Capital Product Partners L.P. Announces Approval of Corporate Conversion and Name Change as It Continues Its Strategic Pivot to The LNG and Energy Transition Business
02 Agosto 2024 - 5:50AM
Capital Product Partners L.P. (“CPLP”, “we” or “us”) (NASDAQ:
CPLP), an international owner of ocean-going vessels, announces
today the approval by a majority of our unitholders, the conflicts
committee of our Board of Directors (the “Committee”), our full
Board of Directors (the “Board”) and our general partner, Capital
GP L.L.C. (the “General Partner”), of the conversion of CPLP from a
Marshall Islands limited partnership to a Marshall Islands
corporation (the “Conversion”) and the renaming of CPLP to “Capital
Clean Energy Carriers Corp.” (the “Name Change”). In connection
with the Conversion, our General Partner will give up its existing
management and consent rights with respect to CPLP.
The Conversion and the Name Change are key
milestones in our strategic pivot towards the transportation of
various forms of natural gas to industrial customers, including
liquefied natural gas (“LNG”) and new commodities emerging as a
result of the energy transition, as initially announced in November
2023. To achieve our strategic pivot, we entered into the Umbrella
Agreement with Capital Maritime & Trading Corp. (“Capital
Maritime”), our sponsor, and the General Partner, under which we
agreed to acquire 11 newbuild LNG/C vessels (the “Newbuild LNG/C
Vessels”), of which five vessels are already on the water and the
remaining six vessels are expected to be delivered between the
first quarter of 2026 and the first quarter of 2027. In June 2024,
we also ordered 10 state-of-the-art, high-specification gas
carriers, including four unique handy multi gas carriers that can
carry liquid CO2. These, along with the Newbuild LNG/C Vessels,
collectively form the “Energy Transition Vessels”. This $3.9
billion investment, notable both in asset value and scope,
demonstrates our commitment to becoming a leading provider of
transportation for LNG and other clean fuels.
We have already made significant progress on our
refocus of the business with 12 latest generation LNG/C vessels
currently on the water plus the disposal of seven legacy container
vessels during the first half of 2024. Upon delivery of our
remaining Energy Transition Vessels between the first quarter of
2026 and the third quarter of 2027, we expect to become the largest
U.S.-listed LNG shipping company and will offer our industrial
customers a full range of transportation solutions.
Conversion and Name Change
Details
We expect to complete the Conversion and the
Name Change by August 26, 2024. Upon completion, our Common Shares
will trade on the Nasdaq Global Select Market (“Nasdaq”) under the
name “Capital Clean Energy Carriers Corp.” with the ticker symbol
“CCEC”.
As a result of the Conversion, the following
changes to our capital structure and corporate governance, among
others, will occur:
-
CPLP, a Marshall Islands limited partnership, will convert to CCEC,
a Marshall Islands corporation.
-
Each common unit of CPLP issued and outstanding immediately prior
to the Conversion will be converted into one common share of CCEC
with a par value of $0.01 per share (the “Common Shares”).
-
The General Partner Units and Incentive Distribution Rights issued
and outstanding immediately prior to the Conversion will be
converted into an aggregate 3,500,000 Common Shares. Following the
Conversion, Capital Maritime and its affiliates will hold in
aggregate approximately 59.0% of the outstanding Common
Shares.
-
The General Partner will give up its existing management and
consent rights with respect to CPLP, including its right to appoint
three directors to our Board and its veto rights over, among other
things, approval of mergers, consolidations and other significant
corporate transactions and amendments to CPLP’s governing
documents.
-
Following the Conversion, the Board will consist of eight
directors, a majority of which will be “independent” in accordance
with Nasdaq rules.
-
Until Capital Maritime and its affiliates cease to own at least 25%
of the outstanding Common Shares, Capital Maritime and its
affiliates will have the right to nominate three out of the eight
directors to the Board. If the holdings of Capital Maritime and its
affiliates fall below 25% but remain above 15% of the outstanding
Common Shares, Capital Maritime and its affiliates thereafter will
have the right to nominate two out of eight directors to the Board.
