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10-K 1 f88255be10vk.htm 10-K e10vk

UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

FORM 10-K

[X] ANNUAL REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE
ACT OF 1934

For the fiscal year ended December 31, 2002

[ ] TRANSITION REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE
ACT OF 1934

For the transition period from to .

Commission file number 0-18169

IEA INCOME FUND IX, L.P.

(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)


California (State or other jurisdiction of incorporation or organization)		94-3069954 (I.R.S. Employer Identification No.)

One Front Street, 15th Floor, San Francisco, California 94111
(Address of principal executive offices) (Zip Code)

Registrant’s telephone number, including area code (415) 677-8990

Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act:


Title of each class		Name of each exchange on which registered
Not Applicable

Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(g) of the Act:

UNITS OF LIMITED PARTNERSHIP INTERESTS

(Title of Class)

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant (1) has filed all reports required to be filed by Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to file such reports), and (2) has been subject to such filing requirements for the past 90 days. Yes [X]. No [ ].

Indicate by check mark if disclosure of delinquent filers pursuant to Item 405 of Regulation S-K (§229.405 of this chapter) is not contained herein, and will not be contained, to the best of Registrant’s knowledge, in definitive proxy or information statements incorporated by reference in Part III of this Form 10-K or any amendment to this Form 10-K. [X]

The aggregate market value of the voting stock held by non-affiliates of the registrant is not applicable.

Documents incorporated by Reference

Prospectus of IEA Income Fund IX, L.P. dated September 12, 1988 included as
part of Registration Statement on Form S-1 (No. 33-23321)

IEA INCOME FUND IX, L.P.

Report on Form 10-K for the Fiscal Year
Ended December 31, 2002

TABLE OF CONTENTS


	PAGE
PART I
Item 1 — Description of Business		3
Item 2 — Properties		10
Item 3 — Legal Proceedings		10
Item 4 — Submission of Matters to a Vote of Security Holders		10
PART II
Item 5 — Market for the Registrant		11
Item 6 — Selected Financial Data		12
Item 7 — Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations		12
Item 7A —Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosures About Market Risk		16
Item 8 — Financial Statements and Supplementary Data		16
Item 9 — Changes in and Disagreements with Accountants on Accounting and Financial Disclosure		28
PART III
Item 10 — Directors and Executive Officers of the Registrant		29
Item 11 — Executive Compensation		31
Item 12 — Security Ownership of Certain Beneficial Owners and Management		32
Item 13 — Certain Relationships and Related Transactions		32
Item 14 — Controls and Procedures		32
PART IV
Item 15 — Exhibits, Financial Statement Schedules, and Reports on Form 8-K		33

PART I

Item 1. Business

(a) General Development of Business

The Registrant is a California limited partnership formed on June 8, 1988 to engage in the business of leasing marine dry cargo containers to unaffiliated third-party lessees. The Registrant was initially capitalized with $100, and commenced offering its limited partnership interests to the public during the week of September 12, 1988, pursuant to its Registration Statement on Form S-1 (File No. 33-23321). The offering terminated on August 31, 1989.

The Registrant raised $16,996,100 in subscription proceeds. The following table sets forth the use of said subscription proceeds:


				Percentage of
		Amount		Gross Proceeds

Gross Subscription Proceeds		$	16,996,100		100.0	%
Public Offering Expenses:
	Underwriting Commissions	$	1,699,600		10.0	%
	Offering and Organization Expenses	$	434,497		2.6	%

	Total Public Offering Expenses	$	2,134,097		12.6	%

Net Proceeds		$	14,862,003		87.4	%
Acquisition Fees		$	145,536		0.8	%
Working Capital Reserve		$	162,897		1.0	%

Gross Proceeds Invested in Equipment		$	14,553,570		85.6	%

The general partner of the Registrant is Cronos Capital Corp. (“CCC”), a wholly-owned subsidiary of Cronos Holdings/Investments (U.S.), Inc., a Delaware corporation. These and other affiliated companies are ultimately wholly-owned by The Cronos Group, a holding company registered in Luxembourg (the “Parent Company”) and are collectively referred to as the “Group”. The activities of the container division of the Group are managed through the Group’s subsidiary in the United Kingdom, Cronos Containers Limited (the “Leasing Company”). The Leasing Company manages the leasing operations of all equipment owned by the Group on its own behalf or managed on behalf of other third-party container owners, including all programs organized by CCC.

Pursuant to the Limited Partnership Agreement of the Registrant, all authority to administer the business of the Registrant is vested in CCC. A Leasing Agent Agreement exists between CCC and the Leasing Company, whereby the Leasing Company has assumed the responsibility for the container leasing activities of CCC’s managed programs.

For a discussion of recent developments in the Registrant’s business, see Item 7, “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Result of Operations.”

For information concerning the containers acquired by the Registrant, see Item 2, “Properties.”

(b) Financial Information About Segments

An operating segment is a component of an enterprise that engages in business activities from which it may earn revenues and incur expenses, whose operating results are regularly reviewed by the enterprise’s chief operating decision maker to make decisions about resources to be allocated to the segment and assess its performance, and about which separate financial information is available. The Leasing Company’s management operates the Registrant’s container fleet as a homogenous unit and has determined that as such it has a single reportable operating segment.

Due to the Registrant’s lack of information regarding the physical location of its fleet of containers when on lease in the global shipping trade, it is impracticable to provide the geographic area information. Any attempt to separate “foreign” operations from “domestic” operations would be dependent on definitions and assumptions that are so subjective as to render the information meaningless and potentially misleading.

No single sub-lessee of the Leasing Company contributed more than 10% of the Leasing Company’s rental revenue earned on behalf of the Registrant during 2002, 2001 and 2000.

(c)(1)(i) A marine cargo container is a reusable metal container designed for the efficient carriage of cargo with a minimum of exposure to loss from damage or theft. Containers are manufactured to conform to worldwide standards of container dimensions and container ship fittings adopted by the International Standards Organization (“ISO”) in 1968. The standard container is either 20' long x 8' wide x 8'6'' high (one twenty-foot equivalent unit (“TEU”), the standard unit of physical measurement in the container industry) or 40' long x 8' wide x 8'6'' high (two TEU). Standardization of the construction, maintenance and handling of containers allows containers to be picked up, dropped off, stored and repaired efficiently throughout the world. This standardization is the foundation on which the container industry has developed.

Standard dry cargo containers are rectangular boxes with no moving parts, other than doors, and are typically made of steel. They are constructed to carry a wide variety of cargoes ranging from heavy industrial raw materials to light-weight finished goods. Specialized containers such as refrigerated and tank containers are utilized for the transport of temperature-sensitive goods and for the carriage of liquid cargo. Cellular palletwide containers (“CPCs”) provide shipping lines with a container with extra width for the carriage of unitized or palletized cargoes. Dry cargo containers currently constitute approximately 88% (in TEU) of the worldwide container fleet. Refrigerated and tank containers currently constitute approximately 5% (in TEU) of the worldwide container fleet, with open-tops and other specialized containers constituting the remaining 7%.

One of the primary benefits of containerization has been the ability of the shipping industry to effectively lower freight rates due to the efficiencies created by standardized intermodal containers. Containers can be handled much more efficiently than loose cargo and are typically shipped via several modes of transportation, including truck, rail and ship. Containers require loading and unloading only once and remain sealed until arrival at the final destination, significantly reducing transport time, labor and handling costs and losses due to damage and theft. Efficient movement of containerized cargo between ship and shore reduces the amount of time that a ship must spend in port and reduces the transit time of freight moves.

The logistical advantages and reduced freight rates brought about by containerization have been major catalysts for world trade growth since the late 1960’s, resulting in an increased demand for containers. The world’s container fleet has grown from an estimated 270,000 TEU in 1969 to approximately 16 million TEU by the end of 2002.

The container leasing business is cyclical, and depends largely upon the rate of growth in the volume of world trade. The container leasing industry has experienced cyclical downturns during the last sixteen years.

Benefits of Leasing

Leasing companies own approximately 44% of the world’s container fleet with the balance owned predominantly by shipping lines. Shipping lines, which traditionally operate on tight profit margins, often supplement their owned fleet of containers by leasing a portion of their equipment from container leasing companies and, in doing so, achieve the following financial and operational benefits:

• Leasing allows the shipping lines to utilize the equipment they need without having to make large capital expenditures;

• Leasing offers a shipping line an alternative source of financing in a traditionally capital-intensive industry;

• Leasing enables shipping lines to expand their routes and market shares at a relatively inexpensive cost without making a permanent commitment to support their new structure;

• Leasing allows shipping lines to respond to changing seasonal and trade route demands, thereby optimizing their capital investment and storage costs.

Types of Leases

On behalf of the Registrant, the Leasing Company leases the Registrant’s containers primarily to shipping lines operating in major trade routes (see Item 1(d)). Most if not all of the Registrant’s marine dry cargo containers are leased pursuant to operating leases, whereby the containers are leased to the ocean carrier on a daily basis for any desired length of time, with the flexibility of picking up and dropping off containers at various agreed upon locations around the world. Some of the Registrant’s containers may be leased pursuant to term leases, which may have durations of one to five years. Specialized containers are generally leased on longer-term leases because the higher cost, value and complexity of this equipment makes it more expensive to redeliver and lease out.

• Master lease. Master leases are short-term leases under which a customer reserves the right to lease a certain number of containers, as needed under a general agreement between the lessor and the lessee. Such leases provide customers with greater flexibility by allowing customers to pick up and drop off containers where and when needed, subject to restrictions and availability, on pre-agreed terms. The commercial terms of master leases are usually negotiated annually. Master leases also define the number of containers that may be returned within each calendar month, the return locations and applicable drop-off charges. Due to the increased flexibility they offer, master leases usually command higher per-diem rates and generate more ancillary fees (including pick-up, drop-off, handling and off-hire fees) than term leases. Master lease agreements have a duration of less than one year and include one-way, repositioning and round-trip leases. Ocean carriers generally use one-way leases to manage trade imbalances (where more containerized cargo moves in one direction than another) by picking up a container in one port and dropping it off at another location after one or more legs of a voyage.

• Term lease. Term leases are for a fixed period of time and include both long and short-term commitments, with most extending from three to five years. Term lease agreements may contain early termination penalties that apply in the event of early redelivery. In most cases, however, equipment is not returned prior to the expiration of the lease. Term leases provide greater revenue stability to the lessor, but at lower lease rates than master leases. Ocean carriers use long-term leases when they have a need for identified containers for a specified term. They differ from master leases in that they define the number of containers to be leased and the lease term.

The percentage of equipment on term leases as compared to master leases varies widely among leasing companies, depending upon each company’s strategy or margins, operating costs and cash flows.

Lease rates depend on several factors including the type of lease, length of term, maintenance provided, type and age of the equipment, location and availability, and market conditions.

The terms and conditions of the Leasing Company’s leases provide that customers are responsible for paying all taxes and service charges arising from container use, maintaining the containers in good and safe operating condition while on lease and paying for repairs, excluding ordinary wear and tear, upon redelivery. Some leases provide for a “damage protection plan” whereby lessees, for an additional payment (which may be in the form of a higher per-diem rate), are relieved of the responsibility of paying some of the repair costs upon redelivery of the containers. The Leasing Company provides this service to selected customers. Repairs provided under such plans are carried out by the same depots, under the same procedures, as are repairs to containers not covered by such plans. Customers also are required to insure leased containers against physical damage and loss, and against third party liability for loss, damage, bodily injury or death.

