DWF and CMS have advised the Trustee of Federated Flexiplan No 1, an industry-wide charity pension scheme with over 200 employers, in relation to a £70m buy-in, progressing to buy-out in the next 12 months, with Aviva.

Entrust Pension Limited had set itself a target date of 2019 for securing members' benefits but successfully achieved this two years early having worked collaboratively with advisors and the employers’ consultative committee.  

Watson Farley & Williams (“WFW“) has advised Cassa di Risparmio di San Miniato S.p.A. (“Cassa di Risparmio di San Miniato”) on the delivery of the “Antignano” tugboat to Livorno-based harbour towage company Fratelli Neri S.p.A. (“Fratelli Neri”).

The “Antignano” is the first of two sister RASTAR 3200W tugboats ordered in 2015 by Fratelli Neri. The second tugboat, the “Montenero”, will be delivered in April this year.

The teams of international law firm Gide, working alongside those of Ivorian law firm ADKA, coordinated by François Krotoff (Gide) and Adama Kamara (ADKA), have advised the SNEDAI group in relation to a 2 x 350MW coal-fired power plant in San Pedro, and its related infrastructures. The power plant, which will rely on a highly efficient (“ultra-supercritical”) technology, will be developed by Broto IPP, a subsidiary of S.Energies.

Gide has advised Partech Innovation on setting up US startup accelerator Techstars in Paris, within Partech’s startups campus, Partech Shaker.

Partnered by major French companies Air Liquide, Groupama, La Française des Jeux, Renault and Total, Techstars Paris’ ambition is to work alongside ten startups every year selected for a 13-week accelerator programme.

Gide’s team comprised partner Anne Tolila and associate Julien Negroni on corporate law aspects, and partner Christian Nouel on tax aspects.

Norton Rose Fulbright has advised French group Avril in relation to the setting-up of a mayonnaise factory in Algeria for its flagship brand Lesieur. This operation necessitated the creation of a joint-venture with local agribusiness group Djadi. The memorandum of understanding was signed on July 27, 2016 and the articles of association were signed in February 2017.

Simmons & Simmons has advised the Government of Kenya, Ministry of Energy & Petroleum on the commercialisation of its South Lokichar Basin oil discovery, paving the way for the first consignment of crude oil from the Turkana fields to be transported to Mombasa in readiness for export.

The oil export plan is expected to pump out an average of 2,000 barrels per day to Mombasa.

Energy Cabinet Secretary Charles Keter said: "With this agreement, which covers legal and technical issues, we will next month, start moving oil from Lokichar to Mombasa for exports".

On March 13, 2017, transport association Verkehrsverbund Rhein-Ruhr awarded the contract for sales services to Transdev Vertrieb GmbH. From December 2019, Transdev will sell regional rail tickets via vending machines and sales outlets, replacing DB Vertrieb GmbH as VRR's long-standing contract partner.
 

Dentons assisted Elitellina S.r.l., an Italy-based helicopter charter operator, on the establishment of a new company, Eliwork, along with the Spanish aviation group Faasa Aviaciòn SA.

This transaction is the first step in a wider project to create a helicopter center of excellence in Lombardy. The creation of the new company will allow the two companies to maximize their technical and commercial synergies and tap into the international experience of Fasaa group, a world leader in the aircraft and helicopter industry.

The Arden Cross Consortium, comprising landowners Birmingham City Council, Packington Estate, Coleshill Estate and Solihull Metropolitan Borough Council, has appointed Gowling WLG as legal advisers on Arden Cross, one of the UK’s most significant development sites.

DLA Piper has acted for integrated energy company, Victoria Oil & Gas Plc (VOG), on a complex farm-out arrangement with Bowleven Plc (Bowleven), the Africa focused oil and gas exploration group. The transaction related to the production sharing contract (PSC) for the Bomono Block, Cameroon. 

The Bomono Permit is located in the onshore extension of the Douala Basin. The acreage is characterised by numerous surface oil seeps but is largely unexplored by modern exploration methods.