the bringing and defending of actions at law or in equity and otherwise engaging in the conduct of litigation, arbitration or mediation and the incurring of legal expense and the settlement of claims and litigation; |
| • | the indemnification of any person against liabilities and contingencies to the extent permitted by law; |
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| • | subject to the prior payment of all quarterly distributions on the Series A Preferred Units and Series B Preferred Units through the most recent applicable distribution payment dates, the purchase, sale or other acquisition or disposition of our securities, or the issuance of additional options, rights, warrants and appreciation rights relating to our securities; and |
| • | the entering into of agreements with any of its affiliates to render services to us, our controlled affiliates or to itself in the discharge of its duties as our general partner. |
Please read “—Meetings; Voting,” and “—Voting Rights” above for information regarding the voting rights of unitholders.
Limited partner interests in us, except for the Series A Preferred Units and Series B Preferred Units, are subject to our general partner’s call right.
Our general partner may exercise its right to call and purchase limited partner interests, except for the Series A Preferred Units and Series B Preferred Units, as provided in our partnership agreement or assign this right to one of its affiliates or to us. Our general partner may use its own discretion, free of fiduciary duty restrictions, in determining whether to exercise this right. As a result, a limited partner may have limited partner interests purchased by the general partner at an undesirable time or price. Please read “—Call Right” above.
We may choose not to retain separate counsel and advisors for ourselves or for the holders of limited partner interests.
The attorneys, independent accountants and others who perform services for us have been retained by our general partner. Attorneys, independent accountants and others who perform services for us are selected by our general partner or the conflicts committee and may perform services for our general partner and its affiliates. We may retain separate counsel for ourselves or the holders of our common units, the Series A Preferred Units or the Series B Preferred Units in the event of a conflict of interest between our general partner and its affiliates, on the one hand, and us or the holders of common units, the Series A Preferred Units or the Series B Preferred Units, on the other, depending on the nature of the conflict. We do not intend to do so in most cases.
Our general partner’s affiliates, including Teekay Corporation, may compete with us.
Our partnership agreement provides that our general partner is restricted from engaging in any business activities other than acting as our general partner and those activities incidental to its ownership of interests in us. In addition, our partnership agreement provides that our general partner, for so long as it is general partner of our partnership, will cause its affiliates not to engage in, by acquisition or otherwise, certain businesses or activities described in an omnibus agreement to which we, Teekay Corporation and other affiliates are parties. Similarly, under the omnibus agreement, Teekay Corporation has agreed and has caused its affiliates to agree, for so long as Teekay Corporation controls our partnership, not to engage in certain business or activities relating to the marine transportation of liquefied natural gas. Except as provided in our partnership agreement and the omnibus agreement, affiliates of our general partner are not prohibited from engaging in other businesses or activities, including those that might be in direct competition with us.
Fiduciary Duties
Our general partner owes no fiduciary duty to Preferred Unitholders other than a contractual duty of good faith and fair dealing pursuant to our partnership agreement. Fiduciary duties owed to our other unitholders by our general partner are also prescribed by law and our partnership agreement. The Marshall Islands Act provides that Republic of the Marshall Islands partnerships may, in their partnership agreements, restrict or expand the fiduciary duties owed by the general partner to the limited partners and the partnership.
Our partnership agreement contains various provisions restricting the fiduciary duties that might otherwise be owed by our general partner. We have adopted these provisions to allow our general partner to take into account the interests of other parties in addition to our interests when resolving conflicts of interest. We believe this is appropriate and necessary because the board of directors of our general partner has fiduciary duties to manage our general partner in a manner beneficial to both its owner, Teekay Corporation, as well as to holders of our common units.
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These modifications disadvantage the limited partners because they restrict the rights and remedies that would otherwise be available to unitholders for actions that, without those limitations, might constitute breaches of fiduciary duty, as described below. The following is a summary of:
| • | the fiduciary duties imposed on our general partner by the Marshall Islands Act; |
| • | material modifications of these duties as contained in our partnership agreement; and |
| • | certain rights and remedies of unitholders contained in the Marshall Islands Act. |
| Marshall Islands law fiduciary duty standards | Fiduciary duties are generally considered to include an obligation to act in good faith and with due care and loyalty. The duty of care, in the absence of a provision in a partnership agreement providing otherwise, would generally require a general partner to refrain from engaging in grossly negligent or reckless conduct, intentional misconduct or a knowing violation of law. The duty of loyalty, in the absence of a provision in a partnership agreement providing otherwise, would generally require the general partner: (1) to account to the partnership and hold as trustee for it any property, profit or benefit derived by the partner in the conduct or winding up of the partnership business or affairs or derived from a use by the partner of partnership property, including the appropriation of a partnership opportunity; (2) to refrain from dealing with the partnership in the conduct or winding up of the partnership business or affairs as or on behalf of a party having an interest adverse to the partnership; and (3) to refrain from competing with the partnership in the conduct of the partnership business or affairs before the dissolution of the partnership. | |
| Partnership agreement modified standards | Our partnership agreement contains provisions that waive or consent to conduct by our general partner and its affiliates that might otherwise raise issues as to compliance with fiduciary duties under the laws of the Republic of the Marshall Islands. For example, Section 7.9 of our partnership agreement provides that when our general partner is acting in its capacity as our general partner, as opposed to in its individual capacity, it must act in “good faith” with respect to common unitholders and will not be subject to any other standard under the laws of the Republic of the Marshall Islands. In addition, when our general partner is acting in its individual capacity, as opposed to in its capacity as our general partner, it may act without any fiduciary obligation to us or the unitholders whatsoever. Our partnership agreement provides that the general partner and its affiliates, including us and our general partner’s officers and directors, do not owe any fiduciary duties to holders of the Preferred Units other than a contractual duty of good faith and fair dealing pursuant to the partnership agreement. These standards restrict the obligations to which our general partner would otherwise be held.
Our partnership agreement generally provides that affiliated transactions and resolutions of conflicts of interest not involving a vote of common unitholders and that are not approved by the conflicts committee of the board of directors of our general partner must be:
• on terms no less favorable to us than those generally being provided to or available from unrelated third parties; or
• “fair and reasonable” to us, taking into account the totality of the relationships between the parties involved (including other transactions that may be particularly favorable or advantageous to us). | |
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| If our general partner does not seek approval from the conflicts committee, and the board of directors of our general partner determines that the resolution or course of action taken with respect to the conflict of interest satisfies either of the standards set forth in the bullet points above, then it will be presumed that, in making its decision, the board of directors acted in good faith, and in any proceeding brought by or on behalf of any limited partner or the partnership, the person bringing or prosecuting such proceeding will have the burden of overcoming such presumption. These standards restrict the obligations to which our general partner would otherwise be held. | ||
| In addition to the other more specific provisions limiting the obligations of our general partner, our partnership agreement further provides that our general partner and its officers and directors will not be liable for monetary damages to us or our limited partners for errors of judgment or for any acts or omissions unless there has been a final andnon-appealable judgment by a court of competent jurisdiction determining that the general partner or its officers and directors acted in bad faith or engaged in fraud, willful misconduct or gross negligence. | ||
| Rights and remedies of unitholders | The provisions of the Marshall Islands Act resemble the provisions of the limited partnership act of Delaware. For example, like Delaware, the Marshall Islands Act favors the principles of freedom of contract and enforceability of partnership agreements and allows the partnership agreement to contain terms governing the rights of the unitholders. The rights of our limited partners, including voting and approval rights and the ability of the partnership to issue additional units, are governed by the terms of our partnership agreement. | |
| As to remedies of limited partners, the Marshall Islands Act permits a limited partner or an assignee of a partnership interest to bring an action in the right of the limited partnership to recover a judgment in its favor if general partners with authority to do so have refused to bring the action or if an effort to cause those general partners to bring the action is not likely to succeed. | ||
In order to become one of our limited partners, a common unitholder or Preferred Unitholder agrees to be bound by the provisions in our partnership agreement, including the provisions discussed above. The failure of a limited partner or transferee to sign our partnership agreement does not render the partnership agreement unenforceable against that person.
