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Related Party Transactions
9 Months Ended
Sep. 30, 2021
Related Party Transactions [Abstract]  
Related Party Transactions RELATED PARTY TRANSACTIONS
As of September 30, 2021, Martin Resource Management Corporation owns 6,114,532 of the Partnership’s common units representing approximately 15.8% of the Partnership’s outstanding limited partner units.  Martin Resource Management Corporation controls the Partnership's general partner by virtue of its 51% voting interest in Holdings, the sole member of the Partnership's general partner. The Partnership’s general partner, MMGP, owns a 2% general partner interest in the Partnership and the Partnership’s IDRs.  The Partnership’s general partner’s ability, as general partner, to manage and operate the Partnership, and Martin Resource Management Corporation’s ownership as of September 30, 2021, effectively gives Martin Resource Management Corporation the ability to veto some of the Partnership’s actions and to control the Partnership’s management.
 
    The following is a description of the Partnership’s material related party agreements and transactions:
 
Omnibus Agreement
 
       Omnibus Agreement.  The Partnership and its general partner are parties to the Omnibus Agreement dated November 1, 2002, with Martin Resource Management Corporation that governs, among other things, potential competition and indemnification obligations among the parties to the agreement, related party transactions, the provision of general administration and support services by Martin Resource Management Corporation and the Partnership’s use of certain Martin Resource Management Corporation trade names and trademarks. The Omnibus Agreement was amended on November 25, 2009, to include processing crude oil into finished products including naphthenic lubricants, distillates, asphalt and other intermediate cuts. The Omnibus Agreement was amended further on October 1, 2012, to permit the Partnership to provide certain lubricant packaging products and services to Martin Resource Management Corporation.
    Non-Competition Provisions. Martin Resource Management Corporation has agreed for so long as it controls the general partner of the Partnership, not to engage in the business of:

providing terminalling and storage services for petroleum products and by-products including the refining, blending and packaging of finished lubricants;

providing land and marine transportation of petroleum products, by-products, and chemicals;

distributing NGLs; and

manufacturing and selling sulfur-based fertilizer products and other sulfur-related products.

    This restriction does not apply to:

the ownership and/or operation on the Partnership’s behalf of any asset or group of assets owned by it or its affiliates;

any business operated by Martin Resource Management Corporation, including the following:

distributing asphalt, marine fuel and other liquids;

providing shore-based marine services in Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, and Alabama;

operating a crude oil gathering business in Stephens, Arkansas;

providing crude oil gathering and marketing services of base oils, asphalt, and distillate products in Smackover, Arkansas;

providing crude oil marketing and transportation from the well head to the end market;

operating an environmental consulting company;

supplying employees and services for the operation of the Partnership's business; and

operating, solely for the Partnership's account, the asphalt facilities in Omaha, Nebraska, Port Neches, Texas, and South Houston, Texas.

any business that Martin Resource Management Corporation acquires or constructs that has a fair market value of less than $5,000;

any business that Martin Resource Management Corporation acquires or constructs that has a fair market value of $5,000 or more if the Partnership has been offered the opportunity to purchase the business for fair market value and the Partnership declines to do so with the concurrence of the conflicts committee of the board of directors of the general partner of the Partnership (the "Conflicts Committee"); and

any business that Martin Resource Management Corporation acquires or constructs where a portion of such business includes a restricted business and the fair market value of the restricted business is $5,000 or more and represents less than 20% of the aggregate value of the entire business to be acquired or constructed; provided that, following completion of the acquisition or construction, the Partnership will be provided the opportunity to purchase the restricted business.
    
    Services.  Under the Omnibus Agreement, Martin Resource Management Corporation provides the Partnership with corporate staff, support services, and administrative services necessary to operate the Partnership’s business. The Omnibus Agreement requires the Partnership to reimburse Martin Resource Management Corporation for all direct expenses it incurs or payments it makes on the Partnership’s behalf or in connection with the operation of the Partnership’s business. There is no
monetary limitation on the amount the Partnership is required to reimburse Martin Resource Management Corporation for direct expenses.  In addition to the direct expenses, under the Omnibus Agreement, the Partnership is required to reimburse Martin Resource Management Corporation for indirect general and administrative and corporate overhead expenses.

    Effective January 1, 2021, through December 31, 2021, the Conflicts Committee approved an annual reimbursement amount for indirect expenses of $14,386. The Partnership reimbursed Martin Resource Management Corporation for $3,597 and $4,103 of indirect expenses for the three months ended September 30, 2021 and 2020, respectively.  The Partnership reimbursed Martin Resource Management Corporation for $10,790 and $12,364 of indirect expenses for the nine months ended September 30, 2021 and 2020, respectively.  The Conflicts Committee will review and approve future adjustments in the reimbursement amount for indirect expenses, if any, annually.

