Net Investment in Direct Financing Leases and Sales-Type Leases
Teekay LNG owns a 70% ownership interest in Teekay BLT Corporation (or the Teekay Tangguh Joint Venture), which is a party to operating leases whereby the Teekay Tangguh Joint Venture leases two LNG carriers (or the Tangguh LNG Carriers) to a third party, which in turn leases the vessels back to the joint venture. The time charters for the two Tangguh LNG carriers are accounted for as direct financing leases. The Tangguh LNG Carriers commenced their time charters with their charterers in 2009.
In 2013, Teekay LNG acquired two 155,900-cubic meter LNG carriers, the WilPride and WilForce, from Norway-based Awilco LNG ASA (or Awilco) and chartered them back to Awilco on five- and four-year fixed-rate bareboat charter contracts (plus a one-year extension option), respectively, with Awilco holding a fixed-price purchase obligation at the end of the charters. The bareboat charters with Awilco were accounted for as direct financing leases.
However, in June 2017, Teekay LNG agreed to amend the charter contracts with Awilco to defer a portion of charter hire and extend the bareboat charter contracts and related purchase obligations on both vessels to December 2019. The amendments had the effect of deferring charter hire of between $10,600 per day and $20,600 per day per vessel from July 1, 2017 until December 2019, with such deferred amounts added to the purchase obligation amounts.
As a result of the contract amendments, both of the charter contracts with Awilco were reclassified as operating leases upon the expiry of their respective original contract terms in November 2017 and August 2018.
In September 2019, Awilco exercised its option to extend both charters from December 31, 2019 by up to 60 days with the ownership of both vessels transferring to Awilco at the end of this extension. In October 2019, Awilco obtained credit approval for a financing facility that would provide funds necessary for Awilco to satisfy its purchase obligation of the two LNG carriers.
As a result, both vessels were derecognized from the consolidated balance sheets and sales-type lease receivables were recognized based on the remaining amounts owing to Teekay LNG, including the purchase obligations. Teekay LNG recognized a gain of $14.3 million upon derecognition of the vessels for the year ended December 31, 2019, which was included in write-down and loss on sale of vessels in the Company's consolidated statements of loss (see Note 19). Awilco purchased both vessels in January 2020 (see Note 24(a)).
In addition, the 21-year charter contract for the Bahrain Spirit floating storage unit (or FSU) commenced in September 2018 and is accounted for as a direct finance lease. The following table lists the components of the net investments in direct financing leases and sales-type leases:
As at December 31, 2019, estimated minimum lease payments to be received by Teekay LNG related to its direct financing and sales-type leases in each of the next five succeeding fiscal years were approximately $324.7 million (2020), $64.2 million (2021), $64.2 million (2022), $64.0 million (2023), $64.3 million (2024) and an aggregate of $534.6 million thereafter. The leases are scheduled to end between 2020 and 2039.
As at December 31, 2018, estimated minimum lease payments to be received by Teekay LNG related to its direct financing leases in each of the next five years were approximately $63.9 million (2019), $64.3 million (2020), $64.2 million (2021), $64.2 million (2022), $64.0 million (2023) and an aggregate of $576.5 million thereafter.

December 31, 2019
December 31, 2018
$
$
Total minimum lease payments to be received
1,115,968
897,130
Estimated unguaranteed residual value of leased properties
284,277
291,098
Initial direct costs and other
296
329
Less unearned revenue
(581,732)
(613,394)
Total
818,809
575,163
Less current portion
(273,986)
(12,635)
Long-term portion
544,823
562,528


Question: Analyse this data from a financial earnings document. What is the increase/ (decrease) in Total minimum lease payments to be received from December 31, 2019 to December 31, 2018?
Choices:
1115643
218838
2013098
218838000
-218838
Correct choice index: 1