Under our partnership agreement, we must indemnify our general partner and its officers and directors to the fullest extent permitted by law, against liabilities, costs and expenses incurred by our general partner or these other persons. We must provide this indemnification unless there has been a final andnon-appealable judgment by a court of competent jurisdiction determining that these persons acted in bad faith or engaged in fraud, willful misconduct or gross negligence. We also must provide this indemnification for criminal proceedings when our general partner or these other persons acted with no reasonable cause to believe that their conduct was unlawful. Thus, our general partner could be indemnified for its negligent acts if it met the requirements set forth above. To the extent that these provisions purport to include indemnification for liabilities arising under the Securities Act, in the opinion of the SEC such indemnification is contrary to public policy and therefore unenforceable. Please read “—Indemnification” above.
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Distributions of Available Cash
General
Within approximately 45 days after the end of each quarter, we distribute all of our available cash to common unitholders of record on the applicable record date, concurrently with any distributions made relative to the general partner’s economic interest in us.
Available Cash
Available cash generally means, for each fiscal quarter, all cash on hand at the end of the quarter (including our proportionate share of cash on hand of certain subsidiaries we do not wholly own):
| • | less the amount of cash reserves (including our proportionate share of cash reserves of certain subsidiaries we do not wholly own) established by our general partner to: |
| • | provide for the proper conduct of our business (including reserves for future capital expenditures and for our anticipated credit needs); |
| • | comply with applicable law, any debt instruments, or other agreements; or |
| • | provide funds to pay quarterly distributions on, and to make any redemption payments relating to, the Series A Preferred Units and the Series B Preferred Units; |
| • | plus all cash on hand (including our proportionate share of cash on hand of certain subsidiaries we do not wholly own) on the date of determination of available cash for the quarter resulting from working capital borrowings made after the end of the quarter. Working capital borrowings are generally borrowings that are made under our credit agreements and in all cases are used solely for working capital purposes or to pay distributions to partners. |
Series A Preferred Units and Series B Preferred Units
As of the date of this prospectus, there were 5.0 million units and 6.8 million units of our Series A Preferred Units and Series B Preferred Units issued and outstanding, respectively. Our Series A Preferred Units and Series B Preferred Units rank senior to our common units as to the payment of distributions and amounts payable upon liquidation, dissolution or winding up and have a liquidation preference of $25.00 per unit. Our Series A Preferred Units and Series B Preferred Units are entitled to cumulative distributions from the date of original issue, with distributions being calculated at an annual rate of 9.00% and 8.50%, respectively, on the stated liquidation preference and payable quarterly in arrears on the 15th day of January, April, July and October of each year, when, as and if declared by the board of directors of our general partner. Our Series A Preferred Units and our Series B Preferred Units may be redeemed, in whole or in part, at any time on or after October 5, 2021 and October 15, 2027, respectively, at a redemption price of $25.00 per unit plus an amount equal to all accumulated and unpaid distributions thereon to the date of redemption, whether or not declared. No distribution may be declared or paid or set apart for payment on any common units (other than a distribution payable solely in common units) unless full cumulative distributions have been or contemporaneously are being paid or provided for on all outstanding Series A Preferred Units and Series B Preferred Units and any parity securities through the most recent distribution payment date for the Series A Preferred Units and Series B Preferred Units.
Distributions of Cash Upon Liquidation
If we dissolve in accordance with our partnership agreement, we will sell or otherwise dispose of our assets in a process called liquidation. We will first apply the proceeds of liquidation to the payment of our creditors. Second, holders of Series A Preferred Units and Series B Preferred Units will have the right to receive the liquidation preference of $25.00 per unit, plus an amount equal to all accumulated and unpaid distributions thereon to the date of payment, whether or not declared. We will distribute any remaining proceeds (a) to the general partner in accordance with its percentage interest and (b) to all common unitholders, on a pro rata basis, a total percentage equal to 100% less the general partner’s percentage interest.
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MATERIAL UNITED STATES FEDERAL INCOME TAX CONSIDERATIONS
The following is a discussion of certain material U.S. federal income tax considerations that may be relevant to unitholders and, unless otherwise noted in the following discussion, is the opinion of Perkins Coie LLP, our U.S. counsel, insofar as it relates to matters of U.S. federal income tax law and legal conclusions with respect to those matters. The opinion of our counsel is dependent on the accuracy of representations made by us to them, including descriptions of our operations contained herein. This discussion is based upon provisions of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (or the Code), legislative history, applicable U.S. Treasury Regulations (orTreasury Regulations), judicial authority and administrative interpretations, all as in effect on the date of this prospectus, and which are subject to change, possibly with retroactive effect, or are subject to different interpretations. Changes in these authorities may cause the tax consequences to vary substantially from the consequences described below. Unless the context otherwise requires, references in this section to “we,” “our” or “us” are references to Teekay LNG Partners L.P.
This discussion is limited to unitholders who hold their units as capital assets for tax purposes. This discussion does not address all tax considerations that may be important to a particular unitholder in light of the unitholder’s circumstances, or to certain categories of unitholders that may be subject to special tax rules, such as:
| • | dealers in securities or currencies; |
| • | traders in securities that have elected themark-to-market method of accounting for their securities; |
| • | persons whose functional currency is not the U.S. Dollar; |
| • | persons holding our units as part of a hedge, straddle, conversion or other “synthetic security” or integrated transaction; |
| • | certain U.S. expatriates; |
| • | financial institutions; |
| • | insurance companies; |
| • | persons subject to the alternative minimum tax; |
| • | persons that actually or under applicable constructive ownership rules own 10% or more of our units (by vote or value); and |
| • | entities that aretax-exempt for U.S. federal income tax purposes. |
If a partnership (including any entity or arrangement treated as a partnership for U.S. federal income tax purposes) holds our units, the tax treatment of a partner generally will depend upon the status of the partner and the activities of the partnership. Partners in partnerships holding our units should consult their tax advisors to determine the appropriate tax treatment of the partnership’s ownership of our units.
No ruling has been or will be requested from the Internal Revenue Service (orIRS) regarding any matter affecting us or our unitholders. Instead, we will rely on the opinion of Perkins Coie LLP. Unlike a ruling, an opinion of counsel represents only that counsel’s legal judgment and does not bind the IRS or the courts. Accordingly, the opinions and statements made herein may not be sustained by a court if contested by the IRS.
This discussion does not address any U.S. estate tax considerations or tax considerations arising under the laws of any state, local ornon-U.S. jurisdiction. Each unitholder is urged to consult its tax advisor regarding the U.S. federal, state, local,non-U.S. and other tax consequences of the ownership or disposition of our units.
United States Federal Income Taxation of U.S. Holders
As used herein, the termU.S. Holder means a beneficial owner of our units that is for U.S. federal income tax purposes: (i) a U.S. citizen or U.S. resident alien (or aU.S. Individual Holder), (ii) a corporation or other entity taxable as a corporation, that was created or organized under the laws of the United States, any state thereof or the District of Columbia, (iii) an estate whose income is subject to U.S. federal income taxation regardless of its source, or (iv) a trust that either is subject to the supervision of a court within the United States and has one or more U.S. persons with authority to control all of its substantial decisions or has a valid election in effect under applicable Treasury Regulations to be treated as a U.S. person.
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Distributions
We have elected to be taxed as a corporation for U.S. federal income tax purposes. Subject to the discussion of passive foreign investment companies (orPFICs) below, any distributions made by us with respect to our units to a U.S. Holder generally will constitute dividends, which may be taxable as ordinary income or “qualified dividend income” as described in more detail below, to the extent of our current and accumulated earnings and profits allocated to the U.S. Holder’s units, as determined under U.S. federal income tax principles. Distributions in excess of our current and accumulated earnings and profits allocated to the U.S. Holder’s units will be treated first as a nontaxable return of capital to the extent of the U.S. Holder’s tax basis in our units and thereafter as capital gain, which will be either long-term or short-term capital gain depending upon whether the U.S. Holder has held the units for more than one year. U.S. Holders that are corporations for U.S. federal income tax purposes generally will not be entitled to claim a dividends received deduction with respect to any distributions they receive from us. For purposes of computing allowable foreign tax credits for U.S. federal income tax purposes, dividends received with respect to our units will be treated as foreign source income and generally will be treated as “passive category income.”
