Maritime: Maritime Transactions and Finance
Our Maritime practice includes cross-practice work that addresses all issues faced by maritime interests, including guiding maritime clients through complex transactions such as acquisitions and divestitures, taxation issues including structuring for maximum tax efficiency, and public financing.
Our lawyers provide comprehensive transactional capabilities. We have completed acquisitions of major shipping companies and several of the largest maritime financings in the United States in recent years. We also provide advice on and negotiate vessel construction contracts (including complex cruise ship contracts valued at US$400 million each), credit agreements, secured vessel financings, project financings, leveraged lease transactions, international structured financial transactions, and public financing of maritime projects.
Many of our financings involve multiple states and countries. We also represent creditors and borrowers in restructuring transactions and bankruptcy proceedings (including multijurisdictional proceedings) involving maritime interests. Our lawyers have advised large shipping concerns on corporate and vessel-specific tax structuring.
Examples include:
- Acquisitions of major shipping companies
- Maritime asset financings, loans, deeds of covenants, mortgages, assignments of earnings, insurances, guarantees, re-flagging, and insurance coverage for lenders
- Ship and fleet mortgage enforcements (including arrests), workouts, restructurings and insolvencies, judicial sales through private treaty or public auction, and distribution of proceeds
- Vessel construction contracts; repair, conversion, and construction contract matters, including issues arising under standard forms, specifications, and description; design delays; variations; liquidated damages; and class and delivery warranties
- Ship sale and purchase, including new buildings, scrap sales, on-sales, second-hand tonnage, and fleets
- Ship management and crewing issues, technical managers, commercial managers, brokers, agents, crew claims, and employment contracts
