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Organization
12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2018
Organization, Consolidation and Presentation of Financial Statements [Abstract]  
Organization
1.

Organization:

Emerging CTA Portfolio L.P. (the “Partnership”) is a limited partnership that was organized on July 7, 2003 under the partnership laws of the State of New York. The objective of the Partnership is to achieve capital appreciation through the allocation of assets to early-stage commodity trading advisors or established advisors employing early-stage strategies, which engage, directly and indirectly through investment in the Funds (as defined below), in speculative trading of a diversified portfolio of commodity interests, including futures, options on futures, forward, options on forward, spot and swap contracts, cash commodities and any other rights or interests pertaining thereto. The Partnership may also enter into swap and other derivative transactions directly and through its investment in the Funds with the approval of the General Partner (as defined below). The sectors traded include currencies, livestock, energy, grains, metals, indices, softs and U.S. and non-U.S. interest rates. The commodity interests that are traded by the Partnership directly or indirectly through its investment in the Funds are volatile and involve a high degree of market risk. The General Partner may also determine to invest up to all of the Partnership’s assets (directly or indirectly through its investment in the Funds) in United States (“U.S.”) Treasury bills and/or money market mutual funds, including money market mutual funds managed by Morgan Stanley or its affiliates.

Between December 1, 2003 (commencement of the offering period) and August 5, 2004, 20,872 units of limited partnership interest (“Redeemable Units”) were sold at $1,000 per Redeemable Unit. The proceeds of the initial offering were held in an escrow account until August 6, 2004, at which time they were remitted to the Partnership for trading. The Partnership privately and continuously offers Redeemable Units to qualified investors. There is no maximum number of Redeemable Units that may be sold by the Partnership.

Ceres Managed Futures LLC, a Delaware limited liability company, acts as the general partner (the “General Partner”) and commodity pool operator of the Partnership and is the trading manager (the “Trading Manager”) of AE Capital Master (as defined below) and Harbour Square Master (as defined below). As of January 1, 2017, the General Partner became a wholly-owned subsidiary of Morgan Stanley Domestic Holdings, Inc. (“MSD Holdings”). MSD Holdings is ultimately owned by Morgan Stanley. Morgan Stanley is a publicly held company whose shares are listed on the New York Stock Exchange. Morgan Stanley is engaged in various financial services and other businesses. Prior to January 1, 2017, the General Partner was a wholly-owned subsidiary of Morgan Stanley Smith Barney Holdings LLC. All trading decisions for the Partnership are made by the Advisors (as defined below).

During the reporting periods covered by this report, the Partnership’s/Funds’ commodity broker was Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC (“MS&Co.”), a registered futures commission merchant. JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A. (“JPMorgan”) was also a foreign exchange forward contract counterparty for certain Funds. The Partnership/Funds deposited a portion of their cash in non-trading bank accounts at JPMorgan.

As of September 1, 2011, the Partnership began offering three classes of limited partnership interests: Class A Redeemable Units, Class D Redeemable Units and Class Z Redeemable Units; each of which will be referred to as a “Class” and collectively referred to as the “Classes.” All Redeemable Units issued prior to September 1, 2011 were deemed “Class A Redeemable Units.” The rights, liabilities, risks, and fees associated with investment in the Class A Redeemable Units were not changed. Class A Redeemable Units and Class D Redeemable Units are available to taxable U.S. individuals and institutions, U.S. tax exempt individuals and institutions and non-U.S. investors. Class Z Redeemable Units are offered to certain employees of Morgan Stanley and its subsidiaries (and their family members). The Class of Redeemable Units that a limited partner of the Partnership receives upon subscription will generally depend upon the amount invested in the Partnership or the status of the limited partner, although the General Partner may determine to offer a particular Class of Redeemable Units to investors at its discretion. Class Z Redeemable Units were first issued on July 1, 2017. As of December 31, 2018, there were no Redeemable Units outstanding in Class D.

All trading decisions are made for the Partnership by its trading advisors (the “Advisors”). As of December 31, 2018, AE Capital PTY Limited (“AE Capital”), Harbour Square Capital Management LLC (“Harbour Square”), Independent View BV (“Independent View”), Katonah Capital Partners Management, LLC (“Katonah”) and SECOR Capital Advisors, LP (“SECOR”) served as the Partnership’s major commodity trading advisors. Effective October 1, 2018, the Partnership, the General Partner, The Cambridge Strategy (Asset Management) Limited (“Cambridge”) and Mesirow Financial International UK Limited (“Mesirow”) entered into a novation, assignment and assumption agreement, dated September 28, 2018, pursuant to which Cambridge transferred all of its future rights, obligations, and liabilities under that certain amended and restated management agreement, by and among the General Partner, the Partnership and Cambridge, dated as of October 1, 2013, as amended January 1, 2018 (collectively, the “Initial Advisory Agreement”), to Mesirow. From October 1, 2018 until its termination effective October 31, 2018, Mesirow had undertaken to perform the Initial Advisory Agreement and be bound by its terms in every way as if it were the original party to it in place of Cambridge.