Subject to holding period requirements and certain other limitations, dividends received with respect to our units by a U.S. Holder who is an individual, trust or estate (or aNon-Corporate U.S. Holder) will be treated as “qualified dividend income” that is taxable to suchNon-Corporate U.S. Holder at preferential capital gain tax rates provided that we are not classified as a PFIC for the taxable year during which the dividend is paid or the immediately preceding taxable year (we intend to take the position that we are not now and have never been classified as a PFIC, as discussed below). Any dividends received with respect to our units not eligible for these preferential rates will be taxed as ordinary income to aNon-Corporate U.S. Holder.
Special rules may apply to any “extraordinary dividend” paid by us. Generally, an extraordinary dividend is a dividend with respect to a share of stock if the amount of the dividend is equal to or in excess of 10% of a common stockholder’s, or 5% of a preferred stockholder’s, adjusted tax basis (or fair market value in certain circumstances) in such stock. In addition, extraordinary dividends include dividends received within aone-year period that, in the aggregate, equal or exceed 20% of a stockholder’s adjusted tax basis (or fair market value in certain circumstances). If we pay an “extraordinary dividend” on our units that is treated as “qualified dividend income,” then any loss recognized by aNon-Corporate U.S. Holder from the sale or exchange of such units will be treated as long-term capital loss to the extent of the amount of such dividend.
CertainNon-Corporate U.S. Holders are subject to a 3.8% tax on certain investment income, including dividends.Non-Corporate U.S. Holders should consult their tax advisors regarding the effect, if any, of this tax on their ownership of our units.
Sale, Exchange or Other Disposition of Units
Subject to the discussion of PFICs below, a U.S. Holder generally will recognize capital gain or loss upon a sale, exchange or other disposition of our units in an amount equal to the difference between the amount realized by the U.S. Holder from such sale, exchange or other disposition and the U.S. Holder’s tax basis in such units. Subject to the discussion of extraordinary dividends above, such gain or loss generally will be treated as (i) long-term capital gain or loss if the U.S. Holder’s holding period is greater than one year at the time of the sale, exchange or other disposition, or short term capital gain or loss otherwise and (ii) U.S. source gain or loss, as applicable, for foreign tax credit purposes.Non-Corporate U.S. Holders may be eligible for preferential rates of U.S. federal income tax in respect of long-term capital gains. A U.S. Holder’s ability to deduct capital losses is subject to certain limitations.
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CertainNon-Corporate U.S. Holders are subject to a 3.8% tax on certain investment income, including capital gains from the sale or other disposition of units.Non-Corporate U.S. Holders should consult their tax advisors regarding the effect, if any, of this tax on their disposition of our units.
Consequences of Possible PFIC Classification
Anon-U.S. entity treated as a corporation for U.S. federal income tax purposes will be treated as a PFIC in any taxable year in which, after taking into account the income and assets of the corporation and certain subsidiaries pursuant to a “look through” rule, either: (i) at least 75% of its gross income is “passive” income, or (ii) at least 50% of the average value of its assets is attributable to assets that produce or are held for the production of passive income. For purposes of these tests, “passive income” includes dividends, interest, gains from the sale or exchange of investment property and rents and royalties (other than rents and royalties that are received from unrelated parties in connection with the active conduct of a trade or business). By contrast, income derived from the performance of services does not constitute “passive income.”
There are legal uncertainties involved in determining whether the income derived from our time-chartering activities constitutes rental income or income derived from the performance of services, including legal uncertainties arising from the decision inTidewater Inc. v. United States, 565 F.3d 299 (5th Cir. 2009), which held that income derived from certain time-chartering activities should be treated as rental income rather than services income for purposes of a foreign sales corporation provision of the Code. However, the IRS stated in an Action on Decision (AOD2010-01) that it disagrees with, and will not acquiesce to, the way that the rental versus services framework was applied to the facts in theTidewaterdecision, and in its discussion stated that the time charters at issue inTidewaterwould be treated as producing services income for PFIC purposes. The IRS’s statement with respect toTidewatercannot be relied upon or otherwise cited as precedent by taxpayers. Consequently, in the absence of any binding legal authority specifically relating to the statutory provisions governing PFICs, there can be no assurance that the IRS or a court would not follow theTidewaterdecision in interpreting the PFIC provisions of the Code. Moreover, the market value of our units may be treated as reflecting the value of our assets at any given time. Therefore, a decline in the market value of our units, which is not within our control, may impact the determination of whether we are a PFIC. Nevertheless, based on our and our subsidiaries’ current assets and operations, we intend to take the position that we are not now and have never been a PFIC, and our counsel, Perkins Coie LLP, is of the opinion that it is more likely than not that we are not a PFIC based on applicable law, including the Code, legislative history, published revenue rulings and court decisions, and representations we have made to them regarding the composition of our assets, the source of our income and the nature of our activities and other operations, including:
| • | the income derived from our time and voyage charters will be greater than 25% of our total gross income at all relevant times; and |
| • | the gross value of our vessels participating in our other time and voyage charters will exceed the gross value of all other assets we own at all relevant times. |
An opinion of counsel represents only that counsel’s best legal judgment and does not bind the IRS or the courts. Accordingly, the opinion of Perkins Coie LLP may not be sustained by a court if contested by the IRS. No assurance can be given, however, that the IRS, or a court of law, will accept our position or that we would not constitute a PFIC for any future taxable year if there were to be changes in our or our subsidiaries’ assets, income or operations.
As discussed more fully below, if we were to be treated as a PFIC for any taxable year, a U.S. Holder generally would be subject to different taxation rules depending on whether the U.S. Holder makes a timely and effective election to treat us as a “qualified electing fund” (or aQEF election). As an alternative to making a QEF election, a U.S. Holder should be able to make a“mark-to-market” election with respect to our units, as discussed below.
Taxation of U.S. Holders Making a Timely QEF Election
A U.S. Holder who makes a timely QEF election (or anElecting Holder) must report the Electing Holder’s pro rata share of our ordinary earnings and net capital gain, if any, for each taxable year for which we are a PFIC that ends with or within the Electing Holder’s taxable year, regardless of whether or not the Electing Holder received distributions from us in that year. Such income inclusions would not be eligible for the preferential tax rates applicable to qualified dividend income. The Electing Holder’s adjusted tax basis in our units will be increased to reflect taxed but undistributed earnings and profits. Distributions of earnings and profits that were previously taxed will result in a corresponding reduction in the Electing Holder’s adjusted tax basis in our units and will not be taxed again once distributed. An Electing Holder generally will recognize capital gain or loss on the sale, exchange or other disposition of our units. A U.S. Holder makes a QEF election with respect to any year that we are a PFIC by filing IRS Form 8621 with the U.S. Holder’s timely filed U.S. federal income tax return (including extensions).
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If a U.S. Holder has not made a timely QEF election with respect to the first year in the U.S. Holder’s holding period of our units during which we qualified as a PFIC, the U.S. Holder may be treated as having made a timely QEF election by filing a QEF election with the U.S. Holder’s timely filed U.S. federal income tax return (including extensions) and, under the rules of Section 1291 of the Code, a “deemed sale election” to include in income as an “excess distribution” (described below) the amount of any gain that the U.S. Holder would otherwise recognize if the U.S. Holder sold the U.S. Holder’s units on the “qualification date.” The qualification date is the first day of our taxable year in which we qualified as a “qualified electing fund” with respect to such U.S. Holder. In addition to the above rules, under very limited circumstances, a U.S. Holder may make a retroactive QEF election if the U.S. Holder failed to file the QEF election documents in a timely manner. If a U.S. Holder makes a timely QEF election for one of our taxable years, but did not make such election with respect to the first year in the U.S. Holder’s holding period of our units during which we qualified as a PFIC and the U.S. Holder did not make the deemed sale election described above, the U.S. Holder also will be subject to the more adverse rules described below.
A U.S. Holder’s QEF election will not be effective unless we annually provide the U.S. Holder with certain information concerning our income and gain, calculated in accordance with the Code, to be included with the U.S. Holder’s U.S. federal income tax return. We have not provided our U.S. Holders with such information in prior taxable years and do not intend to provide such information in the current taxable year. Accordingly, U.S. Holders will not be able to make an effective QEF election at this time. If, contrary to our expectations, we determine that we are or will be a PFIC for any taxable year, we will provide U.S. Holders with the information necessary to make an effective QEF election with respect to our units.