Customers

The Registrant is not dependent upon any particular customer or group of customers of the Leasing Company. None of those customers account for more than 10% of the Registrant’s revenue. Substantially all of the Leasing Company’s customers are billed and pay in United States dollars.

The Leasing Company sets maximum credit limits for the Registrant’s customers, limiting the number of containers leased to each according to established credit criteria. The Leasing Company continually tracks its credit exposure to each customer. The Leasing Company’s credit committee meets quarterly to analyze the performance of the Registrant’s customers and to recommend actions to be taken in order to minimize credit risks. The Leasing Company uses specialist third party credit information services and reports prepared by local staff to assess credit applications.

The Registrant may be subject to unexpected loss in rental revenue from lessees of its containers that default under their container lease agreements with the Leasing Company. The Registrant and Leasing Company maintain insurance against loss or damage to the containers, loss of lease revenue in certain cases and costs of container recovery and repair in the event that a customer declares bankruptcy.

Fleet Profile

The Registrant acquired high-quality dry cargo containers manufactured to specifications that exceed ISO standards and are designed to minimize repair and operating costs.

Dry cargo containers are the most commonly used type of container in the shipping industry. The Registrant’s dry cargo container fleet is constructed of all Corten® steel (i.e., Corten® roofs, walls, doors and undercarriage), which is a high-tensile steel yielding greater damage and corrosion resistance than mild steel and its containers purchased from manufacturers in Korea, Taiwan, and India.

As of December 31, 2002, the Registrant owned 790 twenty-foot, 333 forty-foot and 506 forty-foot high-cube marine dry cargo containers. The following table sets forth the number of containers on lease, by container type and lease type as of December 31, 2002:


			Number of
			Containers on Lease

20-Foot Dry Cargo Containers:
	Term Leases			468
	Master Leases			246

		Total on lease		714

40-Foot Dry Cargo Containers:
	Term Leases			184
	Master Leases			63

		Total on lease		247

40-Foot High-Cube Dry Cargo Containers:
	Term Leases			131
	Master Leases			261

		Total on lease		392

The Leasing Company makes payments to the Registrant based upon rentals collected from customers after deducting certain operating expenses associated with the containers, such as the base management fee payable to the Leasing Company, certain expense reimbursements payable to CCC and the Leasing Company, the costs of maintenance and repairs not performed by lessees, independent agent fees and expenses, depot expenses for handling, inspection and storage, and additional insurance.

Repair and Maintenance

All containers are inspected and repaired when redelivered by customers who are obligated to pay for all damage repair, excluding wear and tear, according to standardized industry guidelines. Some customers are relieved of the responsibility of paying some repair costs upon redelivery of containers, as described under “Description of Business – Lease Profile.” Depots in major port areas perform repair and maintenance that is verified by either independent surveyors or the Leasing Company’s technical and operations staff.

Before any repair or refurbishment is authorized on older containers in the Registrant’s fleet, the Leasing Company’s technical and operations staff reviews the age, condition and type of container, and its suitability for continued leasing. The Leasing Company compares the cost of such repair or refurbishment with the prevailing market resale price that might be obtained for that container and makes the appropriate decision whether to repair or sell the container. The Leasing Company is authorized to make this decision on behalf of the Registrant and makes this decision by applying the same standards to the Registrant’s containers as to its own containers.

Disposition of Used Containers

The Leasing Company estimates that the period for which a container may be used as a leased marine cargo container ranges from 12 to 15 years. On behalf of the Registrant, the Leasing Company disposes of used containers in a worldwide market in which buyers include wholesalers, mini-storage operations, construction companies and others. The market for used containers generally depends on new container prices, the quantity of containers targeted for disposal and the overall lease market for containers at a particular location. As the Registrant’s fleet ages, a larger proportion of its revenue and cash flows may be derived from selling its containers.

Operations

The Registrant’s sales and marketing operations are conducted through the Leasing Company in the United Kingdom, with support provided by area offices and dedicated agents located in San Francisco; New Jersey; Antwerp; Genoa; Gothenburg; Hamburg; Singapore; Hong Kong; Sydney; Tokyo; Taipei; Seoul; Rio de Janeiro; Shanghai and Madras.

The Leasing Company also maintains agency relationships with approximately 20 independent agents around the world, who are generally paid a commission based upon the amount of revenues generated in the region or the number of containers that are leased from their area on behalf of the Registrant. The agents are located in jurisdictions where the volume of the Leasing Company’s business necessitates a presence in the area but is not sufficient to justify a fully-functioning Leasing Company office or dedicated agent. Agents provide marketing support to the area offices covering the region, together with limited operational support.

In addition, the Leasing Company relies on the services of approximately 300 independently-owned and operated depots around the world to inspect, repair, maintain and store containers while off-hire. The Leasing Company’s area offices authorize all container movements into and out of the depot and supervise all repairs and maintenance performed by the depot. The Leasing Company’s technical staff sets the standards for repair of its owned and managed fleet throughout the world and monitors the quality of depot repair work. The depots provide a vital link to the Leasing Company’s operations, as the redelivery of a container into a depot is the point at which the container is off-hired from one customer and repaired in preparation for re-leasing to the next customer.

The Leasing Company’s global network is integrated with its computer system and provides 24-hour communication between offices, agents and depots. The system allows the Leasing Company to manage and control the Registrant’s fleet on a global basis, providing it with the responsiveness and flexibility necessary to service the master lease market effectively. This system is an integral part of the Leasing Company’s service, as it processes information received from the various offices, generates billings to the Leasing Company’s lessees and produces a wide range of reports on all aspects of the Leasing Company’s leasing activities. The system records the life history of each container, including the length of time on and off lease and repair costs, as well as port activity trends, leasing activity and equipment data per customer. The operations and marketing data is fully interfaced with the finance and accounting system to provide revenue, cost and asset information to management and staff around the world.

Insurance

The Leasing Company’s lease agreements typically require lessees to obtain insurance to cover all risks of physical damage and loss of the equipment under lease, as well as public liability and property damage insurance. However, the precise nature and amount of the insurance carried by each ocean carrier varies from lessee to lessee. In addition, the Registrant has purchased secondary insurance effective in the event that a lessee fails to have adequate primary coverage. This insurance covers liability arising out of bodily injury and/or property damage as a result of the ownership and operation of the containers, as well as insurance against loss or damage to the containers, loss of lease revenue in certain cases and cost of container recovery and repair in the event that a customer goes into bankruptcy. The Registrant believes that the nature and the amounts of its insurance are customary in the container leasing industry and subject to standard industry deductions and exclusions.

(c)(1)(ii) Inapplicable.

(c)(1)(iii) Inapplicable.

(c)(1)(iv) Inapplicable.

(c)(1)(v) The Registrant’s containers are leased globally; therefore, seasonal fluctuations are minimal. Other economic and business factors to which the transportation industry in general and the container leasing industry in particular are subject, include fluctuations in general business conditions and fluctuations in supply and demand for equipment resulting from, among other things, obsolescence, changes in the methods or economics of a particular mode of transportation or changes in governmental regulations or safety standards.

(c)(1)(vi) The Registrant established an initial working capital reserve of approximately $163,000 (approximately 1% of subscription proceeds raised). In addition, the Registrant may reserve additional amounts from anticipated cash distributions to the partners to meet working capital requirements.

Amounts due under master leases are calculated at the end of each month and billed approximately six to eight days thereafter. Amounts due under short-term and long-term leases are set forth in the respective lease agreements and are generally payable monthly. However, payment is normally received within 45-100 days of billing. Past due penalties are not customarily collected from lessees and, accordingly, are not generally levied by the Leasing Company against lessees of the Registrant’s containers.

(c)(1)(vii) For the year ended December 31, 2002, no single sub-lessee of the Leasing Company accounted for more than 10% of the Registrant’s rental income. The Registrant does not believe that its ongoing business is dependent upon a single customer, although the loss of one or more of its largest customers could have an adverse effect upon its business.

(c)(1)(viii) Inapplicable.

(c)(1)(ix) Inapplicable.

(c)(1)(x) Competition among container leasing companies is based upon several factors, including the location and availability of inventory, lease rates, the type, quality and condition of the containers, the quality and flexibility of the service offered and the professional relationship between the customer and the lessor. Other factors include the speed with which a leasing company can prepare its containers for lease and the ease with which a lessee believes it can do business with a lessor or its local area office. Not all container leasing companies compete in the same market, as some supply only dry cargo containers and not specialized containers. In addition to dry cargo containers, refrigerated containers and tanks, the Leasing Company supplies a wide range of dry freight special containers.

The Leasing Company, on behalf of the Registrant, competes with various container leasing companies in the markets in which it conducts business. Mergers and acquisitions have been a feature of the container leasing industry for over a decade and the leasing market is essentially comprised of three distinct groups: the very large (in TEU terms) companies, GE SeaCo, Textainer Group, Transamerica Leasing, Triton Container International Ltd. and Interpool Inc., who between them, with fleets of around 1 million TEU each in mid-2002, control approximately two thirds of the total leased fleet; a middle tier of companies possessing fleets in the 200,000 to 500,000 TEU range; and the smaller more specialized fleet operators. In recent years, several major leasing companies, as well as numerous smaller ones, have been acquired by competitors. The Leasing Company believes that the current trend toward consolidation in the container leasing industry will continue, up to a point. There appears to be an upper limit to the size of the optimum fleet, beyond which dis-economies of scale and/or barriers against further market share development become apparent. Furthermore, ocean carriers have a tendency to support a number of lessors simultaneously in order to maximize competition and increase the number of available locations for redelivery of containers. Economies of scale, worldwide operations, diversity, size of fleet and financial strength are increasingly important to the successful operation of a container leasing business. Additionally, as containerization continues to grow, and regions such as China, South America and the Indian sub-continent generate an increasing volume of containerized cargo, customers may demand more flexibility from leasing companies regarding per-diem rates, pick-up and drop-off locations, and the availability of containers.

In recent years, the Leasing Company and other lessors have developed certain internet-based applications. For the Leasing Company, these applications allow customers access to make on-line product inquiries. The Leasing Company is continuing to develop this side of its business and will introduce other internet options as suitable applications are identified.

Some of the Leasing Company’s competitors have greater financial resources than the Leasing Company and may be more capable of offering lower per diem rates on a larger fleet. In the Leasing Company’s experience, however, ocean carriers will generally lease containers from more than one leasing company in order to minimize dependence on a single supplier. Furthermore, by having as many suppliers as possible, the carrier is able to maximize the number of off-hires and off-hire locations available, as typically each supplier may limit the number of containers that can be off-hired by location. The advantage to the carrier is that this prevents the carrier from being burdened with an excess number of off-hired containers, which incur both storage and per diem charges, in a low demand market.

(c)(1)(xi) Inapplicable.

(c)(1)(xii) Inapplicable.

(c)(1)(xiii) The Registrant, as a limited partnership, is managed by CCC, the general partner, and accordingly does not itself have any employees. At February 28, 2003, CCC had 11 employees, consisting of 3 officers, 5 other managers and 3 clerical and staff personnel.

