The London office of international legal practice Norton Rose has advised lenders the UK Green Investment Bank, Lloyds Banking Group, Royal Bank of Scotland, Santander and Siemens Bank on the financing of Dutch pension fund PGGM and Ampere Equity Fund’s interest in Walney offshore wind farms, off the coast of Cumbria.

The value of the term loan and working capital facility is approximately £225 million and represents the first time the UK Green Investment Bank has provided direct lending support to a project financing.

Watson, Farley & Williams (“WFW”), a leading international law firm, is pleased to announce that it has acted for Nordea Bank Norge ASA on a US$300m reducing revolving credit facility to CMB NV, which signed in December 2012.

The proceeds will be used to refinance existing debt, to part-finance six Samjin newbuildings due for delivery in 2013/4, and for general corporate purposes. It is secured on various Belgian and Hong Kong registered ships.

Slaughter and May advised Standard Chartered PLC on its issue of US$250,000,000 5.300% Dated Subordinated Notes due 2043 under its US$50,000,000,000 Debt Issuance Programme, to be consolidated and form a single series with the US$500,000,000 5.300% Dated Subordinated Notes due 2043 issued by Standard Chartered PLC on 11 January 2013. Standard Chartered Bank acted as the manager.
 
Contacts

Financing: Nilufer von Bismarck (partner), Andrew Chaplin (associate)

Slaughter and May advised Standard Chartered PLC on its issue of US$2,000,000,000 3.950% Dated Subordinated Notes due 2023 and US$500,000,000 5.300% Dated Subordinated Notes due 2043 under its US$50,000,000,000 Debt Issuance Programme. BofA Merrill Lynch, Goldman, Sachs & Co., J.P. Morgan and Standard Chartered Bank acted as joint lead managers. Sullivan & Cromwell advised as to New York law.
 
Contacts

Financing: Nilufer von Bismarck (partner), Andrew Chaplin (associate)

Tokyo, Amsterdam: Leading international law firm Clifford Chance has advised ING Bank N.V. ("ING") on its sale of three-year bonds in Japan, raising JPY175.9 billion ($2.1 billion) in aggregate. This was the largest issue of JPY bonds in Japan by a foreign issuer in 2012, and one of the biggest ever fundraisings by a European issuer in Japan.

Watson, Farley & Williams announce that it has advised a leading international bank on a US$10 million re-financing of a 5,150 bhp Marshall-Islands flagged AHTS. The re-financing was provided to an affiliated company of a Singapore listed company.

The transaction had to be specially structured to enable bareboat registration under Philippines flag.

The WFWAP team was led by Lee Chien Herr.

Mr Lee commented: “This transaction marks the first time which the parties have cooperated on the ship financing front and which is intended to lead the way for more to come.”

Osborne Clarke has advised long-standing client Funding Circle on its successful application for a £20m share of a £55m government initiative intended to stimulate small business lending in the UK.

The government's decision to invest directly in peer-to-peer lenders (though its business finance partnership scheme) is part of its flagship credit-easing policy.

Watson, Farley & Williams (“WFW”), a leading international law firm, is pleased to announce that it has advised a consortium of eight banks on a US$700m seven-year term loan and revolving credit facility to Sovcomflot (“SCF”).

The eight leading international banks included Citibank, N.A., London Branch, Bank of America N.A., BNP Paribas S.A., DVB Bank SE, ING Bank N.V., London Branch, Nordea Bank Norge ASA and Skandinaviska Enskilda Banken AB as mandated lead arrangers and Morgan Stanley Senior Funding Inc. as arranger.

International business law firm Lawrence Graham (LG) has advised on Starwood European Real Estate Finance Limited's £228.5million initial public offering on the London Stock Exchange.

LG corporate partner John Reed, senior corporate associate Kris Rogers and assistant Emma Cooper advised Jefferies International Limited and Dexion Capital plc as joint sponsors, joint financial advisers and joint booker runners.

This was the largest investment company IPO of 2012 and, measured by funds raised, the second largest premium segment IPO of 2012 in the UK.

Simmons & Simmons Advises on Boost ETP Securities Programme

Simmons & Simmons has advised Boost, a new independent Exchange Traded Products (“ETPs”) provider, on the establishment of a collateralised ETP securities programme (the “Boost Programme”).