Taxation of U.S. Holders Making a“Mark-to-Market” Election
If we were to be treated as a PFIC for any taxable year and, as we anticipate, our units were treated as “marketable stock,” then, as an alternative to making a QEF election, a U.S. Holder would be allowed to make a“mark-to-market” election with respect to our units, provided the U.S. Holder completes and files IRS Form 8621 in accordance with the relevant instructions and related Treasury Regulations. If that election is made for the first year a U.S. Holder holds or is deemed to hold our units and for which we are a PFIC, the U.S. Holder generally would include as ordinary income in each taxable year that we are a PFIC the excess, if any, of the fair market value of the U.S. Holder’s units at the end of the taxable year over the U.S. Holder’s adjusted tax basis in the units. The U.S. Holder also would be permitted an ordinary loss in respect of the excess, if any, of the U.S. Holder’s adjusted tax basis in the units over the fair market value thereof at the end of the taxable year that we are a PFIC, but only to the extent of the net amount previously included in income as a result of themark-to-market election. A U.S. Holder’s tax basis in our units would be adjusted to reflect any such income or loss recognized. Gain recognized on the sale, exchange or other disposition of our units in taxable years that we are a PFIC would be treated as ordinary income, and any loss recognized on the sale, exchange or other disposition of our units in taxable years that we are a PFIC would be treated as ordinary loss to the extent that such loss does not exceed the netmark-to-market gains previously included in income by the U.S. Holder. Because themark-to-market election only applies to marketable stock, however, it would not apply to a U.S. Holder’s indirect interest in any of our subsidiaries that were also determined to be PFICs.
If a U.S. Holder makes amark-to-market election for one of our taxable years and we were a PFIC for a prior taxable year during which such U.S. Holder held our units and for which (i) we were not a QEF with respect to such U.S. Holder and (ii) such U.S. Holder did not make a timelymark-to-market election, such U.S. Holder would also be subject to the more adverse rules described below in the first taxable year for which themark-to-market election is in effect and also to the extent the fair market value of the U.S. Holder’s units exceeds the U.S. Holder’s adjusted tax basis in the units at the end of the first taxable year for which themark-to-market election is in effect.
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Taxation of U.S. Holders Not Making a Timely QEF orMark-to-Market Election
If we were to be treated as a PFIC for any taxable year, a U.S. Holder who does not make either a QEF election or a“mark-to-market” election for that year (aNon-Electing Holder) would be subject to special rules resulting in increased tax liability with respect to (i) any “excess distribution” (e.g. the portion of any distributions received by theNon- Electing Holder on our units in a taxable year in excess of 125% of the average annual distributions received by theNon-Electing Holder in the three preceding taxable years, or, if shorter, theNon-Electing Holder’s holding period for our units), and (ii) any gain realized on the sale, exchange or other disposition of our units. Under these special rules:
| • | the excess distribution or gain would be allocated ratably over theNon-Electing Holder’s aggregate holding period for our units; |
| • | the amount allocated to the current taxable year and any taxable year prior to the taxable year we were first treated as a PFIC with respect to theNon-Electing Holder would be taxed as ordinary income in the current taxable year; |
| • | the amount allocated to each of the other taxable years would be subject to U.S. federal income tax at the highest rate of tax in effect for the applicable class of taxpayer for that year; and |
| • | an interest charge for the deemed deferral benefit would be imposed with respect to the resulting tax attributable to each such other taxable year. |
Additionally, for each year during which a U.S. Holder holds our units, we are a PFIC, and the total value of all PFIC units that such U.S. Holder directly or indirectly holds exceeds certain thresholds, such U.S. Holder will be required to file IRS Form 8621 with its annual U.S. federal income tax return to report its ownership of our units. In addition, if aNon-Electing Holder, who is an individual, dies while owning our units, suchNon-Electing Holder’s successor generally would not receive astep-up in tax basis with respect to such units.
U.S. Holders are urged to consult their tax advisors regarding the PFIC rules, including the PFIC annual reporting requirements, as well as the applicability, availability and advisability of, and procedure for, making QEF,Mark-to-Market and other available elections with respect to us, and the U.S. federal income tax consequences of making such elections.
U.S. Return Disclosure Requirements for U.S. Individual Holders
U.S. Individual Holders who hold certain specified foreign financial assets, including stock in a foreign corporation that is not held in an account maintained by a financial institution, with an aggregate value in excess of $50,000 on the last day of a taxable year, or $75,000 at any time during that taxable year, may be required to report such assets on IRS Form 8938 with their U.S. federal income tax return for that taxable year. This reporting requirement does not apply to U.S. Individual Holders who report their ownership of our units under the PFIC annual reporting rules described above. Penalties apply for failure to properly complete and file IRS Form 8938. U.S. Individual Holders are encouraged to consult with their tax advisors regarding the possible application of this disclosure requirement to their investment in our units.
United States Federal Income Taxation ofNon-U.S. Holders
A beneficial owner of our units (other than a partnership, including any entity or arrangement treated as a partnership for U.S. federal income tax purposes) that is not a U.S. Holder is aNon-U.S. Holder.
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Distributions
In general, aNon-U.S. Holder will not be subject to U.S. federal income tax on distributions received from us with respect to our units unless the distributions are effectively connected with theNon-U.S. Holder’s conduct of a trade or business within the United States (and, if required by an applicable income tax treaty, are attributable to a permanent establishment that theNon-U.S. Holder maintains in the United States). If aNon-U.S. Holder is engaged in a trade or business within the United States and the distributions are deemed to be effectively connected to that trade or business, theNon-U.S. Holder generally will be subject to U.S. federal income tax on those distributions in the same manner as if it were a U.S. Holder.
Sale, Exchange or Other Disposition of Units
In general, anon-U.S. Holder is not subject to U.S. federal income tax on any gain resulting from the disposition of our units unless (i) such gain is effectively connected with theNon-U.S. Holder’s conduct of a trade or business within the United States (and, if required by an applicable income tax treaty, is attributable to a permanent establishment that theNon-U.S. Holder maintains in the United States) or (ii) theNon-U.S. Holder is an individual who is present in the United States for 183 days or more during the taxable year in which such disposition occurs and meets certain other requirements. If aNon-U.S. Holder is engaged in a trade or business within the United States and the disposition of our units is deemed to be effectively connected to that trade or business, theNon-U.S. Holder generally will be subject to U.S. federal income tax on the resulting gain in the same manner as if it were a U.S. Holder.
Information Reporting and Backup Withholding
In general, distributions taxable as dividends with respect to, or the proceeds from a sale, redemption or other taxable disposition of, our units held by aNon-Corporate U.S. Holder will be subject to information reporting requirements, unless such distribution taxable as a dividend is paid and received outside the United States by anon-U.S. payor ornon-U.S. middleman (within the meaning of U.S. Treasury Regulations), or such proceeds are effected through an office outside the U.S. of a broker that is considered anon-U.S. payor ornon-U.S. middleman (within the meaning of U.S. Treasury Regulations). These amounts also generally will be subject to backup withholding if theNon-Corporate U.S. Holder:
| • | fails to timely provide an accurate taxpayer identification number; |
| • | is notified by the IRS that it has failed to report all interest or distributions required to be shown on its U.S. federal income tax returns; or |
| • | in certain circumstances, fails to comply with applicable certification requirements. |
Information reporting and backup withholding generally will not apply to distributions taxable as dividends on our units to aNon-U.S. Holder if such dividend is paid and received outside the United States by anon-U.S. payor ornon-U.S. middleman (within the meaning of U.S. Treasury Regulations) or theNon-U.S. Holder properly certifies under penalties of perjury as to itsnon-U.S. status (generally on IRS FormW-8BEN,W-8BEN-E,W-8ECI, orW-8EXP, as applicable) and certain other conditions are met or theNon-U.S. Holder otherwise establishes an exemption.
