Norton Rose Fulbright recognised with six accolades at Marine Money Awards 2024

Global law firm Norton Rose Fulbright has been recognised for its work on six winning deals across five categories at this year’s Marine Money Deal of the Year Awards 2024.

Marine Money is the premier provider of maritime finance transactional information and maritime company analysis, serving an international audience of shipowners, financiers, investors, ship managers, brokers, lawyers and accountants for over 35 years.

Simon Hartley, Norton Rose Fulbright’s Global Co-Head of Shipping, commented:

“We are delighted to be recognised again by Marine Money for such a range of work across a number of different areas in the shipping sector including M&A, sustainable finance and innovation. Such a result is testament to the strength of our global team’s ability to deliver on the specific requirements of our clients in all these areas, and we are grateful to be able to have the opportunity to work with these clients to provide the innovative solutions required in these transactions and more generally in the shipping finance sector. We congratulate our fellow award winners involved on the transactions and look forward to further contributing to the continued development of the shipping sector.”

Norton Rose Fulbright’s award-winning transactions at the Marine Money Deal of the Year Awards 2024 include:

M&A Deals of the Year - HCOB's acquisition of NIBC's shipping loan portfolio
A multijurisdictional Norton Rose Fulbright team advised NIBC Bank N.V. (NIBC) on its sale of a fully performing loan book (value c.$992 million), deal pipeline and a team of ship finance professionals to Hamburg Commercial Bank (HCOB). The Norton Rose Fulbright team advising on the deal was co-led by London-based ship finance partner Simon Lew and corporate partner Alan Bainbridge, and included more than 25 lawyers from the firm’s Amsterdam, Hamburg and London offices.

Leasing Deal of the Year – Crédit Agricole four vessel JOLCO financing for Seapeak
Norton Rose Fulbright advised Crédit Agricole CIB (CACIB) on a comprehensive four vessel Japanese Operating Lease with Call Option (JOLCO) financing package and associated loan facilities for Seapeak. This was one of the biggest JOLCO financing packages in the shipping sector in 2024, involving the coordination of a significant number of stakeholders across multiple jurisdictions. The Norton Rose Fulbright team advising on the deal was led by London-based partner Simon Hartley and counsel Matthew Bambury.

Green Deal of the Year – Bibby Marine zero emission offshore wind support vessels financing
Norton Rose Fulbright, working in conjunction with leading Spanish law firm Uría Menéndez, advised Bibby Marine on a financing package with HSBC UK to support the development of its previously announced zero emission electric Commissioning Service Operation Vessel for servicing offshore windfarms. The London-based Norton Rose Fulbright team was led by partners Andrew Williams and Philip Roche.

Innovation Deal of the Year – Multi-tranche financing for Crystal Cruises
Norton Rose Fulbright advised Citi in all capacities on a strategically important $500 million term and revolving credit facility for luxury travel and leisure company Abercrombie & Kent (A&K). The Norton Rose Fulbright team advising on the deal was led by the firm’s Co-Head of Asset Finance and Head of Greece, Yianni Cheilas, and counsel Matthew Bambury.

Offshore wild card Deal of the Year – Clear Ocean Partners multi-tranche financing of $180 million vessel purchase
Norton Rose Fulbright advised Macquarie Bank Limited, London Branch as senior lender to Clear Ocean Partners to fund the acquisition of two Norwegian-flagged offshore support vessels, “Energy Savannah” and “Energy Sphynx”. The Vessels are used in the offshore construction industry and are capable of precision work at depths of 2,000 feet or more. The Norton Rose Fulbright team advising on this deal was led by partner Andrew Williams.

M&A Deals of the Year - Star Bulk and Eagle Bulk's share for share merger
Norton Rose Fulbright advised DNB Bank ASA and ABN AMRO Bank N.V. on the provision of c.$200 million loan facilities to Star Bulk Carriers Corp. (Star Bulk Carriers), in order to assist it with its acquisition of Eagle Bulk Shipping Inc (Eagle Bulk Shipping), by way of a share exchange merger, completed on 9 April 2024, which has led to Star Bulk Carriers becoming the largest dry bulk shipping company in the world. The Norton Rose Fulbright team advising on this deal was led by Co-Head of Asset Finance and Head of Greece Yianni Cheilas and partner Evi Platsidaki.

Norton Rose Fulbright’s global shipping team advises on all aspects of corporate shipping transactions including mergers and acquisitions, complex finance and leasing deals and ship sales, acquisitions and charter transactions. The firm’s shipping lawyers advise a range of clients on the full spectrum of international shipping finance including work for banks, lessors, brokers, owners and operators worldwide.