Note 7 - Affiliates Balances

9 Months Ended

Sep. 30, 2021

Notes to Financial Statements

Equity Method Investments and Joint Ventures Disclosure [Text Block]

(7) AFFILIATES BALANCES

We maintained the following balances with our unconsolidated affiliates:

(In thousands)	September 30, 2021		December 31, 2020
Due from affiliates:
Angolan joint venture (Sonatide)	$	47,251	$	41,623
Nigeria joint venture (DTDW)		20,966		20,427
		68,217		62,050
Due to affiliates:
Sonatide	$	38,605	$	32,767
DTDW		20,966		20,427
		59,571		53,194
Net due from affiliates	$	8,646	$	8,856

Amounts due from Sonatide

Amounts due from Sonatide represent cash received by Sonatide from customers and due to us, amounts due from customers that are expected to be remitted to us by Sonatide and costs incurred by us on behalf of Sonatide. The following table displays the activity in the due from affiliate account related to Sonatide for the period indicated:

	Nine Months
	Ended
(In thousands)	September 30, 2021
Due from Sonatide at December 31, 2020	$	41,623
Revenue earned by the company through Sonatide		29,096
Less amounts received from Sonatide		(19,275	)
Less amounts used to offset due to Sonatide obligations		(5,177	)
Other		984
Total due from Sonatide at September 30, 2021	$	47,251

The amounts due from Sonatide are denominated in U.S. dollars; however, the underlying third-party customer payments to Sonatide were satisfied, in part, in Angolan kwanzas. In late 2019, we were informed that, as part of a broad privatization program, Sonangol, our partner in Sonatide, intends to seek to divest itself from the Sonatide joint venture.

In the second quarter of 2020, Sonatide declared a $35.0 million dividend. On September 22, 2020, Sonangol received $17.8 million and we received $17.2 million. All of our share of the dividend is reflected as dividend income from unconsolidated company in the consolidated statement of operations because (i) our investment in the Sonatide joint venture had previously been written down to zero, (ii) the distributions are not refundable and (iii) we are not liable for the obligations of or committed to provide financial support to the Sonatide joint venture. In addition, as a result of the aforementioned dividend payment, the cash balances of the joint venture were significantly reduced and we determined that, as a result, a significant portion of our net due from Sonatide balance was compromised. During the nine months ended September 30, 2020, we recorded a $41.5 million credit loss impairment expense.

After offsetting the amounts due to Sonatide, the net amount due from Sonatide at September 30, 2021 was approximately $8.6 million. Sonatide had approximately $11.2 million of cash on hand at September 30, 2021 plus approximately $9.5 million of net trade accounts receivable to satisfy the net due from Sonatide. Given prior discussions with our partner regarding how the net losses from the devaluation of certain Angolan kwanza denominated accounts should be shared, we continue to evaluate our net due from Sonatide balance for possible additional changes in future periods based in part on available liquidity held by Sonatide. In the nine months ended September 30, 2021, we recorded a $1.0 million credit to the credit loss impairment account.

Amounts due to Sonatide

Amounts due to Sonatide represent commissions payable and other costs paid by Sonatide on our behalf. The following table displays the activity in the due to affiliate account related to Sonatide for the period indicated:

	Nine Months
	Ended
(In thousands)	September 30, 2021
Due to Sonatide at December 31, 2020	$	32,767
Plus additional commissions payable to Sonatide		2,659
Plus amounts paid by Sonatide on behalf of the company		7,811
Less amounts used to offset due from Sonatide obligations		(5,177	)
Other		545
Total due to Sonatide at September 30, 2021	$	38,605

Company operations in Angola

Vessel revenues generated by our Angolan operations, percent of consolidated vessel revenues, average number of company owned vessels and average number of stacked company owned vessels of our Angolan operations for the periods indicated were as follows:

	Three Months Ended						Nine Months Ended
	September 30, 2021			September 30, 2020			September 30, 2021			September 30, 2020
Revenues of Angolan operations (in thousands)	$	12,046		$	10,660		$	30,413		$	35,086
Percent of consolidated vessel revenues		13	%		12	%		11	%		12	%
Number of company owned vessels in Angola		24			24			23			26
Number of stacked company owned vessels in Angola		4			8			5			9

Amounts due from DTDW

We own 40% of DTDW. Our partner, who owns 60%, is a Nigerian national. DTDW owns one offshore service vessel. We also, from time to time, operate company owned vessels in Nigeria for which our partner receives a commission. As of September 30, 2021, we had no company owned vessels operating in Nigeria and the DTDW owned vessel was not employed. As a result, the near-term cash flow projections indicate that DTDW does not have sufficient funds to meet its obligations to us or its vendors. Based on current situations, operations in Nigeria have been severely impacted and we have effectively ceased activity. We have created a fully reserved position in our consolidated balance sheet to account for our expected liabilities related to certain obligations of the joint venture. In the second quarter of 2020, we recorded an affiliate credit loss impairment expense for the entire net due from DTDW balance as of September 30, 2020 totaling $12.1 million.

Previously, DTDW had long-term debt of $4.7 million which was secured by the vessel owned by DTDW and guarantees from the DTDW partners (in proportion to their ownership interests). On April 22, 2021, we paid approximately $2.0 million, which was fully reserved during 2020, that represented our portion of the joint venture debt guarantee and our partner assumed the remaining joint venture debt which represented his portion of the guarantee.