Payment of proceeds to aNon-U.S. Holder from a sale, redemption or other taxable disposition of our units to or through the U.S. office of a broker, or through a broker that is considered a U.S. payor or U.S. middleman (within the meaning of U.S. Treasury Regulations), generally will be subject to information reporting and backup withholding, unless theNon-U.S. Holder properly certifies under penalties of perjury as to itsnon-U.S. status (generally on IRS FormW-8BEN,W-8BEN-E,W-8ECI, orW-8EXP, as applicable) and certain other conditions are met or theNon-U.S. Holder otherwise establishes an exemption.
Backup withholding is not an additional tax. Rather, aNon-Corporate U.S. Holder orNon-U.S. Holder generally may obtain a credit for any amount withheld against its liability for U.S. federal income tax (and obtain a refund of any amounts withheld in excess of such liability) by accurately completing and timely filing a U.S. federal income tax return with the IRS.
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NON-UNITED STATES TAX CONSIDERATIONS
Republic of the Marshall Islands Tax Considerations
The following discussion is based upon the opinion of Watson Farley & Williams LLP, our counsel as to matters of the laws of the Republic of the Marshall Islands, and the current laws of the Republic of the Marshall Islands and is applicable only to persons who are not citizens of, and do not reside in, maintain offices in or engage in business, transactions or operations in the Republic of the Marshall Islands.
Because we and our subsidiaries do not, and we do not expect that we or any of our subsidiaries will, conduct business, transactions or operations in the Republic of the Marshall Islands, and because all documentation related to this offering will be executed outside of the Republic of the Marshall Islands, under current Republic of the Marshall Islands law holders of our units will not be subject to Republic of the Marshall Islands taxation or withholding on distributions, including upon a return of capital, we make to our unitholders, and holders of our debt securities will not be subject to Republic of the Marshall Islands taxation or withholding on interest paid and return of capital with respect to such debt securities. In addition, our unitholders will not be subject to Republic of the Marshall Islands stamp, capital gains or other taxes on the purchase, ownership or disposition of units, and they will not be required by the Republic of the Marshall Islands to file a tax return relating to the units.
It is the responsibility of each unitholder to investigate the legal and tax consequences, under the laws of pertinent jurisdictions, including the Republic of the Marshall Islands, of his investment in us. Accordingly, each prospective unitholder is urged to consult its tax counsel or other advisor with regard to those matters. Further, it is the responsibility of each unitholder to file all state, local andnon-U.S., as well as U.S. federal tax returns that may be required of such unitholder.
Canadian Federal Income Tax Considerations
The following discussion is a summary of the material Canadian federal income tax considerations under the Income Tax Act (Canada) (or theCanada Tax Act) that we believe are relevant to holders of common units who, for the purposes of the Canada Tax Act and the Canada-United States Tax Convention 1980 (or theCanada-U.S. Treaty), are at all relevant times resident in the United States and entitled to all of the benefits of the Canada - U.S. Treaty and who deal at arm’s length with us and Teekay Corporation (orU.S. Resident Holders). This discussion takes into account all proposed amendments to the Canada Tax Act and the regulations thereunder that have been publicly announced by or on behalf of the Minister of Finance (Canada) prior to the date hereof and assumes that such proposed amendments will be enacted substantially as proposed. However, no assurance can be given that such proposed amendments will be enacted in the form proposed or at all.
Teekay LNG Partners L.P. is considered to be a partnership under Canadian federal income tax law and therefore not a taxable entity for Canadian income tax purposes. A U.S. Resident Holder will not be liable to tax under the Canada Tax Act on any income or gains allocated by Teekay LNG Partners L.P. to the U.S. Resident Holder in respect of such U.S. Resident Holder’s common units, provided that (i) Teekay LNG Partners L.P. does not carry on business in Canada for the purposes of the Canada Tax Act and (ii) such U.S. Resident Holder does not hold such common units in connection with a business carried on by such U.S. Resident Holder through a permanent establishment in Canada for purposes of theCanada-U.S. Treaty.
A U.S. Resident Holder will not be liable to tax under the Canada Tax Act on any income or gain from the sale, redemption or other disposition of such U.S. Resident Holder’s common units, provided that, for purposes of theCanada-U.S. Treaty, such common units do not, and did not at any time in the twelve-month period preceding the date of disposition, form part of the business property of a permanent establishment in Canada of such U.S. Resident Holder.
We believe that the activities and affairs of Teekay LNG Partners L.P. are conducted in such a manner that Teekay LNG Partners L.P. is not carrying on business in Canada and that U.S. Resident Holders should not be considered to be carrying on business in Canada for purposes of the Canada Tax Act or theCanada-U.S. Treaty solely by reason of the acquisition, holding, disposition or redemption of our common units. We intend that this is and continues to be the case, notwithstanding that Teekay Shipping Limited (a subsidiary of Teekay Corporation that is anon-resident of Canada) and Teekay Gas Group Ltd. (an indirect subsidiary of Teekay LNG Partners L.P. that is anon-resident of Canada) provide certain services to Teekay LNG Partners L.P. and obtain some or all such services under subcontracts with Canadian service providers. If the arrangements we have entered into result in Teekay LNG Partners L.P. being considered to carry on business in Canada for purposes of the Canada Tax Act, U.S. Resident Holders would be considered to be carrying on business in Canada and may be required to file Canadian tax returns and, subject to any relief provided under theCanada-U.S. Treaty, would be subject to taxation in Canada on any income that is considered to be attributable to the business carried on by Teekay LNG Partners L.P. in Canada. TheCanada-U.S. Treaty contains a treaty benefit denial rule which may have the effect of denying relief thereunder from Canadian taxation to U.S. Resident Holders in respect of any income attributable to a business carried on by us in Canada.
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Although we do not intend to do so, there can be no assurance that the manner in which we carry on our activities will not change from time to time as circumstances dictate or warrant in a manner that may cause U.S. Resident Holders to be carrying on business in Canada for purposes of the Canada Tax Act. Further, the relevant Canadian federal income tax law may change by legislation or judicial interpretation and the Canadian taxing authorities may take a different view than we have of the current law.
It is the responsibility of each unitholder to investigate the legal and tax consequences, under the laws of pertinent jurisdictions, including Canada, of an investment in us. Accordingly, each unitholder is urged to consult, and depend upon, such unitholder’s tax counsel or other advisor with regard to those matters. Further, it is the responsibility of each unitholder to file all state, local andnon-U.S., as well as U.S. federal tax returns, that may be required of such unitholder.
Please read “Item 3 – Risk Factors” of our Annual Report on Form20-F for the year ended December 31, 2019 for more information on potential tax risks applicable to unitholders and our business.
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This prospectus covers the offering for resale of up to 10,750,000 of our common units by Teekay GP L.L.C., the Selling Unitholder. The Selling Unitholder is our general partner and a wholly-owned subsidiary of Teekay Corporation, our largest securityholder.
The table below sets forth information about the maximum number of common units that may be offered from time to time by the Selling Unitholder under this prospectus. The Selling Unitholder identified below holds and may in the future acquire at any time common units in addition to those registered hereby. In addition, the Selling Unitholder identified below may sell, transfer or otherwise dispose of some or all of its common units, including in private placement transactions exempt from or not subject to the registration requirements of the Securities Act. Accordingly, we cannot estimate the amount of common units that will be held by the Selling Unitholder upon termination of this offering. However, for purposes of this table, we have assumed that all of the common units covered by this prospectus will be sold by the Selling Unitholder. For information on the procedures by which the Selling Unitholder may offer or sell the common units, please read the disclosure set forth under “Plan of Distribution.”
We have prepared the following table and the related notes based on information supplied to us by the Selling Unitholder on or prior to May 14, 2020. We have not sought to verify such information. Information about the Selling Unitholder may change over time.
