His particular focus extends to working with clients on asset finance and restructuring transactions related to a variety of asset classes within the maritime sector. Having built up close to a decade's experience, Matthew is known in particular for his dedication in project managing cross-border transactions, his sensible and commercial approach to developing client solutions and his commitment to helping clients achieve their commercial goals.
Matthew acts for both financiers and ship owners on a broad range of projects including, amongst others, syndicated and bilateral financings, ECA backed financings, green and sustainability linked loans, JOLCOs, sale and leaseback transactions, loan facility restructurings as well as highly structured vessel sale and purchase transactions. Matthew has experience across a wide variety of asset classes and regularly deals with matters in relation to newbuild vessels, second-hand vessels, container boxes as well as other offshore maritime assets.
Matthew frequently engages with matters spanning multiple jurisdictions and has experience in dealing with the key stakeholders in the shipping and offshore financing sector including financial institutions, ship owners, shipyards, brokers, local lawyers in key jurisdictions as well as maritime authorities and shipping registries.
In particular, Matthew is especially familiar with the Korean shipping market having worked on numerous instructions in Korea over an extended period of time. He is well versed in Korean ship finance structures utilised and has experience working with a broad cross-section of Korean owners, yards, local counsel, junior lenders as well as other relevant entities such as K-SURE and KOBC.
Matthew has extensive experience advising on distressed loan facilities and has advised numerous financiers in relation to the coordination of Borrower defaults and ultimately enforcement of security. As part of this body of work, Matthew has assisted clients to coordinate multiple ship arrests as well as private, hybrid and judicial sales of secured vessels in a number of different jurisdictions, often taking a leading role in coordinating cross border and cross practise teams with litigation focused colleagues and overseas lawyers.
Whilst at Stephenson Harwood, Matthew has also enjoyed the experience of a client secondment with a major international bank through its Singapore office. He also maintains a keen eye on the firm's ability to innovate through both its technology and processes so as to be able to better serve our clients and was a member of the first cycle of the firm's 'Innovation Network'.
"Proactive, available, good commercial and legal approach."
The Legal 500 Asia Pacific 2022