(d) Financial Information About Geographic Areas

The Registrant’s business is not divided between foreign or domestic operations. The Registrant’s business is the leasing of containers worldwide to ocean carriers. To this extent, the Registrant’s operations are subject to the fluctuations of world economic and political conditions. Such factors may affect the pattern and levels of world trade.

The Registrant believes that the profitability of, and risks associated with, leases to foreign customers is generally the same as those of leases to domestic customers. The Registrant’s leases generally require all payments to be made in United States currency.

Item 2. Properties

As of December 31, 2002, the Registrant owned 790 twenty-foot, 333 forty-foot and 506 forty-foot high-cube marine dry cargo containers suitable for transporting cargo by rail, sea or highway. All but 200 twenty-foot and 400 forty-foot high-cube dry cargo containers were originally acquired from container manufacturers located in Korea, India and Taiwan. Pursuant to undertakings made in its Registration Statement No. 33-23321, Section 4.3 and 7.2(j) of the Partnership Agreement in the Registration Statement No. 33-23321, the Registrant purchased 200 used twenty-foot and 400 used forty-foot high-cube marine dry cargo containers from the general partner in 1989. These containers were originally purchased by the general partner during the fourth quarter of 1988 from a Korean manufacturer.

The average age, manufacturers’ invoice cost and estimated useful life of the Registrant’s containers as of December 31, 2002 were as follows:

Estimated

Useful Life

Average Age

Average Cost

20-Foot Dry Cargo Containers

12-15 years

12 years

2,891

40-Foot Dry Cargo Containers

12-15 years

12 years

4,383

40-Foot High-Cube Dry Cargo Containers

12-15 years

14 years

4,697

Utilization by lessees of the Registrant’s containers fluctuates over time depending on the supply of and demand for containers in the Registrant’s inventory locations. During 2002, utilization of the Registrant’s containers averaged 77%.

During 2002, the Registrant disposed of 285 twenty-foot, 105 forty-foot and 279 forty-foot high-cube marine dry cargo containers at an average net loss on disposal of $214 per container.

Item 3. Legal Proceedings

Inapplicable.

Item 4. Submission of Matters to a Vote of Security Holders

Inapplicable.

PART II

Item 5. Market for Registrant’s Common Equity and Related Stockholder Matters

(a) Market Information


(a)(1)(i) The Registrant’s outstanding units of limited partnership interests are not traded on any market nor does an established public trading market exist for such purposes.

(a)(1)(ii)	Inapplicable.

(a)(1)(iii)	Inapplicable.

(a)(1)(iv)	Inapplicable.

(a)(1)(v)	Inapplicable.

(a)(2)	Inapplicable.

(b)	Holders

		Number of Unit Holders
(b)(1)	Title of Class	as of December 31, 2002

	Units of limited partnership interests	1,714

Inapplicable. For the distributions made by the Registrant to its limited partners, see Item 6, “Selected Financial Data.”

Item 6. Selected Financial Data


	Year Ended December 31,

	2002			2001			2000		1999		1998

Net lease revenue	$	375,671		$	715,170		$	983,849	$	1,132,399	$	1,570,553
Net income (loss)	$	(306,619	)	$	(6,903	)	$	116,132	$	155,193	$	500,224
Net income (loss) per unit of limited partnership interest	$	(8.93	)	$	(1.21	)	$	2.24	$	2.82	$	12.46
Cash distributions per unit of limited partnership interest	$	30.31		$	41.88		$	41.56	$	54.06	$	66.88
At year-end:
Total assets	$	1,885,074		$	3,245,034		$	4,724,527	$	6,074,771	$	7,834,124
Partners’ capital	$	1,879,096		$	3,245,034		$	4,724,527	$	6,074,771	$	7,834,124

Item 7. Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations

Liquidity and Capital Resources

During the Registrant’s first 10 years of operations, the Registrant’s primary objective was to generate cash flow from operations for distribution to its limited partners. Aside from the initial working capital reserve retained from the gross subscription proceeds (equal to approximately 1% of such proceeds), the Registrant relied primarily on container rental receipts to meet this objective as well as to finance current operating needs. No credit lines are maintained to finance working capital. Commencing in 1999, the Registrant’s 11th year of operations, the Registrant began focusing its attention on the disposition of its fleet in accordance with another of its original investment objectives, realizing the residual value of its containers after the expiration of their economic useful lives, estimated to be between 12 to 15 years after placement in leased service. Since that time, the Registrant has been actively disposing of its fleet, while cash proceeds from equipment disposals, in addition to cash from operations, have provided the cash flow for distributions to the limited partners. The decision to dispose of containers is influenced by various factors including age, condition, suitability for continued leasing as well as the geographical location when disposed. At that time whereby the Registrant’s fleet size is reduced to approximately 20% of its original fleet size, the Registrant expects to enter the final phase of its liquidation and wind-up stage of operations.

Cash distributions from operations are allocated 5% to the general partner and 95% to the limited partners. Distributions of sale proceeds are allocated 1% to the general partner and 99% to the limited partners. This sharing arrangement will remain in place until the limited partners receive aggregate distributions in an amount equal to their capital contributions, plus a 10% cumulative, compounded (daily), annual return on their adjusted capital contributions. Thereafter, all distributions will be allocated 15% to the general partner and 85% to the limited partners, pursuant to Section 6.1(b) of the Registrant’s Partnership Agreement. Cash distributions from operations to the general partner in excess of 5% of distributable cash will be considered an incentive fee and compensation to CCC.

From inception through February 28, 2003, the Registrant has distributed $23,046,232 in cash from operations and $3,547,954 in cash from container sales proceeds to its limited partners. This represents total distributions of $26,594,186, or approximately 156% of the limited partners’ original invested capital. Distributions to partners are determined and paid quarterly, based primarily on each quarter’s cash flow from operations and cash generated from container sales. Quarterly distributions are also affected by periodic increases or decreases to working capital reserves, as deemed appropriate by the general partner. Sales proceeds distributed to its partners may fluctuate in subsequent periods, reflecting the level of container disposals.

At December 31, 2002, the Registrant had $359,487 in cash and cash equivalents, a decrease of $133,194 and $381,727, respectively, from the cash balance at December 31, 2001 and December 31, 2000. The Registrant invests its working capital as well as its cash flows from operations and sale of containers that have not yet been distributed to CCC or its limited partners in money market funds.

Cash from Operating Activities: Net cash provided by operating activities was $353,799 and $732,838 during 2002 and 2001, respectively, primarily generated from the billing and collection of net lease revenue.

Cash from Investing Activities: Net cash provided by investing activities was $572,326 and $491,219 in 2002 and 2001, respectively. These amounts represent sales proceeds generated from the sale of container equipment.

Cash from Financing Activities: Net cash used in financing activities was $1,059,319 during 2002 compared to $1,472,590 during 2001. These amounts represent distributions to the Registrant’s general and limited partners. The Registrant’s continuing container disposals, as well as current market conditions, should produce lower operating results and, consequently, lower distributions to its partners in subsequent periods.

Results of Operations

Year Ended December 31, 2002 Compared to the Year Ended December 31, 2001

Pursuant to the Limited Partnership Agreement of the Registrant, all authority to administer the business of the registrant is vested in CCC. A Leasing Agent Agreement exists between CCC and the Leasing Company, whereby the Leasing Company has the responsibility to manage the leasing operations of all equipment owned by the Registrant. Pursuant to the Agreement, the Leasing Company is responsible for leasing, managing and re-leasing the Registrant’s containers to ocean carriers and has full discretion over which ocean carriers and suppliers of goods and services it may deal with. The Leasing Agent Agreement permits the Leasing Company to use the containers owned by the Registrant, together with other containers owned or managed by the Leasing Company and its affiliates, as part of a single fleet operated without regard to ownership.

At December 31, 2002, 34% of the original equipment remained in the Registrant’s fleet, as compared to 48% at December 31, 2001. The following chart summarizes the composition of the Registrant’s fleet (based on container type) at December 31, 2002.


							40-Foot
			20-Foot		40-Foot		High-Cube

Containers on lease:
	Term leases			468		184		131
	Master leases			246		63		261

		Subtotal		714		247		392
Containers off lease				76		86		114

	Total container fleet			790		333		506


												40-Foot
		20-Foot					40-Foot					High-Cube

		Units		%			Units		%			Units		%

Total purchases			2,327		100	%		799		100	%		1,653		100	%
	Less disposals		1,537		66	%		466		58	%		1,147		69	%

Remaining fleet at December 31, 2002			790		34	%		333		42	%		506		31	%

Improved market conditions for all container types and the implementation of several Leasing Company marketing initiatives during 2002 resulted in a 57% reduction in the Registrant’s off-hire container inventories. Utilization increased from 71% at the beginning of the year to 81% at December 31, 2002.

Over the past two years, the slowdown and uneven recovery in the global economy has led to reduced levels of capital available for new container investment. The lower levels of new container production during 2001 and the first half of 2002 addressed, to some extent, the problems of container over-supply created by the higher levels of new container production achieved during 1999 and 2000. As a result, demand increased for the existing container fleets of leasing

companies and shipping lines, including the Registrant’s containers. During 2002, the surge in demand for existing containers contributed to reducing off-hire inventories primarily in Asia, and to a lesser extent Europe and North America. In many parts of Asia and particularly in the south eastern ports, the demand for cargo containers exceeded available supplies. To exploit such opportunities, the Leasing Company repositioned off-hire equipment to locations of greatest demand and pursued leasing opportunities through its global network of marketing resources.

The Registrant’s average fleet size and utilization rates for the years ended December 31, 2002, 2001 and 2000 were as follows:


		2002			2001			2000

Fleet size (measured in twenty-foot equivalent units (TEU))
	Dry cargo containers		2,940			3,909			4,762
Average utilization rates
	Dry cargo containers		77	%		75	%		81	%

Since December 2001, the combined per diem rate for the Registrant’s fleet of dry cargo containers declined by approximately 24%. Most of this decline occurred in the first three months of 2002 and is attributable to three main factors:

1. Per diem rental rates decreased in correlation with the reduction of new container prices and interest rate levels;

2. The Leasing Company converted lease agreements with certain shipping lines from master to long-term lease, providing greater revenue stability but at lower lease rates than those earned under master leases; and,

3. The Leasing Company initiated new long term leases for older equipment resulting in lower per diem rates, while significantly reducing off-hire container inventory levels.

An improvement in lease per-diem rates is not expected until new container prices increase to much higher levels. The effect of the reduction in per diem rates, combined with the decline in the Registrant’s fleet size, contributed to a reduction in gross rental revenue (a component of net lease revenue), but also contributed to significantly lower direct operating expenses due to the reduction in storage and other inventory related costs.

The demand for cargo containers has continued into early 2003. However, wide-ranging concerns remain about waning consumer confidence within the world’s economies, a rise in oil prices, weak global stock markets, geopolitical concerns arising from uncertainties with Iraq and North Korea, as well as an increase in new container production, which may temper the current demand for leased containers.

Despite recent improvements in container leasing market conditions, the effect of the sporadic global economic recovery on the container leasing industry’s customers, the shipping lines, coupled with their acquisition of new, larger container ships, has created a condition of excess shipping capacity. The uncertainty over the financial strength of the shipping industry appears to favor the larger more established shipping lines. The Registrant, CCC and the Leasing Company continue to remain cautious, as some shipping lines have reported operating losses during 2002. The financial impact of such losses on these shipping lines may eventually influence the demand for leased containers as some shipping lines may experience additional financial difficulties, consolidate or become insolvent. Although the ultimate outcome, as well as its impact on the container leasing industry and the Registrant’s results of operations, is unknown, CCC, on behalf of the Registrant, will work closely with the Leasing Company to monitor outstanding receivables, collections, and credit exposure to various existing and new customers.