If the holdings of Capital Maritime and its affiliates fall below
15% but remain above 5% of the outstanding Common Shares, Capital
Maritime and its affiliates thereafter will have the right to
nominate one out of eight directors. If the holdings of Capital
Maritime and its affiliates fall below 5%, Capital Maritime
thereafter will no longer have any rights to nominate directors to
the Board. The remaining members of the Board will be nominated by
CCEC’s nominating committee and all directors will be elected by
majority vote of the holders of Common Shares (including Capital
Maritime and its affiliates), other than in a contested election,
in which the election of directors will be by a plurality
vote.
Mr. Jerry Kalogiratos, Chief Executive Officer
of our General Partner, said: “Today’s announcement of Capital
Product Partners’ conversion into a Marshall Islands corporation is
an important step in the growth and evolution of the group. It
builds upon our stated intention to become the only listed shipping
company offering transportation for all gas types with an emphasis
on the energy transition, as these vessels can move LPG, ammonia,
butane, propylene and liquid CO2, adding to LNG, where we already
have a presence. When completed, this conversion will enhance our
corporate governance and is intended to position the group as a
more attractive investment opportunity in the equity capital
markets. We have structured the converted company in a manner that
we believe will appeal to institutional investors, which we believe
will further broaden our investor base and improve our trading
liquidity.”
The forgoing description of the Conversion is
qualified by reference to the full definitive documents for the
Conversion, which will be filed with the SEC.
The Conversion and the Name Change were approved
by the Committee and our Board and we obtained unitholder approval
for the Conversion and the Name Change by written consent of
Capital Maritime and its affiliates, which hold a majority of our
outstanding common units, pursuant to Section 13.11 of our Second
Amended and Restated Agreement of Limited Partnership. Raymond
James & Associates, Inc served as financial advisor
and Fried, Frank, Harris, Shriver & Jacobson
LLP served as legal advisor to the Committee.
Evercore served as financial advisor and Sullivan &
Cromwell LLP served as legal advisor to Capital Maritime.
About Capital Product Partners
L.P.
Capital Product Partners L.P. (NASDAQ: CPLP), a
Marshall Islands limited partnership, is one of the world’s leading
platforms of gas carriage solutions with a focus on energy
transition. CPLP currently owns 20 high specification vessels,
including 12 latest generation LNG carriers (LNG/Cs) and eight
legacy Neo-Panamax container vessels. In addition, CPLP has agreed
to acquire six additional latest generation LNG/Cs, six dual fuel
medium gas carriers and four handy liquid CO2/multi gas carriers,
to be delivered between the first quarter of 2026 and the third
quarter of 2027.
For more information about CPLP, please
visit: www.capitalpplp.com.
Forward-Looking Statements
The statements in this press release that are
not historical facts, including, among other things, the Conversion
and the Name Change, the transactions contemplated pursuant to the
Umbrella Agreement, CPLP’s ability to pursue growth opportunities
and CPLP’s expectations or objectives regarding future vessel
deliveries and charter rate expectations, are forward-looking
statements (as such term is defined in Section 21E of the
Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended). These forward-looking
statements involve risks and uncertainties that could cause the
stated or forecasted results to be materially different from those
anticipated. For a discussion of factors that could materially
affect the outcome of forward-looking statements and other risks
and uncertainties, see “Risk Factors” in CPLP’s annual report filed
with the SEC on Form 20-F for the year ended December 31, 2023,
filed on April 23, 2024. Unless required by law, CPLP expressly
disclaims any obligation to update or revise any of these
forward-looking statements, whether because of future events, new
information, a change in its views or expectations, to conform them
to actual results or otherwise. CPLP does not assume any
responsibility for the accuracy and completeness of the
forward-looking statements. You are cautioned not to place undue
reliance on forward-looking statements.
Contact Details:
Capital GP L.L.C.Brian
Gallagher EVP Investor RelationsTel. +44-(770) 368 4996
E-mail: b.gallagher@capitalmaritime.com
Investor Relations /
MediaNicolas BornozisCapital Link, Inc. (New York)Tel.
+1-212-661-7566E-mail: cplp@capitallink.comSource: Capital
Product
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