Maritime finance is at the heart of Watson Farley & Williams LLP practice, with the team leveraging the firm’s international network to support clients with cross-border transactions, with focus areas such as asset and container finance, as well as leasing structures, frequently receiving instructions from shipping companies, ship managers and shipyards. The team also handles corporate, tax, regulatory and employment law advice and is steered by Christian Finnern, whose focus areas include shipbuilding, the sale and purchase of second-hand tonnage, flag and registration matters, as well as employment law issues.
Legal 500 Editorial commentary
Testimonials
Collated independently by Legal 500 research team.
- ‘The team of WFW is very well networked in the market and can help with all legal and practical questions in this area or provide the relevant contacts. The team is better networked in the market than most competitors.’
- 'WFW is always very responsive and knowledgeable. In particular in the shipping industry they have a very good view on standards and current relevant legal issues. They also always have a good economical understanding and remain practical in their advice.'
Key clients
- Eurazeo Infrastructure Partners
- GEFO Shipping Group
- Hamburg Commercial Bank AG
- Hapag-Lloyd
Work highlights
Advised GEFO Shipping Group on its order for ten seagoing chemical tankers from Xiangyu Shipyard.
Advised Eurazeo, acting as lead investor via its Eurazeo Transition Infrastructure Fund, on a €70m investment in new offshore service vessel platform MPC OSE Offshore.
Advised Hapag-Lloyd with Hogan Lovells jointly on three separate green ship financing transactions, with an aggregate value of $1.5bn.
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Practice head
Christian Finnern