The primary component of the Registrant’s results of operations is net lease revenue. Net lease revenue is determined by deducting direct operating expenses, management fees and reimbursed administrative expenses, from rental revenues billed by the Leasing Company from the leasing of the Registrant’s containers. Net lease revenue is directly related to the size, utilization and per-diem rental rates of the Registrant’s fleet.

Net lease revenue was $375,671 for the year ended December 31, 2002, compared to $715,170 for the prior year. The decrease was due to a $422,946 decline in gross rental revenue (a component of net lease revenue) from the year ended December 31, 2001. Gross rental revenue was impacted by the Registrant’s smaller fleet size and lower per-diem rental rates, partially offset by higher fleet utilization rates. Other components of net lease revenue, including rental equipment operating expenses, management fees, and reimbursed administrative expenses, were lower by a combined $83,447 when compared to the year 2001, and partially offset the decline in gross lease revenue. Contributing to the decline in direct

operating expenses were declines in handling and storage costs, partially offset by increases in repair and maintenance expenses, and the provision for doubtful accounts.

Depreciation expense of $492,286 was $61,062 lower than in 2001 due to an aging, declining fleet. Effective June 1, 2001, the Registrant changed the estimated life of its rental container equipment from an estimated 12-year life to a 15-year life, and its estimated salvage value from 30% to 10% of original equipment cost. The effect of these changes was an increase in depreciation expense of approximately $182,000 for 2002.

Other general and administrative expenses were $52,089 in 2002, a decrease of $18,815 or 27% when compared to 2001. Contributing to this decrease were reductions in professional fees, costs related to investor communications and net exchange rate losses.

Net loss on disposal of equipment was a result of the Registrant disposing of 669 containers in 2002, as compared to 539 containers during 2001. These disposals resulted in a net loss of $142,954 for 2002, compared to a net loss of $117,211 for 2001. The Registrant believes that the net loss on container disposals in 2002 was a result of various factors, including the age, condition, suitability for continued leasing, as well as the geographical location of the containers when disposed. These factors will continue to influence the decision to repair or dispose of a container when it is returned by a lessee, as well as the amount of sales proceeds received and the related gain or loss on container disposals. The level of the Registrant’s container disposals in subsequent periods will also contribute to fluctuations in the net gain or loss on disposals. There were no reductions to the carrying value of container rental equipment during 2001, 2000, and 1999.

Year Ended December 31, 2001 Compared to the Year Ended December 31, 2000

Net lease revenue of $715,170 for the year 2001 was $268,679 lower compared to the prior year. The decline was due to a $442,064 decline in gross rental revenue (a component of net lease revenue) from the year 2000. Gross rental revenue was impacted by the Registrant’s smaller fleet size and lower per-diem rental rates. Other components of net lease revenue, including management fees and reimbursed administrative expenses, were lower by a combined $173,385 when compared to the year 2000 and partially offset the decline in gross lease revenue.

Depreciation expense of $553,348 in 2001 was $122,700 lower than 2000 due to an aging, declining fleet size. Effective June 1, 2001, the Registrant changed the estimated life of its rental container equipment from an estimated 12-year life to a 15-year life, and its estimated salvage value from 30% to 10% of original equipment cost. The effect of these changes was an increase in depreciation expense of approximately $178,000 for 2001.

Other general and administrative expenses were $70,904 in 2001, an increase of $9,992 or 16% when compared to the prior year. Contributing to this increase were professional fees and costs related to investor communications and net exchange rate losses.

Net loss on disposal of equipment was a result of the Registrant disposing of 539 containers during 2001, as compared to 626 containers during 2000. These disposals resulted in a net loss of $117,211 for 2001 as compared to a net loss of $157,260 for 2000. The Registrant believes that the net loss on container disposals in 2001 was a result of various factors including the age, condition, suitability for continued leasing, as well as the geographic location of the containers when disposed.

Critical Accounting Policies

Container equipment – depreciable lives: Container rental equipment is depreciated over a useful life of 15 years to a residual value of 10%. The Registrant re-evaluates the period of amortization and residual values to determine whether subsequent events and circumstances warrant revised estimates of useful lives and residual values.

Container equipment – valuation: The Registrant reviews container rental equipment when changes in circumstances require consideration as to whether the carrying value of the equipment has become impaired, pursuant to guidance established in SFAS No. 144, “Accounting for the Impairment or Disposal of Long-Lived Assets”. The Registrant considers assets to be impaired if the carrying value of the asset exceeds the future projected cash flows from related operations (undiscounted and without interest charges). When impairment is deemed to exist, the assets are written down to fair value or projected discounted cash flows from related operations. The Registrant periodically evaluates future cash flows and potential impairment of its fleet by container type rather than for each individual container. Therefore, future losses could result for individual container dispositions due to various factors including age, condition, suitability for continued leasing, as well as geographic location of the containers where disposed. Considerable judgment is required in

estimating future cash flows from container rental equipment operations. Accordingly, the estimates may not be indicative of the amounts that may be realized in future periods. As additional information becomes available in subsequent periods, reserves for the impairment of the container rental equipment carrying values may be necessary based upon changes in market and economic conditions.

New Accounting Pronouncements

In June 2002, the Financial Accounting Standards Board issued SFAS No. 146, (“SFAS 146”) “Accounting for Costs Associated with Exit or Disposal Activities,” which addresses accounting for restructuring and similar costs. The Registrant does not consider the provisions of that SFAS 146 to have any effect on its financial position or results of operations.

Inflation

The Registrant believes inflation has not had a material adverse effect on the results of its operations.

Item 7A. Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosures About Market Risk

Exchange rate risk: Substantially all of the Registrant’s revenues are billed and paid in US dollars, and a significant portion of costs are billed and paid in US dollars. The Leasing Company believes that the proportion of US dollar revenues may decrease in future years, reflecting a more diversified customer base and lease portfolio. Of the remaining costs, the majority are individually small, unpredictable and incurred in various denominations and thus are not suitable for cost effective hedging.

The Leasing Company may hedge a portion of the expenses that are predictable and are principally in UK pounds sterling. As exchange rates are outside of the control of the Registrant and Leasing Company, there can be no assurance that such fluctuations will not adversely affect its results of operations and financial condition.

Item 8. Financial Statements and Supplementary Data

INDEPENDENT AUDITORS’ REPORT

The Partners
IEA Income Fund IX, L.P.

We have audited the accompanying balance sheets of IEA Income Fund IX, L.P. (the “Partnership”) as of December 31, 2002 and 2001, and the related statements of operations, partners’ capital, and cash flows for each of the three years in the period ended December 31, 2002. These financial statements are the responsibility of the Partnership’s management. Our responsibility is to express an opinion on these financial statements based on our audits.

We conducted our audits in accordance with auditing standards generally accepted in the United States of America. Those standards require that we plan and perform the audits to obtain reasonable assurance about whether the financial statements are free of material misstatement. An audit includes examining, on a test basis, evidence supporting the amounts and disclosures in the financial statements. An audit also includes assessing the accounting principles used and significant estimates made by management, as well as evaluating the overall financial statement presentation. We believe that our audits provide a reasonable basis for our opinion.

In our opinion, such financial statements present fairly, in all material respects, the financial position of the Partnership at December 31, 2002 and 2001, and the results of its operations and its cash flows for each of the three years in the period ended December 31, 2002 in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America.

/s/ Deloitte & Touche LLP

San Francisco, California
February 14, 2003

IEA INCOME FUND IX, L.P.

Balance Sheets

December 31, 2002 and 2001


					2002			2001

				Assets
Current assets:
	Cash and cash equivalents, includes $302,037 in 2002 and $477,367 in 2001 in interest-bearing accounts (note 3)				$	359,487		$	492,681
	Net lease receivables due from Leasing Company (notes 1 and 4)					—			30,994

			Total current assets			359,487			523,675

Container rental equipment, at cost						6,124,220			8,725,806
	Less accumulated depreciation					4,598,633			6,004,447

		Net container rental equipment (note 1)				1,525,587			2,721,359

			Total assets		$	1,885,074		$	3,245,034

				Liabilities and Partners’ Capital
Current liabilities
	Net lease payable due to Leasing Company (notes 1 and 4)				$	5,978		$	—

			Total liabilities		$	5,978		$	—

				Partners’ Capital
Partners’ capital (deficit):
	General partner				$	(116,401	)	$	(84,404	)
	Limited partners (note 8)					1,995,497			3,329,438

			Total partners’ capital		$	1,879,096		$	3,245,034

			Total liabilities and partners’ capital		$	1,885,074		$	3,245,034

IEA INCOME FUND IX, L.P.

Statements of Operations

For the years ended December 31, 2002, 2001 and 2000


			2002			2001			2000

Net lease revenue (notes 1 and 6)			$	375,671		$	715,170		$	983,849
Other operating expenses:
	Depreciation (note 1)			492,286			553,348			676,048
	Other general and administrative expenses			52,089			70,904			60,912
	Net loss on disposal of equipment			142,954			117,211			157,260

				687,329			741,463			894,220

		(Loss) income from operations		(311,658	)		(26,293	)		89,629
Other income:
	Interest income			5,039			19,390			26,503

		Net (loss) income	$	(306,619	)	$	(6,903	)	$	116,132

Allocation of net (loss) income:
	General partner		$	(3,066	)	$	34,371		$	40,074
	Limited partners			(303,553	)		(41,274	)		76,058

			$	(306,619	)	$	(6,903	)	$	116,132

Limited partners’ per unit share of net (loss) income			$	(8.93	)	$	(1.21	)	$	2.24

IEA INCOME FUND IX, L.P.

Statements of Partners’ Capital

For the years ended December 31, 2002, 2001 and 2000


	Limited			General
	Partners			Partner			Total

Balances at January 1, 2000	$	6,130,877		$	(56,106	)	$	6,074,771
Net income		76,058			40,074			116,132
Cash distributions		(1,412,800	)		(53,576	)		(1,466,376	)

Balances at December 31, 2000		4,794,135			(69,608	)		4,724,527
Net (loss) income		(41,274	)		34,371			(6,903	)
Cash distributions		(1,423,423	)		(49,167	)		(1,472,590	)

Balances at December 31, 2001		3,329,438			(84,404	)		3,245,034
Net (loss) income		(303,553	)		(3,066	)		(306,619	)
Cash distributions		(1,030,388	)		(28,931	)		(1,059,319	)

Balances at December 31, 2002	$	1,995,497		$	(116,401	)	$	1,879,096

IEA INCOME FUND IX, L.P.

Statements of Cash Flows

For the years ended December 31, 2002, 2001 and 2000


				2002			2001			2000

Cash flows from operating activities:
	Net (loss) income			$	(306,619	)	$	(6,903	)	$	116,132
	Adjustments to reconcile net (loss) income to net cash from operating activities:
		Depreciation			492,286			553,348			676,048
		Net loss on disposal of equipment			142,954			117,211			157,260
		Decrease in net lease receivables due from Leasing Company			25,178			69,182			117,726

			Total adjustments		660,418			739,741			951,034

			Net cash provided by operating activities		353,799			732,838			1,067,166

Cash flows from investing activities:
	Proceeds from sale of container rental equipment				572,326			491,219			647,744

Cash flows from financing activities
	Distributions to partners				(1,059,319	)		(1,472,590	)		(1,466,376	)

Net (decrease) increase in cash and cash equivalents					(133,194	)		(248,533	)		248,534
Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of year					492,681			741,214			492,680

Cash and cash equivalents at end of year				$	359,487		$	492,681		$	741,214

IEA INCOME FUND IX, L.P.

