Associates from the PLG firms Schaap, Pannone Corporate and Pintó Ruiz & Del Valle have been involved in the refinancing and restructuring of a Dutch company, active in nautical transport. The company operates ferries and passenger ships and monitors bridges as well as locks in the Rotterdam region and in Antwerp. It is also active in the recruitment of personnel for the offshore industry and acts as an intermediary in the purchase and sale of luxury yachts. In the context of the participation of new shareholders in the company and the refinancing by a new financier, the cooperation took place with associates from Pannone Corporate in Manchester. Despite the client being a Dutch company, the financing agreement is governed by English law. The shareholders’ agreement in force between the various shareholders was also entered into under English law. This led to questions that had to be answered under English law. Associates of Pannone Corporate were able to answer those questions directly.

Pintó Ruiz & Del Valle also played a very important role, as the Dutch company had several ships under construction at a shipyard in Spain. Transfer of the vessels as well as related agreements was necessary as part of the intended transaction. Assistance from Pintó Ruiz & Del Valle proved vital.

The transaction was successfully completed, thanks in part to the close cooperation between the three firms. The case showed that a case with international aspects can only be handled adequately if the lawyers in the various jurisdictions know each other well and can rely on each other’s knowledge and expertise.