Effective March 1, 2018, Launchpad Capital Management, LLC (“Launchpad”) ceased to act as a commodity trading advisor to the Partnership. Effective April 30, 2018, Buttonwood Merchants, LLC (“Buttonwood”) ceased to act as a commodity trading advisor to the Partnership. Effective February 28, 2017, Willowbridge Associates Inc. (“Willowbridge”) ceased to act as a commodity trading advisor to the Partnership. Effective September 30, 2016, Centurion Investment Management, LLC (“Centurion”) ceased to act as a commodity trading advisor to the Partnership. Effective July 31, 2016, Perella Weinberg Partners Capital Management LP (“Perella”) ceased to act as a commodity trading advisor to the Partnership. Each Advisor is allocated a portion of the Partnership’s assets to manage. The Partnership invests the portion of its assets allocated to each of the Advisors either directly, through individually managed accounts, or indirectly, through its investment in the Funds. In addition, the General Partner may allocate the Partnership’s assets to additional non-major trading advisors (i.e. commodity trading advisors allocated less than 10% of the Partnership’s assets). Information about advisors allocated less than 10% of the Partnership’s assets may not be disclosed. The General Partner may also allocate less than 10% of the Partnership’s assets to a new trading advisor or another trading program of a current Advisor. References herein to the “Advisors” may also include, as relevant, references to Cambridge, Mesirow, Launchpad, Buttonwood, Willowbridge, Centurion and Perella.

On November 1, 2018, the Partnership allocated a portion of its assets to Katonah. Katonah began trading the assets directly pursuant to Katonah’s Laplace Program through a managed account in the Partnership’s name.

On September 1, 2017, the Partnership allocated a portion of its assets to Launchpad, which traded the assets directly pursuant to Launchpad’s MJP Commodity Strategy through a managed account in the Partnership’s name. Effective March 1, 2018, Launchpad transferred its rights and obligations under its management agreement with the Partnership and the General Partner to Buttonwood, and Buttonwood entered into a new management agreement with the Partnership and the General Partner pursuant to which Buttonwood assumed Launchpad’s rights and obligations. Prior to Buttonwood’s termination effective April 30, 2018, the assets allocated to it had been traded directly pursuant to its Liquid Commodity Strategy.

On October 1, 2016, the Partnership allocated a portion of its assets to Independent View, which trades the assets directly pursuant to Independent View’s IV Quantitative Futures Fund Program through a managed account in the Partnership’s name.

Prior to its termination effective September 30, 2016, the assets allocated to Centurion for trading had been traded directly pursuant to Centurion’s Short Term Systemic Strategy Program. Prior to its termination effective July 31, 2016, the assets allocated to Perella had been traded directly pursuant to a variation of the program traded by PWP Global Macro Master Fund L.P.

SECOR Master Fund L.P (“SECOR Master”), CMF AE Capital Master Fund LLC (“AE Capital Master”) and the Partnership have, and, prior to their respective terminations, CMF Willowbridge Master Fund L.P. (“Willowbridge Master”) and Cambridge Master Fund L.P (“Cambridge Master”) had, entered into futures brokerage account agreements and foreign exchange brokerage account agreements with MS&Co. CMF Harbour Square Master Fund LLC (“Harbour Square Master”) has entered into a futures brokerage account agreement with MS&Co. SECOR Master, AE Capital Master and Harbour Square Master are collectively referred to as the “Funds.” References herein to “Funds” may also include as relevant, reference to Cambridge Master and Willowbridge Master.

Effective July 12, 2017, SECOR Master and, prior to its termination, Cambridge Master, each entered into certain agreements with JPMorgan in connection with trading in forward foreign currency contracts on behalf of the referenced Funds and indirectly, the Partnership. These agreements include a foreign exchange and bullion authorization agreement (“FX Agreement”), an International Swap Dealers Association, Inc. master agreement (“Master Agreement”), a schedule to the Master Agreement, a 2016 credit support annex for variation margin to the schedule and an institutional account agreement. In addition to SECOR Master and Cambridge Master, SECOR and Mesirow/Cambridge are or were parties to the FX Agreements for the Funds to which each acts or acted as advisor. Under each FX Agreement, JPMorgan charges a fee on the aggregate foreign currency transactions entered into on behalf of the respective Fund during a month.

On October 10, 2018, Cambridge, Mesirow, Cambridge Master and JPMorgan entered into an amendment and assignment agreement (the “Assignment Agreement”), effective as of October 1, 2018, to the FX Agreement pursuant to which Cambridge assigned to Mesirow all of its rights, liabilities, duties and obligations under and in respect of the FX Agreement, Mesirow accepted such assignment and assumed all rights, liabilities, duties and obligations under and in respect of the FX Agreement and JPMorgan consented to such assignment and assumption. Pursuant to the Assignment Agreement, all references to Cambridge were replaced by references to Mesirow, and all references to “Investment Manager” are deemed to refer to Mesirow.

 

On October 10, 2018, Cambridge Master and JPMorgan entered into an amendment (the “ISDA Amendment”), effective as of October 1, 2018, to the schedule to the Master Agreement, dated as of July 12, 2017, between Cambridge Master and JPMorgan. Pursuant to the ISDA Amendment, all references to Cambridge were replaced by references to Mesirow.

The Partnership will be liquidated upon the first to occur of the following: December 31, 2023; the net asset value per Redeemable Unit of limited partnership interest of any Class decreases to less than $400 as of the close of any business day; or under certain other circumstances as defined in the limited partnership agreement of the Partnership (the “Limited Partnership Agreement”). In addition, the General Partner may, in its sole discretion, cause the Partnership to be liquidated if the aggregate net assets of the Partnership decline to less than $1,000,000.

In July 2015, the General Partner delegated certain administrative functions to SS&C Technologies, Inc., a Delaware corporation, currently doing business as SS&C GlobeOp (the “Administrator”). Pursuant to a master services agreement, the Administrator furnishes certain administrative, accounting, regulatory reporting, tax and other services as agreed from time to time. In addition, the Administrator maintains certain books and records of the Partnership. The cost of retaining the Administrator is allocated among the pools operated by the General Partner, including the Partnership.