Notes to Financial Statements

December 31, 2002, 2001 and 2000

(1) Summary of Significant Accounting Policies

(a) Nature of Operations

IEA Income Fund IX, L.P. (the “Partnership”) is a limited partnership organized under the laws of the State of California on June 8, 1988 for the purpose of owning and leasing marine cargo containers worldwide to ocean carriers. To this extent, the Partnership’s operations are subject to the fluctuations of world economic and political conditions. Such factors may affect the pattern and levels of world trade. The Partnership believes that the profitability of, and risks associated with, leases to foreign customers is generally the same as those of leases to domestic customers. The Partnership’s leases generally require all payments to be made in United States currency.

Cronos Capital Corp. (“CCC”) is the general partner and, with its affiliate Cronos Containers Limited (the “Leasing Company”), manages the business of the Partnership. CCC and the Leasing Company also manage the container leasing business for other partnerships affiliated with CCC. The Partnership shall continue until December 31, 2009, unless terminated sooner upon the occurrence of certain events.

The Partnership commenced operations on December 5, 1988, when the minimum subscription proceeds of $1,000,000 were obtained. The Partnership offered 40,000 units of limited partnership interest at $500 per unit, or $20,000,000. The offering terminated on September 11, 1989, at which time 33,992 limited partnership units had been sold.

(b) Leasing Company and Leasing Agent Agreement

Pursuant to the Limited Partnership Agreement of the Partnership, all authority to administer the business of the Partnership is vested in CCC. A Leasing Agent Agreement exists between CCC and the Leasing Company, whereby the Leasing Company has the responsibility to manage the leasing operations of all equipment owned by the Partnership. Pursuant to the Agreement, the Leasing Company is responsible for leasing, managing and re-leasing the Partnership’s containers to ocean carriers and has full discretion over which ocean carriers and suppliers of goods and services it may deal with. The Leasing Agent Agreement permits the Leasing Company to use the containers owned by the Partnership, together with other containers owned or managed by the Leasing Company and its affiliates, as part of a single fleet operated without regard to ownership. Since the Leasing Agent Agreement meets the definition of an operating lease in Statement of Financial Accounting Standards (SFAS) No. 13, it is accounted for as a lease under which the Partnership is lessor and the Leasing Company is lessee.

The Leasing Agent Agreement generally provides that the Leasing Company will make payments to the Partnership based upon rentals collected from ocean carriers after deducting direct operating expenses and management fees to CCC. The Leasing Company leases containers to ocean carriers, generally under operating leases which are either master leases or term leases (mostly one to five years). Master leases do not specify the exact number of containers to be leased or the term that each container will remain on hire but allow the ocean carrier to pick up and drop off containers at various locations, and rentals are based upon the number of containers used and the applicable per-diem rate. Accordingly, rentals under master leases are all variable and contingent upon the number of containers used. Most containers are leased to ocean carriers under master leases; leasing agreements with fixed payment terms are not material to the financial statements. Since there are no material minimum lease rentals, no disclosure of minimum lease rentals is provided in these financial statements.

IEA INCOME FUND IX, L.P.

Notes to Financial Statements

(c) Concentrations of Credit Risk

The Partnership’s financial instruments that are exposed to concentrations of credit risk consist primarily of cash, cash equivalents and net lease receivables due from the Leasing Company. See note 3 for further discussion regarding the credit risk associated with cash and cash equivalents.

Net lease receivables due from the Leasing Company (see notes 1(b) and 4 for discussion regarding net lease receivables) subject the Partnership to a significant concentration of credit risk. These net lease receivables, representing rentals earned by the Leasing Company, on behalf of the Partnership, from ocean carriers after deducting direct operating expenses and management fees to CCC and the Leasing Company, are remitted by the Leasing Company to the Partnership three to four times per month. The Partnership has historically never incurred a loss associated with the collectibility of unremitted net lease receivables due from the Leasing Company.

(d) Basis of Accounting

The Partnership utilizes the accrual method of accounting. Net lease revenue is recorded by the Partnership in each period based upon its leasing agent agreement with the Leasing Company. Net lease revenue is generally dependent upon operating lease rentals from operating lease agreements between the Leasing Company and its various lessees, less direct operating expenses and management fees due in respect of the containers specified in each operating lease agreement.

(e) Use of Estimates

The financial statements are prepared in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America (GAAP), which requires the Partnership to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities and disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities at the date of the financial statements and the reported amounts of revenues and expenses during the reported period. Actual results could differ from those estimates.

The most significant estimates included within the financial statements are the container rental equipment estimated useful lives and residual values, and the estimate of future cash flows from container rental equipment operations, used to determine the adequacy of the carrying value of container rental equipment in accordance with SFAS No. 144. Considerable judgment is required in estimating future cash flows from container rental equipment operations. Accordingly, the estimates may not be indicative of the amounts that may be realized in future periods. As additional information becomes available in subsequent periods, reserves for the impairment of the container rental equipment carrying values may be necessary based upon changes in market and economic conditions.

IEA INCOME FUND IX, L.P.

Notes to Financial Statements

(f) Allocation of Net Income or Loss and Partnership Distributions

Net income or loss has been allocated between the general and limited partners in accordance with the Partnership Agreement.

Actual cash distributions differ from the allocations of net income or loss between the general and limited partners as presented in these financial statements. Partnership distributions are based on “distributable cash” and are paid to the general and limited partners on a quarterly basis, in accordance with the provisions of the Partnership Agreement. Partnership distributions from operations are allocated 95% to the limited partners and 5% to the general partner. Distributions of sales proceeds are allocated 99% to the limited partners and 1% to the general partner. These allocations remain in effect until such time as the limited partners have received from the Partnership aggregate distributions in an amount equal to their capital contributions plus a 10% cumulative, compounded (daily) annual return on their adjusted capital contributions. Thereafter, all Partnership distributions will be allocated 85% to the limited partners and 15% to the general partner. Cash distributions from operations to the general partner in excess of 5% of distributable cash will be considered an incentive fee and will be recorded as compensation to the general partner, with the remaining distributions from operations charged to partners’ capital.

(g) Acquisition Fees

Pursuant to the Partnership Agreement, acquisition fees paid to CCC are based on 5% of the equipment purchase price. These fees are capitalized and included in the cost of the rental equipment.

(h) Container Rental Equipment

Container rental equipment is depreciated using the straight-line method. Depreciation policies are also evaluated to determine whether subsequent events and circumstances warrant revised estimates of useful lives. Effective June 1, 2001, the estimated depreciable life was changed from a twelve-year life to a fifteen-year life and the estimated salvage value was changed from 30% to 10% of the original equipment cost. The effect of these changes is an increase to depreciation expense of approximately $182,000 and $178,000 for 2002 and 2001, respectively.

SFAS No. 144, “Accounting for the Impairment or Disposal of Long-Lived Assets,” was adopted by the Partnership effective January 1, 2002, without a significant impact on its financial statements. In accordance with SFAS No. 144, container rental equipment is considered to be impaired if the carrying value of the asset exceeds the expected future cash flows from related operations (undiscounted and without interest charges). If impairment is deemed to exist, the assets are written down to fair value. An analysis is prepared each quarter projecting future cash flows from container rental equipment operations. Current and projected utilization rates, per-diem rental rates, direct operating expenses, fleet size and container disposals are the primary variables utilized by the analysis. Additionally, the Partnership evaluates future cash flows and potential impairment by container type rather than for each individual container, and as a result, future losses could result for individual container dispositions due to various factors, including age, condition, suitability for continued leasing, as well as the geographical location of containers when disposed. There were no impairment charges to the carrying value of container rental equipment during 2002, 2001 and 2000.

IEA INCOME FUND IX, L.P.

Notes to Financial Statements

(i) Income Taxes

The Partnership is not subject to income taxes, consequently no provision for income taxes has been made. The Partnership files federal and state annual information tax returns, prepared on the accrual basis of accounting. Taxable income or loss is reportable by the partners individually.

(j) Financial Statement Presentation

The Partnership has determined that, for accounting purposes, the Leasing Agent Agreement is a lease, and the receivables, payables, gross revenues and operating expenses attributable to the containers managed by the Leasing Company are, for accounting purposes, those of the Leasing Company and not of the Partnership. Consequently, the Partnership’s balance sheets and statements of operations display the payments to be received by the Partnership from the Leasing Company as the Partnership’s receivables and revenues.

(k) New Accounting Pronouncements

In June 2002, the Financial Accounting Standards Board issued SFAS No. 146, (“SFAS 146”), “Accounting for Costs Associated with Exit or Disposal Activities,” which addresses accounting for restructuring and similar costs. The Registrant does not consider the provisions of SFAS 146 to have any effect on its financial position or results of operations.

(2) Operating Segment

An operating segment is a component of an enterprise that engages in business activities from which it may earn revenues and incur expenses, whose operating results are regularly reviewed by the enterprise’s chief operating decision maker to make decisions about resources to be allocated to the segment and assess its performance, and about which separate financial information is available. Management operates the Partnership’s container fleet as a homogenous unit and has determined that as such it has a single reportable operating segment.

The Partnership derives revenues from dry cargo containers. As of December 31, 2002, the Partnership owned 790 twenty-foot, 333 forty-foot and 506 forty-foot high-cube marine dry cargo containers.

Due to the Partnership’s lack of information regarding the physical location of its fleet of containers when on lease in the global shipping trade, it is impracticable to provide the geographic area information.

No single sub-lessee of the Leasing Company contributed more than 10% of the Leasing Company’s rental revenue earned during 2002, 2001 and 2000 on behalf of the Registrant.

(3) Cash and Cash Equivalents

Cash equivalents include money market funds that invest in highly-liquid first-tier securities, such as U.S. Treasury obligations, repurchase agreements secured by U.S. Treasury obligations, and obligations whose principal and interest are backed by the U.S. Government. Cash equivalents are carried at cost which approximates fair value, and at times, may exceed federally insured limits. The Partnership has not experienced any losses in such accounts and believes it is not exposed to any significant credit risk.

IEA INCOME FUND IX, L.P.

Notes to Financial Statements

(4) Net Lease (Payables) Receivables Due from Leasing Company

Net lease (payables) receivables due from the Leasing Company are determined by deducting direct operating payables and accrued expenses, base management fees payable, and reimbursed administrative expenses payable to CCC and its affiliates from the rental billings earned by the Leasing Company under operating leases to ocean carriers for the containers owned by the Partnership as well as proceeds earned from container disposals. Net lease (payables) receivables at December 31, 2002 and December 31, 2001 were as follows:


	December 31,			December 31,
	2002			2001

Gross lease receivables	$	145,368		$	281,929
Less:
Direct operating payables and accrued expenses		97,831			170,872
Damage protection reserve (note 5)		1,607			8,276
Base management fees payable		31,411			42,086
Reimbursed administrative expenses		2,867			3,761
Allowance for doubtful accounts		17,630			25,940

Net lease (payables) receivables	$	(5,978	)	$	30,994

(5) Damage Protection Plan

The Leasing Company offers a repair service to several lessees of the Partnership’s containers, whereby the lessee pays an additional rental fee for the convenience of having the Partnership incur the repair expense for containers damaged while on lease. This fee is recorded as revenue when earned according to the terms of the rental contract. An accrual has been recorded to provide for the estimated costs incurred by this service. This accrual is a component of net lease receivables due from the Leasing Company (see note 4). The Partnership is not responsible in the event repair costs exceed predetermined limits, or for repairs that are required for damages not defined by the damage protection plan agreement.

