Jun 2024
Welcome to the Conyers Global Shipping Digest which is an overview of our significant advice mandates in the global shipping M&A, capital markets and financing sectors over the course of the past twelve months.
Throughout this period, the global economy has faced ongoing challenges, including shifting market dynamics and geopolitical tensions disrupting supply chains and affecting the productivity of global shipping fleets. Despite these challenges, the firm’s global shipping practice has thrived, experiencing record transactional deal flow across our core Bermuda, Cayman and BVI offerings. We have advised on numerous high-value financing and M&A transactions – including several with a deal size of over US$1 billion. The deals highlighted in this digest showcase our shipping clients’ effective utilisation of our core jurisdictions for significant international ship finance and capital markets transactions. Leading companies such as Seadrill Limited, Carnival Corporation and Frontline pls have negotiated complex financings via our respective jurisdictions’ facilitating platforms.
As we continue into this year, the shipping industry is focused on advancing the energy transition, improving operational efficiencies, and pursuing strategic acquisitions to capture market share. The deals outlined in this digest reflect the current trends and developments shaping the shipping landscape. Gaslog Ltd.’s sustainability-linked refinancing of a US$2.8 billion loan is an example of the focus on energy transition and initiatives toward climate objectives as this transaction is tied to decarbonisation and social key performance targets. Another notable transaction was Viking Holdings Ltd.’s initial public offering on the New York Stock Exchange, marking a significant milestone for the Bermuda-incorporated cruise operator which is currently the largest US stock market debut of 2024.
We have been fortunate to have advised on many noteworthy transactions in 2023, and to have been recognised by Marine Money with six awards in their Ship Finance “Deal of the Year” Awards, further evidencing our position as market-leading global ship finance experts and trusted advisors in the sector.