    These indirect expenses are intended to cover the centralized corporate functions Martin Resource Management Corporation provides to the Partnership, such as accounting, treasury, clerical, engineering, legal, billing, information technology, administration of insurance, general office expenses and employee benefit plans and other general corporate overhead functions the Partnership shares with Martin Resource Management Corporation retained businesses. The provisions of the Omnibus Agreement regarding Martin Resource Management Corporation’s services will terminate if Martin Resource Management Corporation ceases to control the general partner of the Partnership.

    Related  Party Transactions. The Omnibus Agreement prohibits the Partnership from entering into any material agreement with Martin Resource Management Corporation without the prior approval of the Conflicts Committee. For purposes of the Omnibus Agreement, the term "material agreements" means any agreement between the Partnership and Martin Resource Management Corporation that requires aggregate annual payments in excess of the then-applicable agreed upon reimbursable amount of indirect general and administrative expenses. Please read "Services" above.

    License Provisions. Under the Omnibus Agreement, Martin Resource Management Corporation has granted the Partnership a nontransferable, nonexclusive, royalty-free right and license to use certain of its trade names and marks, as well as the trade names and marks used by some of its affiliates.

    Amendment and Termination. The Omnibus Agreement may be amended by written agreement of the parties; provided, however, that it may not be amended without the approval of the Conflicts Committee if such amendment would adversely affect the unitholders. The Omnibus Agreement was first amended on November 25, 2009, to permit the Partnership to provide refining services to Martin Resource Management Corporation.  The Omnibus Agreement was amended further on October 1, 2012, to permit the Partnership to provide certain lubricant packaging products and services to Martin Resource Management Corporation.  Such amendments were approved by the Conflicts Committee.  The Omnibus Agreement, other than the indemnification provisions and the provisions limiting the amount for which the Partnership will reimburse Martin Resource Management Corporation for general and administrative services performed on its behalf, will terminate if the Partnership is no longer an affiliate of Martin Resource Management Corporation.

Master Transportation Services Agreement

    Master Transportation Agreement.  Martin Transport, Inc. ("MTI"), a wholly owned subsidiary of the Partnership, is a party to a master transportation services agreement effective January 1, 2019, with certain wholly owned subsidiaries of Martin Resource Management Corporation. Under the agreement, MTI agreed to transport Martin Resource Management Corporation's petroleum products and by-products.

    Term and Pricing. The agreement will continue unless either party terminates the agreement by giving at least 30 days' written notice to the other party.  The rates under the agreement are subject to any adjustments which are mutually agreed upon or in accordance with a price index. Additionally, shipping charges are also subject to fuel surcharges determined on a weekly basis in accordance with the U.S. Department of Energy’s national diesel price list.

    Indemnification.  MTI has agreed to indemnify Martin Resource Management Corporation against all claims arising out of the negligence or willful misconduct of MTI and its officers, employees, agents, representatives and subcontractors. Martin Resource Management Corporation has agreed to indemnify MTI against all claims arising out of the negligence or willful misconduct of Martin Resource Management Corporation and its officers, employees, agents, representatives and
subcontractors. In the event a claim is the result of the joint negligence or misconduct of MTI and Martin Resource Management Corporation, indemnification obligations will be shared in proportion to each party’s allocable share of such joint negligence or misconduct.

Marine Agreements

    Marine Transportation Agreement. The Partnership is a party to a marine transportation agreement effective January 1, 2006, as amended, under which the Partnership provides marine transportation services to Martin Resource Management Corporation on a spot-contract basis at applicable market rates.  Effective each January 1, this agreement automatically renews for consecutive one year periods unless either party terminates the agreement by giving written notice to the other party at least 60 days prior to the expiration of the then applicable term. The fees the Partnership charges Martin Resource Management Corporation are based on applicable market rates.

    Marine Fuel.  The Partnership is a party to an agreement with Martin Resource Management Corporation dated November 1, 2002, under which Martin Resource Management Corporation provides the Partnership with marine fuel from its locations in the Gulf of Mexico at a fixed rate in excess of the Platt’s U.S. Gulf Coast Index for #2 Fuel Oil.  Under this agreement, the Partnership agreed to purchase all of its marine fuel requirements that occur in the areas serviced by Martin Resource Management Corporation.

Terminal Services Agreements

    Diesel Fuel Terminal Services Agreement.  Effective January 1, 2016, the Partnership entered into a second amended and restated terminalling services agreement under which the Partnership provides terminal services to Martin Resource Management Corporation for marine fuel distribution.  At such time, the per-gallon throughput fee the Partnership charged under this agreement was increased when compared to the previous agreement and may be adjusted annually based on a price index.  This agreement was further amended on January 1, 2017, October 1, 2017, April 1, 2019, and January 1, 2020 to modify its minimum throughput requirements and throughput fees. The term of this agreement is currently evergreen and it will continue on a month to month basis until terminated by either party by giving 60 days’ written notice.  