(6) Net Lease Revenue

Net lease revenue is determined by deducting direct operating expenses, base management fees and reimbursed administrative expenses to CCC from the rental revenue earned by the Leasing Company under operating leases to ocean carriers for the containers owned by the Partnership. Net lease revenue for the years ended December 31, 2002, 2001 and 2000, was as follows:


		2002		2001		2000

Rental revenue		$	600,931	$	1,023,877	$	1,465,941
Less:
Rental equipment operating expenses			148,978		185,518		309,755
Base management fees (note 7)			37,922		71,348		97,712
Reimbursed administrative expenses (note 7):
	Salaries		26,819		34,908		50,247
	Other payroll related expenses		2,999		3,533		4,535
	General and administrative expenses		8,542		13,400		19,843

Net lease revenue		$	375,671	$	715,170	$	983,849

IEA INCOME FUND IX, L.P.

Notes to Financial Statements

(7) Compensation to General Partner

Base management fees are equal to 7% of gross lease revenues attributable to operating leases pursuant to the Partnership Agreement. Reimbursed administrative expenses are equal to the costs expended by CCC and its affiliates for services necessary for the prudent operation of the Partnership pursuant to the Partnership Agreement. The following compensation was paid or will be paid by the Partnership to CCC:


	2002		2001		2000

Base management fees	$	37,922	$	71,348	$	97,712
Reimbursed administrative expenses		38,360		51,841		74,625

	$	76,282	$	123,189	$	172,337

(8) Limited Partners’ Capital

Cash distributions made to the limited partners during 2002, 2001 and 2000 included distributions of proceeds from equipment sales in the amount of $594,883, $605,486, and $637,354, respectively. These distributions, as well as cash distributions from operations, are used in determining “Adjusted Capital Contributions” as defined by the Partnership Agreement.

The limited partners’ per unit share of capital at December 31, 2002, 2001 and 2000 was $59, $98, and $141, respectively. This is calculated by dividing the limited partners’ capital at the end of each year by 33,992, the total number of limited partnership units.

Item 9. Changes in and Disagreements With Accountants on Accounting and Financial Disclosure

Inapplicable.

PART III

Item 10. Directors and Executive Officers of the Registrant

The Registrant, as such, has no officers or directors, but is managed by CCC, the general partner. The officers and directors of CCC at February 28, 2003, are as follows:


Name		Office

Dennis J. Tietz		President, Chief Executive Officer and Director

John Kallas		Vice President, Chief Financial Officer and Director

Elinor A. Wexler		Vice President/Administration, Secretary and Director

John M. Foy		Director

Dennis J. Tietz Mr. Tietz, 50, as President and Chief Executive Officer, is responsible for the general management of CCC. Mr. Tietz was appointed Chief Executive Officer of The Cronos Group, indirect corporate parent of CCC, in December 1998 and elected Chairman of the Board in March 1999. Mr. Tietz is also President and a director of Cronos Securities Corp. From 1986 until August 1992, Mr. Tietz was responsible for the organization, marketing and after-market support of CCC’s investment programs. Mr. Tietz was a regional manager for CCC, responsible for various container leasing activities in the U.S. and Europe from 1981 to 1986. Prior to joining CCC in December 1981, Mr. Tietz was employed by Trans Ocean Leasing Corporation as Regional Manager based in Houston, with responsibility for all leasing and operational activities in the U.S. Gulf.

Mr. Tietz holds a B.S. degree in Business Administration from San Jose State University and is a Registered Securities Principal with the NASD.

John Kallas Mr. Kallas, 40, was elected Vice President, Chief Financial Officer of CCC in November, 2000. Mr. Kallas also joined the Board of Directors of CCC in November, 2000. Mr. Kallas has been employed by CCC since 1989, and is responsible for managed container investment programs, treasury, and CCC’s financial operations. Mr. Kallas has held various accounting positions since joining Cronos including Controller, Director of Accounting and Corporate Accounting Manager. From 1985 to 1989, Mr. Kallas was an accountant with KPMG Peat Marwick, San Francisco.

Mr. Kallas holds a Masters degree in Finance and Business Administration from St. Mary’s College, a B.S. degree in Business Administration/Accounting from the University of San Francisco and is a certified public accountant.

Elinor A. Wexler Ms. Wexler, 54, was elected Vice President - Administration and Secretary of CCC in August 1992. Ms. Wexler joined the Board of Directors of CCC in June 1997. Ms. Wexler has been employed by CCC since 1987, and is responsible for investor services, compliance and securities registration. From 1983 to 1987, Ms. Wexler was Manager of Investor Services for The Robert A. McNeil Corporation, a real estate syndication company, in San Mateo, California. From 1971 to 1983, Ms. Wexler held various positions, including securities trader and international research editor, with Nikko Securities Co., International, based in San Francisco.

Ms. Wexler attended the University of Oregon, Portland State University and the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Israel. Ms. Wexler is also Vice President and Secretary of Cronos Securities Corp. and a Registered Principal with the NASD.

John M. Foy Mr. Foy, 57, was elected to the Board of Directors of CCC in April 1999. See key management personnel of the Leasing Company for further information.

The key management personnel of the Leasing Company and its affiliates at February 28, 2003, were as follows:


Name		Title

Peter J. Younger		Chief Operating Officer/Chief Financial Officer

John M. Foy		Senior Vice President/Americas

Nico Sciacovelli		Senior Vice President/Europe, Middle East and Africa

John C. Kirby		Senior Vice President/Operations

Peter J. Younger Mr. Younger, 46, was elected to the Board of Directors of The Cronos Group on January 13, 2000. Mr. Younger will serve as a director until the 2004 annual meeting and his successor is elected and takes office. Mr. Younger was appointed as Chief Operating Officer of The Cronos Group on August 4, 2000, and its Chief Financial Officer in March 1997. From 1991 to 1997, Mr. Younger served as Vice President of Finance for the Leasing Company, located in the UK. From 1987 to 1991 Mr. Younger served as Vice President and Controller for CCC in San Francisco. Prior to 1987, Mr. Younger was a certified public accountant and a principal with the accounting firm of Johnson, Glaze and Co. in Salem, Oregon. Mr. Younger holds a B.S. degree in Business Administration from Western Baptist College, Salem, Oregon.

John M. Foy Mr. Foy, 57, is directly responsible for the Leasing Company’s lease marketing and operations in North America, Central America, and South America, and is based in San Francisco. From 1985 to 1993, Mr. Foy was Vice President/Pacific with responsibility for dry cargo container lease marketing and operations in the Pacific Basin. From 1977 to 1985 Mr. Foy was Vice President of Marketing for Nautilus Leasing Services in San Francisco with responsibility for worldwide leasing activities. From 1974 to 1977, Mr. Foy was Regional Manager for Flexi-Van Leasing, a container lessor, with responsibility for container leasing activities in the Western United States. Mr. Foy holds a B.A. degree in Political Science from University of the Pacific, and a Bachelor of Foreign Trade from Thunderbird Graduate School of International Management.

Nico Sciacovelli Mr. Sciacovelli, 53, was elected Senior Vice President - Europe, Middle East and Africa in June 1997. Mr. Sciacovelli is directly responsible for the Leasing Company’s lease marketing and operations in Europe, the Middle East and Africa and is based in Italy. Since joining Cronos in 1983, Mr. Sciacovelli served as Area Director and Area Manager for Southern Europe. Prior to joining Cronos, Mr. Sciacovelli was a Sales Manager at Interpool Ltd.

John C. Kirby Mr. Kirby, 49, is responsible for container purchasing, contract and billing administration, container repairs and leasing-related systems, and is based in the United Kingdom. Mr. Kirby joined CCC in 1985 as European Technical Manager and advanced to Director of European Operations in 1986, a position he held with CCC, and later the Leasing Company, until his promotion to Senior Vice President/Operations of the Leasing Company in 1992. From 1982 to 1985, Mr. Kirby was employed by CLOU Containers, a container leasing company, as Technical Manager based in Hamburg, Germany. Mr. Kirby acquired a professional engineering qualification from the Mid-Essex Technical College in England.

Section 16(a) Beneficial Ownership Reporting Compliance

The Registrant has followed the practice of reporting acquisitions and dispositions of the Registrant’s units of limited partnership interests by CCC, its general partner. As CCC did not acquire or dispose of any of the Registrant’s units of limited partnership interests during the fiscal year ended December 31, 2002, no reports of beneficial ownership under Section 16(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, were filed with the SEC.

Item 11. Executive Compensation

The Registrant pays a management fee and will reimburse the general partner for various administrative expenses.

Partnership distributions are based on “distributable cash” and are paid to the general and limited partners on a quarterly basis, in accordance with the provisions of the Partnership Agreement. Partnership distributions from operations are allocated 95% to the limited partners and 5% to the general partner. Distributions of sales proceeds are allocated 99% to the limited partners and 1% to the general partner. These allocations remain in effect until such time as the limited partners have received from the Partnership aggregate distributions in an amount equal to their capital contributions plus a 10% cumulative, compounded (daily) annual return on their adjusted capital contributions. Thereafter, all Partnership distributions will be allocated 85% to the limited partners and 15% to the general partner.

The Registrant does not pay or reimburse CCC or its affiliates for any remuneration payable by them to their executive officers, directors or any other controlling persons. However, the Registrant does reimburse the general partner for certain services pursuant to the Partnership Agreement. These services include but are not limited to (i) salaries and related salary expenses for services which could be performed directly for the Registrant by independent parties, such as legal, accounting, transfer agent, data processing, operations, communications, duplicating and other such services; and, (ii) performing administrative services necessary to the prudent operations of the Registrant.

The following table sets forth the fees the Registrant paid (on a cash basis) to CCC for the year ended December 31, 2002.


		Cash Fees and
Name	Description	Distributions

1) CCC	Base management fees - equal to 7% of gross lease revenues attributable to operating leases pursuant to Section 4.4 of the Limited Partnership Agreement	$	48,597
2) CCC	Reimbursed administrative expenses - equal to the costs expended by CCC and its affiliates for services necessary to the prudent operation of the Registrant pursuant to Section 4.5 of the Limited Partnership Agreement	$	39,255
3) CCC	Interest in Fund - 5% of distributions of distributable cash for any quarter pursuant to Section 6.1 of the Limited Partnership Agreement	$	28,931

Item 12. Security Ownership of Certain Beneficial Owners and Management

(a) Security Ownership of Certain Beneficial Owners

There is no person or “group” of persons known to the management of CCC to be the beneficial owner of more than five percent of the outstanding units of limited partnership interests of the Registrant.

(b) Security Ownership of Management

The Registrant has no directors or officers. It is managed by CCC. CCC owns 163.2 units, representing 0.48% of the total amount of units outstanding.