Selling Unitholder | Common Units Beneficially Owned | Percentage of Class Prior to Offering(2) | Common Units Beneficially Owned After Offering(3) | Common Units Beneficially Owned After Offering(2)(3) | ||||||||||||
Teekay GP L.L.C.(1) | 10,750,000 | (1) | 12.2 | % | 0 | 0.0 | % | |||||||||
| (1) | The address for Teekay G.P. L.L.C. is 4th Floor, Belvedere Building, 69 Pitts Bay Road, Hamilton, HM 08, Bermuda. Teekay GP L.L.C., our general partner, manages our operations and activities. Teekay Corporation owns and controls Teekay GP L.L.C., and, through such ownership, indirectly owns our 1.76% general partner interest. In addition to the common units included in the table above, Teekay Corporation also beneficially owns an additional 25,208,274 of our common units. In total, Teekay Corporation beneficially owns 35,958,274 of our common units, representing 40.6% of our outstanding common units. Together with its 40.6% interest in our outstanding common units and its 1.76% general partner interest, Teekay Corporation holds an overall 42.4% economic interest in us. Executive officers of Teekay Gas Group Ltd., a subsidiary of Teekay LNG Operating L.L.C., our wholly-owned subsidiary, and three of the directors of our general partner also currently serve as officers or directors of Teekay Corporation. For additional information about certain relationships and related party transactions that Teekay Corporation, the Selling Unitholder and their other affiliates have with us, please read Item 7.B, Related Party Transactions, in our latest Annual Report on Form20-F filed with the SEC, which is incorporated by reference into this prospectus. |
| (2) | Based on 88,476,164 of our common units outstanding as of May 14, 2020. |
| (3) | Assumes the sale of all of our common units offered in this prospectus and no sales of any other of our common units held by the Selling Unitholder as of May 14, 2020 that are not registered for resale under this prospectus. |
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The Selling Unitholder may from time to time offer for sale the common units covered by this prospectus either directly or through underwriters, dealers or agents or on any exchange on which the common units may from time to time be traded, in theover-the-counter market, in independently negotiated transactions or otherwise, at fixed prices that may be changed, at market prices prevailing at the time of sale, at prices related to prevailing market prices or at prices otherwise negotiated. The methods by which the common units may be sold include any one or more of the following:
| • | underwritten transactions; |
| • | privately negotiated transactions; |
| • | exchange distributions and/or secondary distributions; |
| • | sales in theover-the-counter market; |
| • | ordinary brokerage transactions and transactions in which the broker solicits purchasers; |
| • | broker-dealers that may agree with the Selling Unitholder to sell a specified number of such common units at a stipulated price per unit; |
| • | block trades (which may involve crosses) in which the broker or dealer so engaged will attempt to sell the common units as agents, but may position and resell a portion of the block as principal to facilitate the transaction; |
| • | trading plans entered into by the Selling Unitholder pursuant to Rule10b5-1 under the U.S. Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (theExchange Act), that are in place at the time of an offering pursuant to this prospectus and any applicable prospectus supplement hereto that provide for periodic sales of the common units on the basis of parameters described in such trading plans; |
| • | purchases by a broker or dealer as principal and resale by such broker or dealer for its own account pursuant to this prospectus; |
| • | short sales; |
| • | through the writing of options or other hedging transactions on the units, whether or not the options are listed on an options exchange; |
| • | through the distributions of the units by the Selling Unitholder to its shareholders; |
| • | a combination of any such methods of sale; and |
| • | any other method permitted pursuant to applicable law. |
Underwriters or broker-dealers may receive compensation in the form of discounts or commissions from the Selling Unitholder and may receive commissions from the purchasers of the common units for whom they may act as agent. The Selling Unitholder may agree to indemnify any underwriter, broker-dealer or agent that participates in transactions involving sales of the units against certain liabilities, including liabilities arising under the Securities Act. We have agreed to indemnify the Selling Unitholder against certain liabilities to which they may become subject in connection with the sale of the common units included in this prospectus, including certain liabilities under the Securities Act. We have also agreed to indemnify any underwriters that are engaged in connection with the registration of the common units in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the underwriters.
We have agreed to pay the expenses incurred in connection with the registration of the common units owned by the Selling Unitholder covered by this prospectus, other than any underwriting discounts or selling commissions attributable to the sale of the units, each of which are to be paid by the Selling Unitholder.
Broker-dealers may act as agent or may purchase common units as principal and thereafter resell the common units from time to time:
| • | in or through one or more transactions (which may involve crosses and block transactions) or distributions; |
| • | on the New York Stock Exchange; |
| • | in theover-the-counter market; or |
| • | in private transactions. |
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If any broker-dealer purchases the common units as principal, it may effect resales of the common units from time to time to or through other broker-dealers, and other broker-dealers may receive compensation in the form of concessions or commissions from the purchasers of common units for whom they may act as agents.
In connection with sales of the common units under this prospectus, the Selling Unitholder may enter into hedging transactions with broker-dealers, who may in turn engage in short sales of the units in the course of hedging the positions they assume. The Selling Unitholder also may sell common units short and deliver them to close out the short positions or loan or pledge the units to broker-dealers that in turn may sell them.
From time to time, the Selling Unitholder may pledge, hypothecate or grant a security interest in some or all of the common units owned by it. The pledgees, secured parties or persons to whom the common units have been hypothecated may, upon foreclosure in the event of default, be deemed to be a Selling Unitholder. The number of the Selling Unitholder’s common units offered under this prospectus will decrease as and when it takes such actions. The plan of distribution for the Selling Unitholder’s common units will otherwise remain unchanged.
To the extent required, the common units to be sold, the names of the specific managing underwriter or underwriters, if any, as well as other important information, including, among other things, the respective purchase prices and public offering prices, will be set forth in one or more prospectus supplements. In that event, the discounts and commissions the Selling Unitholder will allow or pay to the underwriters, if any, and the discounts and commissions the underwriters may allow or pay to dealers or agents, if any, will be set forth in, or may be calculated from, the prospectus supplements. Any underwriters, brokers, dealers and agents who participate in any sale of the common units may also engage in transactions with, or perform services for, us or our affiliates in the ordinary course of their businesses. We may indemnify underwriters against certain liabilities to which they may become subject in connection with the sale of the common units included in this prospectus, including liabilities under the Securities Act.
In addition, the Selling Unitholder may sell common units in compliance with Rule 144 under the Securities Act, if available, or pursuant to other available exemptions from the registration requirements under the Securities Act, rather than pursuant to this prospectus.
The Selling Unitholder and other persons participating in the sale or distribution of the common units will be subject to applicable provisions of the Exchange Act, and the rules and regulations thereunder, including Regulation M. This regulation may limit the timing of purchases and sales of any of the common units by the Selling Unitholder and any other person. The anti-manipulation rules under the Exchange Act may apply to sales of common units in the market and to the activities of the Selling Unitholder and its affiliates. In addition, Regulation M may restrict the ability of any person engaged in the distribution of the common units to engage in market-making activities with respect to the particular common units being distributed for a period of up to five business days before the distribution. These restrictions may affect the marketability of the common units and the ability of any person or entity to engage in market-making activities with respect to the common units.
To the extent required, this prospectus may be amended or supplemented from time to time to describe a specific plan of distribution. The place and time of delivery for common units relating to this prospectus may be set forth in an accompanying prospectus supplement.
In connection with offerings under this prospectus and in compliance with applicable law, underwriters, brokers or dealers may engage in transactions which stabilize or maintain the market price of the common units at levels above those which might otherwise prevail in the open market. Specifically, underwriters, brokers or dealers may overallot in connection with offerings, creating a short position in the common units for their own accounts. For the purpose of covering a syndicate short position or stabilizing the price of the common units, the underwriters, brokers or dealers may place bids for the common units or effect purchases of the common units in the open market. Finally, the underwriters may impose a penalty whereby selling concessions allowed to syndicate members or other brokers or dealers for distribution of the common units in offerings may be reclaimed by the syndicate if the syndicate repurchases the previously distributed common units in transactions to cover short positions, in stabilization transactions or otherwise. These activities may stabilize, maintain or otherwise affect the market price of the common units, which may be higher than the price that might otherwise prevail in the open market, and, if commenced, may be discontinued at any time.
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SERVICE OF PROCESS AND ENFORCEMENT OF CIVIL LIABILITIES
Teekay LNG Partners L.P. is formed under the laws of the Republic of the Marshall Islands as a limited partnership. Our general partner is also formed under the laws of the Republic of the Marshall Islands as a limited liability company. The Republic of the Marshall Islands has a less developed body of securities laws as compared to the United States and provides protections for investors to a significantly lesser extent.
