Our Piraeus team has a strong pedigree of working with leading international shipowners, banks, corporates, lessors, P&I clubs, insurers, oil companies, traders, brokers and port operators across the eastern Mediterranean. We also provide Greek law support to our clients on a range of areas including shipping, real estate and corporate matters.
We are qualified to practice English and Greek law and offer a multi-lingual team, including lawyers fluent in English, German, Greek and Russian.
We can help you with:
- asset finance and leasing
- aviation, including aviation finance and disputes
- general banking and trade finance
- Greek law support over a range of areas including general commercial, employment and real estate matters
- offshore and energy
- restructuring, workouts and enforcements
- shipping including ship finance and shipping disputes.
"Managing partner Nigel Bowen-Morris has an outstanding reputation for his shipping finance practice. His 'easy-going and calm' demeanour is appreciated by clients, especially on complex, high-profile transactions."
Chambers Global 2015
DVB Bank, US$110 million syndicated LMA loan facility
We advised DVB Bank (acting as lender, agent and security agent) on the refinancing of part of a Turkish group fleet. The financing was in respect of ten tankers and two bulk carrier vessels registered in the ownership of relevant Maltese borrowers, with the Turkish company as corporate guarantor. This matter involved complex negotiations of term and security documentation and detailed analysis of tax and stamp duty liability.
Leading financial services company, US$154million secured loan to SPCs for refinancing of vessels
We advised on re-financing of three loan facilities with three banks and five vessels, four of which were registered in Greece and one registered in the Bahamas.
HSH Nordbank AG, Commerzbank AG, US$232 million financing
We advised in relation to a syndicated loan facility where the security was granted in favour of all three lenders rather than a security agent. We also acted for the agent, in connection with the assignment of such security by the lenders to the security agent as one of the lenders sold its participation to the loan to another.
Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation, US$176 million refinancing
We advised SMBC as agent in respect of a syndicated loan facility for the refinancing of four car carrier vessels for SPCs owned by a major Israeli shipping group.
DNB Bank, $210 million Safe Bulkers financing
We advised DNB Bank regarding the refinancing of 8 existing group vessels and part financing of 2 new builds. The facility was extended to SPCs owned by a major Greek shipping group.
Norddeutsche Landesbank Girozentrale, US$47.45 million financing
We advised Norddeutsche (acting as agent) on a facility for the financing of a product/chemical tanker and a product oil/chemical tanker ordered by a Liberian and a Marshall Islands company, respectively, each a subsidiary company of the biggest shipping group in Croatia. This transaction involved multiple jurisdictions, including Croatia, which is not often seen in international shipping finance.
DVB BANK, US$30 million syndicated loan for the financing of tankers
We advised on a syndicated loan facility for the refinancing of 2 products tankers owned by a major Turkish group. The transaction involved multiple jurisdictions and complex Turkish law aspects (including stamp duty issues).
ABN AMRO Bank, US£21 million financing
We have documented a complex supplemental agreement to a syndicated and cross-collateralised loan facility where the borrower bareboat chartered its vessel to a third party Brazilian bareboat charterer and the vessel was temporarily registered under the laws and flag of the Federal Republic of Brazil, while the Liberian flag was temporarily suspended, for the duration of the bareboat charter.
Advising a major Spanish retail chain
We have advised a major Spanish retail chain in relation to the closure of its Greek branches in Athens and Patras including dealing with Greek law liquidation issues.
Representation of Libyan interests
We have successfully advised and represented Libyan interests in relation to Greek law criminal and civil litigation in relation to the wrongful acquisition by a third party of their vessel in Spain.