Inapplicable.

Item 13. Certain Relationships and Related Transactions

(a) Transactions with Management and Others

The Registrant’s only transactions with management and other related parties during 2002 were limited to those fees paid or amounts committed to be paid (on an annual basis) to CCC, the general partner. See Item 11, “Executive Compensation,” herein.

(b) Certain Business Relationships

Inapplicable.

(d) Transactions with Promoters

Inapplicable.

Item 14. Controls and Procedures

The principal executive and principal financial officers of CCC have evaluated the disclosure controls and procedures of the Registrant within 90 days prior to the filing of this annual report. As used herein, the term “disclosure controls and procedures” has the meaning given to the term by Rule 13a-14 under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (“Exchange Act”), and includes the controls and other procedures of the Registrant that are designed to ensure that information required to be disclosed by the Registrant in the reports that it files with the SEC under the Exchange Act is recorded, processed, summarized and reported within the time periods specified in the SEC’s rules and forms. Based upon their evaluation, the principal executive and principal financial officers of CCC have concluded that the Registrant’s disclosure controls and procedures provide reasonable assurance that the information required to be disclosed by the Registrant in this report is recorded, processed, summarized and reported within the time periods specified in the SEC’s rules and forms applicable to the preparation of this report.

There have been no significant changes in the Registrant’s internal controls or in other factors that could significantly affect the Registrant’s internal controls subsequent to the evaluation described above conducted by CCC’s principal executive and financial officers.

PART IV

Item 15. Exhibits, Financial Statement Schedules and Reports on Form 8-K


		Page

(a)1.	Financial Statements
	Independent Auditors’ Report	17
(a)2.	The following financial statements of the Registrant are included in Part II, Item 8:
	Balance Sheets – as of December 31, 2002 and 2001	18
	Statements of Operations – for the years ended December 31, 2002, 2001 and 2000	19
	Statements of Partners’ Capital – for the years ended December 31, 2002, 2001 and 2000	20
	Statements of Cash Flows – for the years ended December 31, 2002, 2001 and 2000	21
	Notes to Financial Statements	22

All schedules are omitted as the information is not required or the information is included in the financial statements or notes thereto.

(a)3. Exhibits


Exhibit
No.	Description	Method of Filing

3(a)	Limited Partnership Agreement of the Registrant, amended and restated as of September 12, 1988	*

3(b)	Certificate of Limited Partnership of the Registrant	**

99.1	Certification pursuant to 18 U.S.C. § 1350, as adopted pursuant to Section 906 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002.	***

99.2	Certification pursuant to 18 U.S.C. § 1350, as adopted pursuant to Section 906 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002.	***

(b) Reports on Form 8-K

No reports on Form 8-K were filed by the Registrant during the quarter ended December 31, 2002.

*		Incorporated by reference to Exhibit “A” to the Prospectus of the Registrant dated September 12, 1988, included as part of Registration Statement on Form S-1 (No. 33-23321)

**		Incorporated by reference to Exhibit 3.4 to the Registration Statement on Form S-1 (No. 33-23321)

***		These two certifications, required by Section 906 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002, other than as required by Section 906, are not deemed to be “filed” with the Commission or subject to the rules and regulations promulgated by the Commission under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, or to the liabilities of Section 18 of said Act.

SIGNATURES

Pursuant to the requirements of Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the Registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized.


		IEA INCOME FUND IX, L.P.

		By		Cronos Capital Corp. The General Partner

		By		/s/ Dennis J. Tietz Dennis J. Tietz President and Director of Cronos Capital Corp. (“CCC”) Principal Executive Officer of CCC

Date: March 25, 2003

Pursuant to the requirement of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, this report has been signed below by the following persons on behalf of Cronos Capital Corp., the managing general partner of the Registrant, in the capacities and on the dates indicated:


Signature	Title	Date

/s/ Dennis J. Tietz Dennis J. Tietz	President and Director of Cronos Capital Corp. (“CCC”) (Principal Executive Officer of CCC)	March 25, 2003

/s/ John Kallas John Kallas	Chief Financial Officer and Director of Cronos Capital Corp. (“CCC”) (Principal Financial and Accounting Officer of CCC)	March 25, 2003

/s/ Elinor A. Wexler Elinor A. Wexler	Vice President-Administration, Secretary and Director of Cronos Capital Corp.	March 25, 2003

Supplemental Information

The Registrant’s annual report will be furnished to its limited partners on or about April 30, 2003. Copies of the annual report will be concurrently furnished to the Commission for information purposes only, and shall not be deemed to be filed with the Commission.

IEA Income Fund IX

CERTIFICATIONS
(Exchange Act Rule 13a-14)

I, Dennis J. Tietz, certify that:

1. I have reviewed this annual report on Form 10-K of IEA Income Fund IX (the “Registrant”);

2. Based on my knowledge, this annual report does not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary to make the statements made, in light of the circumstances under which such statements were made, not misleading with respect to the period covered by this annual report;

3. Based on my knowledge, the financial statements, and other financial information included in this annual report, fairly present in all material respects the financial condition, results of operations and cash flows of the Registrant as of, and for, the periods presented in this annual report;

4. The other certifying officer of Cronos Capital Corp. (“CCC”), the General Partner of the Registrant, and I are responsible for establishing and maintaining disclosure controls and procedures (as defined in Exchange Act Rules 13a-14 and 15d-14) for the Registrant and we have:

(a) designed such disclosure controls and procedures to ensure that material information relating to the Registrant is made known to us by others within CCC, particularly during the period in which this annual report is being prepared;

(b) evaluated the effectiveness of the Registrant’s disclosure controls and procedures as of a date within 90 days prior to the filing date of this annual report (the “Evaluation Date”); and

(c) presented in this annual report our conclusions about the effectiveness of the disclosure controls and procedures based on our evaluation as of the Evaluation Date;

5. CCC’s other certifying officer and I have disclosed, based on our most recent evaluation, to the Registrant’s auditors and the Board of Directors of CCC:

(a) all significant deficiencies in the design or operation of internal controls which could adversely affect the Registrant’s ability to record, process, summarize and report financial data and have identified for the Registrant’s auditors any material weaknesses in internal controls; and

(b) any fraud, whether or not material, that involves management or other employees who have a significant role in the Registrant’s internal controls; and

6. CCC’s other certifying officer of CCC and I have indicated in this annual report whether or not there were significant changes in internal controls or in other factors that could significantly affect internal controls subsequent to the date of our most recent evaluation, including any corrective actions with regard to significant deficiencies and material weaknesses.

Date: March 25, 2003

/s/ DENNIS J TIETZ

Dennis J Tietz
President and Chief Executive Officer of CCC

IEA Income Fund IX

CERTIFICATIONS
(Exchange Act Rule 13a-14)

I, John Kallas, certify that:

1. I have reviewed this annual report on Form 10-K of IEA Income Fund IX (the “Registrant”);

(b) evaluated the effectiveness of the Registrant’s disclosure controls and procedures as of a date within 90 days prior to the filing date of this annual report (the “Evaluation Date”); and

(c) presented in this annual report our conclusions about the effectiveness of the disclosure controls and procedures based on our evaluation as of the Evaluation Date;

5. CCC’s other certifying officer and I have disclosed, based on our most recent evaluation, to the Registrant’s auditors and the Board of Directors of CCC:

(b) any fraud, whether or not material, that involves management or other employees who have a significant role in the Registrant’s internal controls; and

Date: March 25, 2003

/s/ JOHN KALLAS

John Kallas
Chief Financial Officer of CCC

Exhibit Index


Exhibit
No.	Description	Method of Filing

3(a)	Limited Partnership Agreement of the Registrant, amended and restated as of September 12, 1988	*

3(b)	Certificate of Limited Partnership of the Registrant	**

99.1	Certification pursuant to 18 U.S.C. § 1350, as adopted pursuant to Section 906 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002.	***

99.2	Certification pursuant to 18 U.S.C. § 1350, as adopted pursuant to Section 906 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002.	***

*		Incorporated by reference to Exhibit “A” to the Prospectus of the Registrant dated September 12, 1988, included as part of Registration Statement on Form S-1 (No. 33-23321)

**		Incorporated by reference to Exhibit 3.4 to the Registration Statement on Form S-1 (No. 33-23321)

***		These two certifications, required by Section 906 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002, other than as required by Section 906, are not deemed to be “filed” with the Commission or subject to the rules and regulations promulgated by the Commission under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, or to the liabilities of Section 18 of said Act.

	•		Leasing allows the shipping lines to utilize the equipment they need without having to make large capital expenditures;

	•		Leasing offers a shipping line an alternative source of financing in a traditionally capital-intensive industry;

	•		Leasing enables shipping lines to expand their routes and market shares at a relatively inexpensive cost without making a permanent commitment to support their new structure;

	•		Leasing allows shipping lines to respond to changing seasonal and trade route demands, thereby optimizing their capital investment and storage costs.

	•		Master lease. Master leases are short-term leases under which a customer reserves the right to lease a certain number of containers, as needed under a general agreement between the lessor and the lessee. Such leases provide customers with greater flexibility by allowing customers to pick up and drop off containers where and when needed, subject to restrictions and availability, on pre-agreed terms. The commercial terms of master leases are usually negotiated annually. Master leases also define the number of containers that may be returned within each calendar month, the return locations and applicable drop-off charges. Due to the increased flexibility they offer, master leases usually command higher per-diem rates and generate more ancillary fees (including pick-up, drop-off, handling and off-hire fees) than term leases. Master lease agreements have a duration of less than one year and include one-way, repositioning and round-trip leases. Ocean carriers generally use one-way leases to manage trade imbalances (where more containerized cargo moves in one direction than another) by picking up a container in one port and dropping it off at another location after one or more legs of a voyage.

	•		Term lease. Term leases are for a fixed period of time and include both long and short-term commitments, with most extending from three to five years. Term lease agreements may contain early termination penalties that apply in the event of early redelivery. In most cases, however, equipment is not returned prior to the expiration of the lease. Term leases provide greater revenue stability to the lessor, but at lower lease rates than master leases. Ocean carriers use long-term leases when they have a need for identified containers for a specified term. They differ from master leases in that they define the number of containers to be leased and the lease term.

	1.		Per diem rental rates decreased in correlation with the reduction of new container prices and interest rate levels;

	2.		The Leasing Company converted lease agreements with certain shipping lines from master to long-term lease, providing greater revenue stability but at lower lease rates than those earned under master leases; and,

	3.		The Leasing Company initiated new long term leases for older equipment resulting in lower per diem rates, while significantly reducing off-hire container inventory levels.

	(a)		Nature of Operations

			IEA Income Fund IX, L.P. (the “Partnership”) is a limited partnership organized under the laws of the State of California on June 8, 1988 for the purpose of owning and leasing marine cargo containers worldwide to ocean carriers. To this extent, the Partnership’s operations are subject to the fluctuations of world economic and political conditions. Such factors may affect the pattern and levels of world trade. The Partnership believes that the profitability of, and risks associated with, leases to foreign customers is generally the same as those of leases to domestic customers. The Partnership’s leases generally require all payments to be made in United States currency.