Most of the directors and officers of our general partner and those of our subsidiaries are residents of countries other than the United States. Substantially all of our and our subsidiaries’ assets and a substantial portion of the assets of the directors and officers of our general partner are located outside the United States. As a result, it may be difficult or impossible for United States investors to effect service of process within the United States upon us, our general partner, our subsidiaries or the directors and officers of our general partner or to realize against us or them judgments obtained in United States courts, including judgments predicated upon the civil liability provisions of the securities laws of the United States or any state in the United States.
Watson Farley & Williams LLP, our counsel as to Republic of the Marshall Islands law, has advised us that there is uncertainty as to whether the courts of the Republic of the Marshall Islands would (a) recognize or enforce against us, our general partner or our general partner’s directors or officers judgments of courts of the United States based on civil liability provisions of applicable U.S. federal and state securities laws or (b) impose liabilities against us, our general partner or our general partner’s directors and officers in original actions brought in the Republic of the Marshall Islands, based on these laws.
Unless otherwise stated in any applicable prospectus supplement, certain legal matters will be passed upon for us by Perkins Coie LLP. Unless otherwise stated in any applicable prospectus supplement, the validity of the securities and certain other legal matters with respect to the laws of the Republic of the Marshall Islands will be passed upon for us by Watson Farley & Williams LLP. As appropriate, legal counsel representing any underwriters, dealers or agents will be named in the applicable prospectus supplement and may opine as to certain legal matters.
The consolidated financial statements of Teekay LNG Partners L.P. as of December 31, 2019 and 2018, and for each of the years in the three-year period ended December 31, 2019, and management’s assessment of the effectiveness of internal control over financial reporting as of December 31, 2019; and the consolidated financial statements of TC LNG Shipping L.L.C. as of December 31, 2019 and for the year ended December 31, 2019 filed as Exhibit 15.2 of the Teekay LNG Partners L.P. Annual Report on Form 20-F for the year ended December 31, 2019, each have been incorporated by reference herein in reliance upon the reports of KPMG LLP, independent registered public accounting firm, incorporated by reference herein, and upon the authority of said firm as experts in accounting and auditing. The audit report of Teekay LNG Partners L.P. covering the December 31, 2019 and 2018 consolidated financial statements refers to a change in its accounting policies as of January 1, 2018 for revenue recognition and as of January 1, 2019 for leases and for hedge accounting. The audit report of TC LNG Shipping L.L.C. covering the December 31, 2019 consolidated financial statements refers to a change in its accounting policies as of January 1, 2019 for leases and for hedge accounting.
WHERE YOU CAN FIND MORE INFORMATION
We have filed with the SEC a registration statement onForm F-3 regarding the securities covered by this prospectus. This prospectus does not contain all of the information found in the registration statement. For further information regarding us and the securities offered in this prospectus, you may wish to review the full registration statement, including its exhibits. In addition, we file and furnish annual and other reports with the SEC. The SEC maintains a website that contains reports and other information about issuers, like us, that file electronically with the SEC. The address of that website iswww.sec.gov. You can also obtain information about us at the offices of the New York Stock Exchange, Inc., 11 Wall Street, New York, New York 10005.
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As a foreign private issuer, we are exempt under the Exchange Act from, among other things, certain rules prescribing the furnishing and content of proxy statements, and our executive officers, directors and principal unitholders are exempt from the reporting and short-swing profit recovery provisions contained in Section 16 of the Exchange Act. In addition, we are not required under the Exchange Act to file periodic reports and financial statements with the SEC as frequently or as promptly as U.S. companies whose securities are registered under the Exchange Act, including the filing of quarterly reports or current reports onForm 8-K. However, we intend to make available quarterly reports containing our unaudited interim financial information for the first three fiscal quarters of each fiscal year.
INCORPORATION OF DOCUMENTS BY REFERENCE
The SEC allows us to “incorporate by reference” into this prospectus information that we file with or furnish to the SEC. This means that we can disclose important information to you without actually including the specific information in this prospectus by referring you to other documents filed separately with or furnished separately to the SEC. The information incorporated by reference is an important part of this prospectus. Information that we later provide to the SEC, and which is deemed to be “filed” with the SEC, automatically will update information previously filed with the SEC, and may replace information in this prospectus. Any Form6-K filed or furnished by us that is identified in such form as being incorporated by reference into the registration statement of which this prospectus forms a part, in each case, subsequent to the date of this prospectus and prior to the termination of this offering, are incorporated by reference into this prospectus as of the date of the filing of such documents.
We incorporate by reference into this prospectus the documents listed below:
| • | our Annual Report onForm 20-F, as amended, for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2019; |
| • | all subsequent Annual Reports onForm 20-F filed with the SEC prior to the termination of this offering; |
| • | our Report onForm6-K furnished to the SEC on May 11, 2020 and all subsequent Reports on Form6-K furnished to the SEC prior to the termination of this offering that we identify in such Reports as being incorporated by reference into the registration statement of which this prospectus is a part; and |
| • | the description of our common units contained in our Registration Statement onForm8-A/A filed on April 13, 2018, including any subsequent amendments or reports filed for the purpose of updating such description. |
These reports contain important information about us, our financial condition and our results of operations.
You may obtain any of the documents incorporated by reference in this prospectus from the SEC through its public reference facilities or its website at the addresses provided above. You also may request a copy of any document incorporated by reference in this prospectus (excluding any exhibits to those documents, unless the exhibit is specifically incorporated by reference in this document), at no cost, by visiting our website atwww.teekaylng.com,or by writing or calling us at the following address:
Teekay LNG Partners L.P.
4th Floor, Belvedere Building,
69 Pitts Bay Road
Hamilton HM 08, Bermuda
Attn: Corporate Secretary
(441) 298-2530
The information contained in our website is not part of this prospectus.
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The following table sets forth costs and expenses, other than any underwriting discounts and commissions, we expect to incur in connection with the issuance and distribution of the securities covered by this prospectus.
U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission registration fee | $ | 15,433 | † | |
Legal fees and expenses | * | |||
Accounting fees and expenses | * | |||
Printing costs | * | |||
Transfer agent fees | * | |||
FINRA filing fee | * | |||
Miscellaneous | * | |||
Total | $ | * |
| † | Paid herewith. |
| * | To be provided in a prospectus supplement or in a Report onForm 6-K subsequently incorporated by reference into this prospectus. |
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PART II
INFORMATION NOT REQUIRED IN PROSPECTUS
ITEM 8. Indemnification of Directors and Officers
Under its partnership agreement, in most circumstances, Teekay LNG Partners will indemnify the following persons, to the fullest extent permitted by law, from and against all losses, claims, damages or similar events:
| (1) | its general partner; |
| (2) | any departing general partner; |
| (3) | any person who is or was an affiliate of the general partner or any departing general partner; |
| (4) | any person who is or was an officer, director, member, fiduciary, trustee or partner of any entity described in (1), (2) or (3) above; |
| (5) | any person who is or was serving as a director, officer, member, partner, fiduciary or trustee of another person at the request of the general partner or any departing general partner or any affiliate of the general partner or any departing general partner; provided that such person will not be indemnified by reason of providing, on afee-for-services basis, trustee fiduciary or custodial services; or |
| (6) | any person designated by the general partner. |
Any indemnification under these provisions will only be out of the assets of Teekay LNG Partners. Unless it otherwise agrees, Teekay LNG Partners’ general partner will not be personally liable for, or have any obligation to contribute or lend funds or assets to Teekay LNG Partners to enable it to effectuate, indemnification.
Teekay LNG Partners is authorized to purchase (or to reimburse its general partners for the costs of) insurance against liabilities asserted against and expenses incurred by its general partner, its affiliates and such other persons as the general partner may determine and described in the paragraph above, whether or not it would have the power to indemnify such person against such liabilities under the provisions described in the paragraphs above. The general partner has purchased insurance covering its officers and directors against liabilities asserted and expenses incurred in connection with their activities as officers and directors of the general partner or any of its direct or indirect subsidiaries.