    Miscellaneous Terminal Services Agreements.  The Partnership is currently party to several terminal services agreements and from time to time the Partnership may enter into other terminal service agreements for the purpose of providing terminal services to related parties. Individually, each of these agreements is immaterial but when considered in the aggregate they could be deemed material. These agreements are throughput based with a minimum volume commitment. Generally, the fees due under these agreements are adjusted annually based on a price index.

Other Agreements

     Cross Tolling Agreement. The Partnership is a party to an amended and restated tolling agreement with Cross Oil Refining and Marketing, Inc. ("Cross") dated October 28, 2014, under which the Partnership processes crude oil into finished products, including naphthenic lubricants, distillates, asphalt and other intermediate cuts for Cross.  The tolling agreement expires November 25, 2031.  Under this tolling agreement, Cross agreed to process a minimum of 6,500 barrels per day of crude oil at the facility at a fixed price per barrel.  Any additional barrels are processed at a modified price per barrel.  In addition, Cross agreed to pay a monthly reservation fee and a periodic fuel surcharge fee based on certain parameters specified in the tolling agreement.   Further, certain capital improvements, to the extent requested by Cross, are reimbursed through a capital recovery fee.  As of December 31, 2019, the annual capital recovery fee reimbursement of $2,088 expired. An additional $2,586 of capital recovery fee reimbursement expired on December 31, 2020.  All of these fees (other than the fuel surcharge and capital recovery fee) are subject to escalation annually based upon the greater of 3% or the increase in the Consumer Price Index for a specified annual period. Also, the Partnership renegotiated a crude transportation contract set to expire in the first half of 2022, resulting in a reduction in revenue of $2,145 annually beginning January 1, 2020.

East Texas Mack Leases. MTI leases equipment, including tractors and trailers, from East Texas Mack Sales ("East Texas Mack"). Certain of our directors or officers are owners of East Texas Mack, including entities affiliated with Ruben Martin, who owns approximately 46% of the issued and outstanding stock of East Texas Mack. Amounts paid to East Texas Mack for tractor and trailer lease payments and lease residuals for the three months ended September 30, 2021 and 2020 were
$283 and $173, respectively. Amounts paid to East Texas Mack for tractor and trailer lease payments and lease residuals for the nine months ended September 30, 2021 and 2020 were $801 and $432, respectively.

    Other Miscellaneous Agreements. From time to time the Partnership enters into other miscellaneous agreements with Martin Resource Management Corporation for the provision of other services or the purchase of other goods.

    The tables below summarize the related party transactions that are included in the related financial statement captions on the face of the Partnership’s Consolidated and Condensed Statements of Operations. The revenues, costs and expenses reflected in these tables are tabulations of the related party transactions that are recorded in the corresponding captions of the consolidated and condensed financial statements and do not reflect a statement of profits and losses for related party transactions.

    The impact of related party revenues from sales of products and services is reflected in the consolidated and condensed financial statements as follows:
 Three Months Ended September 30,Nine Months Ended September 30,
2021202020212020
Revenues:    
Terminalling and storage$15,866 $15,902 $46,741 $47,718 
Transportation5,564 5,514 14,463 16,801 
Product sales:
Sulfur services28 87 33 
Terminalling and storage40 64 166 166 
 68 69 253 199 
 $21,498 $21,485 $61,457 $64,718 

    The impact of related party cost of products sold is reflected in the consolidated and condensed financial statements as follows:
 Three Months Ended September 30,Nine Months Ended September 30,
2021202020212020
Cost of products sold:    
Sulfur services$2,441 $2,512 $7,379 $7,833 
Terminalling and storage7,259 4,303 18,863 14,329 
 $9,700 $6,815 $26,242 $22,162 

    The impact of related party operating expenses is reflected in the consolidated and condensed financial statements as follows:
Three Months Ended September 30,Nine Months Ended September 30,
2021202020212020
Operating expenses:    
Transportation$13,949 $13,009 $40,652 $41,950 
Natural gas liquids534 486 1,511 1,481 
Sulfur services1,321 1,120 3,370 3,403 
Terminalling and storage4,284 4,300 12,513 13,292 
 $20,088 $18,915 $58,046 $60,126 
    The impact of related party selling, general and administrative expenses is reflected in the consolidated and condensed financial statements as follows:
Three Months Ended September 30,Nine Months Ended September 30,
2021202020212020
Selling, general and administrative:    
Transportation$1,732 $1,803 $5,103 $5,459 
Natural gas liquids576 772 2,660 2,009 
Sulfur services813 765 2,320 2,254 
Terminalling and storage878 863 2,530 2,536 
Indirect, including overhead allocation3,660 4,153 11,011 12,465 
 $7,659 $8,356 $23,624 $24,723