Ship finance lawyer Anastasia advises shipowners and financial institutions on term loan facilities for the acquisition of newbuilding or second-hand ships, on debt finance restructurings, on revolving credit facilities and lease finance transactions. In addition, she advises private equity funds and shipowners on the acquisition of distressed shipping assets.
Highly experienced in dealing with a wider range of commercial shipping matters, Anastasia is regularly instructed to provide guidance to owners on ship sale and purchase and ship registration, on bareboat charterparties and flagging, on shipbuilding contracts, on settlement agreements, on pool agreements and on ship management agreements. She has been instructed by technology companies aiming to revolutionise the maritime sector on their commercial contracts such as collaboration, outsourcing and software contracts, on IP protection issues, on fundraising and blockchain related projects.
Anastasia advises high-net-worth individuals and finance institutions on the construction, sale and purchase and financing of superyachts.
Having spent her early career in structured finance work, Anastasia has additional expertise in capital markets, derivatives and has additional expertise in capital markets and derivatives.
Anastasia cares for her clients and provides great service!
Kelvin Ma
Corporate Counsel, Caterpillar FinancialIt was a great pleasure working with you. You did a really great job. There were very tough and prolonged negotiations, but you managed to stay cool and on the point. Thank you very much for all your help.
Plamen Dimitrov
Managing Director, IHB Shipping Co Ltd
Expertise
- Ship finance, debt or equity finance, lease finance, Islamic finance
- Private equity, joint ventures, shareholders’ agreements
- Loan enforcement, acquisition of distressed shipping assets
- Ship sale and purchase, shipbuilding, registration and flagging
- Charterparties, management agreements and other commercial shipping arrangements
- Logistics, service contracts and freight forwarding agreements
Experience
Ship Finance
- Acted for the financing arm of one of the world’s most reputable shipping companies in the provision of a revolving credit loan to a digital trade finance platform.
- Advised a Greek ship owning group on a US$143 million refinancing project with a reputable financial institution in relation to a fleet of dry bulk carriers, involving inter alia the negotiation of a senior loan, a junior bond subscription agreement and various intercreditor arrangements.
- Acted for a Hong Kong based hedge fund on a $14.5milllion term facility provided for the refinancing of two crude Isle of Man flagged oil tankers which were bareboat chartered out to a major intra-Asia ship-owner. The transaction coincided with the exit of a leading Chinese financial institution.
- Advised a Greek shipowning group on a $34 million refinancing of four chemical tankers by a New York headquartered and highly reputable global asset manager.
- Acted for the financing arm of a US listed corporation on a $20 million refinancing of an Italian built 50m superyacht, documenting the loan and security, considering insolvency risks and enforcement scenarios.
- Advised a UAE based shipping and logistics group on their exit negotiations with an outgoing lender in relation to a $77million term loan facility secured by four vessels and assisted with the refinancing and structuring of an ijara lease finance with a leading Middle Eastern financial institution.
Ship Sales & Purchases
- Advised the shipping arm of a UAE based conglomerate on their tanker fleet acquisition, assisted with joint venture and shareholders’ agreement negotiation and drafted the shareholders’ loans.
- Assisted over the years with numerous sale and purchase transactions based on NSF1993 and NSF2012, lectured at the Lloyd’s Maritime Academy on second-hand ship sale and purchase and industry contracts.
Loan Enforcements & Amendments
- Acted for a Greek financial institution on the amendment of a $85million term loan facility entered into by a reputable Greek shipowner to deal with bareboat chartering arrangements in Latin America.
- Advised the London branch of an Indian bank on the enforcement of their term loan facilities in connection with two panamaxes and advised on the procedure for arresting ships in China and in the Netherlands.
Management Agreements
- Advised a Greek shipowning group in relation to the group’s reorganisation of management and the structuring of a tanker pool, assisted with the review and negotiation of a pool backed revolving credit facility entered into with a multinational investment bank.
- Assisted with numerous charterparty contracts based on Barecon1989, Barecon2001 and Barecon2017 and ship management contracts based on Shipman1998 and Shipman2009.
Other
- Assisted a Middle Eastern logistics company with on-going work relating to port concessions, warehousing and the provision of ground services to influential counterparties in the region.
- Advised a major supermarket chain in the UK on the procurement for the provision of sea freight services and negotiated sea freight contracts with major shipping container companies.
- Advised a logistics group in Egypt on their slot agreements, bills of lading and freight forwarding agreements and related disputes.
Please note: The experience list above may include examples of work completed prior to joining Keystone Law.
Recognition
Recognised by The Legal 500 2020 for Shipping
“Anastasia Papadopoulou is professional and knowledgeable.”
The Legal 500 2020
Recognised by The Legal 500 2018/19 for Shipping
Career
Anastasia qualified as a solicitor in 2008. Prior to joining Keystone Law in 2017, she worked at the following firms:
- TLT
- Clyde & Co
- Ashurst