			Cronos Capital Corp. (“CCC”) is the general partner and, with its affiliate Cronos Containers Limited (the “Leasing Company”), manages the business of the Partnership. CCC and the Leasing Company also manage the container leasing business for other partnerships affiliated with CCC. The Partnership shall continue until December 31, 2009, unless terminated sooner upon the occurrence of certain events.

			The Partnership commenced operations on December 5, 1988, when the minimum subscription proceeds of $1,000,000 were obtained. The Partnership offered 40,000 units of limited partnership interest at $500 per unit, or $20,000,000. The offering terminated on September 11, 1989, at which time 33,992 limited partnership units had been sold.

	(b)		Leasing Company and Leasing Agent Agreement

			Pursuant to the Limited Partnership Agreement of the Partnership, all authority to administer the business of the Partnership is vested in CCC. A Leasing Agent Agreement exists between CCC and the Leasing Company, whereby the Leasing Company has the responsibility to manage the leasing operations of all equipment owned by the Partnership. Pursuant to the Agreement, the Leasing Company is responsible for leasing, managing and re-leasing the Partnership’s containers to ocean carriers and has full discretion over which ocean carriers and suppliers of goods and services it may deal with. The Leasing Agent Agreement permits the Leasing Company to use the containers owned by the Partnership, together with other containers owned or managed by the Leasing Company and its affiliates, as part of a single fleet operated without regard to ownership. Since the Leasing Agent Agreement meets the definition of an operating lease in Statement of Financial Accounting Standards (SFAS) No. 13, it is accounted for as a lease under which the Partnership is lessor and the Leasing Company is lessee.

			The Leasing Agent Agreement generally provides that the Leasing Company will make payments to the Partnership based upon rentals collected from ocean carriers after deducting direct operating expenses and management fees to CCC. The Leasing Company leases containers to ocean carriers, generally under operating leases which are either master leases or term leases (mostly one to five years). Master leases do not specify the exact number of containers to be leased or the term that each container will remain on hire but allow the ocean carrier to pick up and drop off containers at various locations, and rentals are based upon the number of containers used and the applicable per-diem rate. Accordingly, rentals under master leases are all variable and contingent upon the number of containers used. Most containers are leased to ocean carriers under master leases; leasing agreements with fixed payment terms are not material to the financial statements. Since there are no material minimum lease rentals, no disclosure of minimum lease rentals is provided in these financial statements.

	(c)		Concentrations of Credit Risk

			The Partnership’s financial instruments that are exposed to concentrations of credit risk consist primarily of cash, cash equivalents and net lease receivables due from the Leasing Company. See note 3 for further discussion regarding the credit risk associated with cash and cash equivalents.

			Net lease receivables due from the Leasing Company (see notes 1(b) and 4 for discussion regarding net lease receivables) subject the Partnership to a significant concentration of credit risk. These net lease receivables, representing rentals earned by the Leasing Company, on behalf of the Partnership, from ocean carriers after deducting direct operating expenses and management fees to CCC and the Leasing Company, are remitted by the Leasing Company to the Partnership three to four times per month. The Partnership has historically never incurred a loss associated with the collectibility of unremitted net lease receivables due from the Leasing Company.

	(d)		Basis of Accounting

			The Partnership utilizes the accrual method of accounting. Net lease revenue is recorded by the Partnership in each period based upon its leasing agent agreement with the Leasing Company. Net lease revenue is generally dependent upon operating lease rentals from operating lease agreements between the Leasing Company and its various lessees, less direct operating expenses and management fees due in respect of the containers specified in each operating lease agreement.

	(e)		Use of Estimates

			The financial statements are prepared in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America (GAAP), which requires the Partnership to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities and disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities at the date of the financial statements and the reported amounts of revenues and expenses during the reported period. Actual results could differ from those estimates.

			The most significant estimates included within the financial statements are the container rental equipment estimated useful lives and residual values, and the estimate of future cash flows from container rental equipment operations, used to determine the adequacy of the carrying value of container rental equipment in accordance with SFAS No. 144. Considerable judgment is required in estimating future cash flows from container rental equipment operations. Accordingly, the estimates may not be indicative of the amounts that may be realized in future periods. As additional information becomes available in subsequent periods, reserves for the impairment of the container rental equipment carrying values may be necessary based upon changes in market and economic conditions.

	(f)		Allocation of Net Income or Loss and Partnership Distributions

			Net income or loss has been allocated between the general and limited partners in accordance with the Partnership Agreement.

			Actual cash distributions differ from the allocations of net income or loss between the general and limited partners as presented in these financial statements. Partnership distributions are based on “distributable cash” and are paid to the general and limited partners on a quarterly basis, in accordance with the provisions of the Partnership Agreement. Partnership distributions from operations are allocated 95% to the limited partners and 5% to the general partner. Distributions of sales proceeds are allocated 99% to the limited partners and 1% to the general partner. These allocations remain in effect until such time as the limited partners have received from the Partnership aggregate distributions in an amount equal to their capital contributions plus a 10% cumulative, compounded (daily) annual return on their adjusted capital contributions. Thereafter, all Partnership distributions will be allocated 85% to the limited partners and 15% to the general partner. Cash distributions from operations to the general partner in excess of 5% of distributable cash will be considered an incentive fee and will be recorded as compensation to the general partner, with the remaining distributions from operations charged to partners’ capital.

	(g)		Acquisition Fees

			Pursuant to the Partnership Agreement, acquisition fees paid to CCC are based on 5% of the equipment purchase price. These fees are capitalized and included in the cost of the rental equipment.

	(h)		Container Rental Equipment

			Container rental equipment is depreciated using the straight-line method. Depreciation policies are also evaluated to determine whether subsequent events and circumstances warrant revised estimates of useful lives. Effective June 1, 2001, the estimated depreciable life was changed from a twelve-year life to a fifteen-year life and the estimated salvage value was changed from 30% to 10% of the original equipment cost. The effect of these changes is an increase to depreciation expense of approximately $182,000 and $178,000 for 2002 and 2001, respectively.

			SFAS No. 144, “Accounting for the Impairment or Disposal of Long-Lived Assets,” was adopted by the Partnership effective January 1, 2002, without a significant impact on its financial statements. In accordance with SFAS No. 144, container rental equipment is considered to be impaired if the carrying value of the asset exceeds the expected future cash flows from related operations (undiscounted and without interest charges). If impairment is deemed to exist, the assets are written down to fair value. An analysis is prepared each quarter projecting future cash flows from container rental equipment operations. Current and projected utilization rates, per-diem rental rates, direct operating expenses, fleet size and container disposals are the primary variables utilized by the analysis. Additionally, the Partnership evaluates future cash flows and potential impairment by container type rather than for each individual container, and as a result, future losses could result for individual container dispositions due to various factors, including age, condition, suitability for continued leasing, as well as the geographical location of containers when disposed. There were no impairment charges to the carrying value of container rental equipment during 2002, 2001 and 2000.

	(i)		Income Taxes

			The Partnership is not subject to income taxes, consequently no provision for income taxes has been made. The Partnership files federal and state annual information tax returns, prepared on the accrual basis of accounting. Taxable income or loss is reportable by the partners individually.

	(j)		Financial Statement Presentation

			The Partnership has determined that, for accounting purposes, the Leasing Agent Agreement is a lease, and the receivables, payables, gross revenues and operating expenses attributable to the containers managed by the Leasing Company are, for accounting purposes, those of the Leasing Company and not of the Partnership. Consequently, the Partnership’s balance sheets and statements of operations display the payments to be received by the Partnership from the Leasing Company as the Partnership’s receivables and revenues.

	(k)		New Accounting Pronouncements

			In June 2002, the Financial Accounting Standards Board issued SFAS No. 146, (“SFAS 146”), “Accounting for Costs Associated with Exit or Disposal Activities,” which addresses accounting for restructuring and similar costs. The Registrant does not consider the provisions of SFAS 146 to have any effect on its financial position or results of operations.

(2)		Operating Segment

		An operating segment is a component of an enterprise that engages in business activities from which it may earn revenues and incur expenses, whose operating results are regularly reviewed by the enterprise’s chief operating decision maker to make decisions about resources to be allocated to the segment and assess its performance, and about which separate financial information is available. Management operates the Partnership’s container fleet as a homogenous unit and has determined that as such it has a single reportable operating segment.

		The Partnership derives revenues from dry cargo containers. As of December 31, 2002, the Partnership owned 790 twenty-foot, 333 forty-foot and 506 forty-foot high-cube marine dry cargo containers.

		Due to the Partnership’s lack of information regarding the physical location of its fleet of containers when on lease in the global shipping trade, it is impracticable to provide the geographic area information.

		No single sub-lessee of the Leasing Company contributed more than 10% of the Leasing Company’s rental revenue earned during 2002, 2001 and 2000 on behalf of the Registrant.

(3)		Cash and Cash Equivalents

		Cash equivalents include money market funds that invest in highly-liquid first-tier securities, such as U.S. Treasury obligations, repurchase agreements secured by U.S. Treasury obligations, and obligations whose principal and interest are backed by the U.S. Government. Cash equivalents are carried at cost which approximates fair value, and at times, may exceed federally insured limits. The Partnership has not experienced any losses in such accounts and believes it is not exposed to any significant credit risk.

(4)		Net Lease (Payables) Receivables Due from Leasing Company

		Net lease (payables) receivables due from the Leasing Company are determined by deducting direct operating payables and accrued expenses, base management fees payable, and reimbursed administrative expenses payable to CCC and its affiliates from the rental billings earned by the Leasing Company under operating leases to ocean carriers for the containers owned by the Partnership as well as proceeds earned from container disposals. Net lease (payables) receivables at December 31, 2002 and December 31, 2001 were as follows:

(5)		Damage Protection Plan

		The Leasing Company offers a repair service to several lessees of the Partnership’s containers, whereby the lessee pays an additional rental fee for the convenience of having the Partnership incur the repair expense for containers damaged while on lease. This fee is recorded as revenue when earned according to the terms of the rental contract. An accrual has been recorded to provide for the estimated costs incurred by this service. This accrual is a component of net lease receivables due from the Leasing Company (see note 4). The Partnership is not responsible in the event repair costs exceed predetermined limits, or for repairs that are required for damages not defined by the damage protection plan agreement.

(6)		Net Lease Revenue

		Net lease revenue is determined by deducting direct operating expenses, base management fees and reimbursed administrative expenses to CCC from the rental revenue earned by the Leasing Company under operating leases to ocean carriers for the containers owned by the Partnership. Net lease revenue for the years ended December 31, 2002, 2001 and 2000, was as follows:

(7)		Compensation to General Partner

		Base management fees are equal to 7% of gross lease revenues attributable to operating leases pursuant to the Partnership Agreement. Reimbursed administrative expenses are equal to the costs expended by CCC and its affiliates for services necessary for the prudent operation of the Partnership pursuant to the Partnership Agreement. The following compensation was paid or will be paid by the Partnership to CCC:

(8)		Limited Partners’ Capital

		Cash distributions made to the limited partners during 2002, 2001 and 2000 included distributions of proceeds from equipment sales in the amount of $594,883, $605,486, and $637,354, respectively. These distributions, as well as cash distributions from operations, are used in determining “Adjusted Capital Contributions” as defined by the Partnership Agreement.

		The limited partners’ per unit share of capital at December 31, 2002, 2001 and 2000 was $59, $98, and $141, respectively. This is calculated by dividing the limited partners’ capital at the end of each year by 33,992, the total number of limited partnership units.