ITEM 9. Exhibits and Financial Statement Schedules
(a) Exhibits
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| * | To be filed by amendment or as an exhibit to a Report onForm 6-K of the Registrant that is subsequently incorporated by reference into this registration statement. |
(b) Financial Statement Schedules
All supplemental schedules are omitted because of the absence of conditions under which they are required or because the information is shown in the financial statements or notes thereto.
(c) Reports, Opinions and Appraisals
The following reports, opinions, and appraisals are included herein:None.
ITEM 10. Undertakings
The undersigned Registrant hereby undertakes:
| 1. | To file, during any period in which offers or sales are being made, a post-effective amendment to this registration statement: |
| a. | to include any prospectus required by section 10(a)(3) of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (theSecurities Act); |
| b. | to reflect in the prospectus any facts or events arising after the effective date of the registration statement (or the most recent post-effective amendment thereof) which, individually or in the aggregate, represent a fundamental change in the information set forth in the registration statement. Notwithstanding the foregoing, any increase or decrease in volume of securities offered (if the total dollar value of securities offered would not exceed that which was registered) and any deviation from the low or high end of the estimated maximum offering range may be reflected in the form of prospectus filed with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b) if, in the aggregate, the changes in volume and price represent no more than a 20% change in the maximum aggregate offering price set forth in the “Calculation of Registration Fee” table in the effective registration statement; |
| c. | to include any material information with respect to the plan of distribution not previously disclosed in the registration statement or any material change to such information in the registration statement; |
provided, however, thatparagraphs 1(a), 1(b) and 1(c) of this section do not apply if the information required to be included in a post-effective amendment by those paragraphs is contained in reports filed with or furnished to the Commission by the Registrant pursuant to section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 that are incorporated by reference in the registration statement, or is contained in a form of prospectus filed pursuant to Rule 424(b) that is part of the registration statement.
| 2. | That, for the purpose of determining any liability under the Securities Act, each such post-effective amendment shall be deemed to be a new registration statement relating to the securities offered therein, and the offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona fide offering thereof. |
| 3. | To remove from registration by means of a post-effective amendment any of the securities being registered which remain unsold at the termination of the offering. |
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| 4. | To file a post-effective amendment to the registration statement to include any financial statements required by Item 8.A. ofForm 20-F at the start of any delayed offering or throughout a continuous offering. |
| 5. | That, for the purpose of determining liability under the Securities Act to any purchaser: |
| a. | each prospectus filed by the registrant pursuant to Rule 424(b)(3) shall be deemed to be part of the registration statement as of the date the filed prospectus was deemed part of and included in the registration statement; and |
| b. | each prospectus required to be filed pursuant to Rule 424(b)(2), (b)(5), or (b)(7) as part of a registration statement in reliance on Rule 430B relating to an offering made pursuant to Rule 415(a)(1)(i), (vii), or (x) for the purpose of providing the information required by Section 10(a) of the Securities Act shall be deemed to be part of and included in the registration statement as of the earlier of the date such form of prospectus is first used after effectiveness or the date of the first contract of sale of securities in the offering described in the prospectus. As provided in Rule 430B, for liability purposes of the issuer and any person that is at that date an underwriter, such date shall be deemed to be a new effective date of the registration statement relating to the securities in the registration statement to which that prospectus relates, and the offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona fide offering thereof.Provided, however,that no statement made in a registration statement or prospectus that is part of the registration statement or made in a document incorporated or deemed incorporated by reference into the registration statement or prospectus that is part of the registration statement will, as to a purchaser with a time of contract of sale prior to such effective date, supersede or modify any statement that was made in the registration statement or prospectus that was part of the registration statement or made in any such document immediately prior to such effective date. |
| 6. | That, for the purpose of determining liability of the registrant under the Securities Act to any purchaser in the initial distribution of the securities, the undersigned registrant undertakes that in a primary offering of securities of the undersigned registrant pursuant to this registration statement, regardless of the underwriting method used to sell the securities to the purchaser, if the securities are offered or sold to such purchaser by means of any of the following communications, the undersigned registrant will be a seller to the purchaser and will be considered to offer or sell such securities to such purchaser: |
| a. | any preliminary prospectus or prospectus of the Registrant relating to the offering required to be filed pursuant to Rule 424; |
| b. | any free writing prospectus relating to the offering prepared by or on behalf of the Registrant or used or referred to by the Registrant; |
| c. | the portion of any other free writing prospectus relating to the offering containing material information about the Registrant or its securities provided by or on behalf of the Registrant; and |
| d. | any other communication that is an offer in the offering made by the Registrant to the purchaser. |
The undersigned Registrant hereby undertakes that, for purposes of determining any liability under the Securities Act, each filing of the Registrant’s annual report pursuant to section 13(a) or section 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 that is incorporated by reference in the registration statement shall be deemed to be a new registration statement relating to the securities offered therein, and the offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona fide offering thereof.
Insofar as indemnification for liabilities arising under the Securities Act may be permitted to directors, officers and controlling persons of the Registrant pursuant to the foregoing provisions, or otherwise, the Registrant has been advised that in the opinion of the Securities and Exchange Commission such indemnification is against public policy as expressed in the Securities Act and is, therefore, unenforceable. In the event that a claim for indemnification against such liabilities (other than the payment by the Registrant of expenses incurred or paid by a director, officer or controlling person of the registrant in the successful defense of any action, suit or proceeding) is asserted by such director, officer or controlling person in connection with the securities being registered, the Registrant will, unless in the opinion of its counsel the matter has been settled by controlling precedent, submit to a court of appropriate jurisdiction the question whether such indemnification by it is against public policy as expressed in the Securities Act and will be governed by the final adjudication of such issue.
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Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, the undersigned Registrant certifies that it has reasonable grounds to believe that it meets all of the requirements for filing onForm F-3 and has duly caused this Registration Statement to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized, in Bermuda on May 15, 2020.
TEEKAY LNG PARTNERS L.P. Teekay GP L.L.C., its General Partner | ||||
| By: | /s/ Anne Liversedge | |||
| Name: | Anne Liversedge | |||
| Title: | Corporate Secretary | |||
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Each person whose signature appears below appoints Mark Kremin and Anne Liversedge, or either of them, with full power to act alone, as his or her true and lawfulattorney-in-fact and agent, with full power of substitution andre-substitution, for him or her and in his or her name, place and stead, in any and all capacities, to sign any and all amendments (including post-effective amendments) to this registration statement, and to file the same, with all exhibits thereto, and all other documents in connection therewith, with the Securities and Exchange Commission, granting unto saidattorney-in-fact and agent full power and authority to do and perform each and every act and thing requisite and necessary to be done, as fully to all intents and purposes as he or she might or would do in person, hereby ratifying and confirming all that saidattorney-in-fact and agent or any of her substitutes may lawfully do or cause to be done by virtue hereof.
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, this Registration Statement has been signed on May 15, 2020 by the following persons in the following capacities:
Signature | Title | |||
/s/ Mark Kremin Mark Kremin | Chief Executive Officer of Teekay Gas Group Ltd. (Principal Executive Officer) | |||
/s/ Scott Gayton Scott Gayton | Chief Financial Officer of Teekay Gas Group Ltd. (Principal Financial and Accounting Officer) | |||
/s/ C. Sean Day C. Sean Day | Director of Teekay GP L.L.C. | |||
/s/ Kenneth Hvid Kenneth Hvid | Chairperson of Teekay GP L.L.C. | |||
/s/ Alan Semple Alan Semple | Director of Teekay GP L.L.C. | |||
/s/ David Schellenberg David Schellenberg | Director of Teekay GP L.L.C. | |||
/s/ Richard D. Paterson Richard D. Paterson | Director of Teekay GP L.L.C. | |||
/s/ Sylvia Barnes Sylvia Barnes | Director of Teekay GP L.L.C. | |||
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SIGNATURE OF AUTHORIZED REPRESENTATIVE OF THE REGISTRANT
Pursuant to the requirement of the Securities Act of 1933, the undersigned, the duly undersigned representative in the United States of Teekay LNG Partners L.P., has signed this registration statement in Delaware, on May 15, 2020.
PUGLISI & ASSOCIATES
| By: | /s/ Donald J. Puglisi | |
| Name: | Donald J. Puglisi | |
| Title: | Managing Director |
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