Watson, Farley & Williams (“WFW”) has advised shipping company MSC Cruises (“MSC”) on its “Renaissance Programme”, including the lengthening and refurbishment of four of its cruise ships. The first ship to undergo the works is the MSC Armonia, which is being extended by 24 metres at Fincantieri shipyard in Sicily by inserting a new pre-built mid-ship section into the vessel.
Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer LLP has advised Ontario Teachers’ Pension Plan (Teachers’) on its agreement to acquire a 50% stake in Bristol Airport from its co-shareholder, Macquarie European Infrastructure Fund.
Teachers’ will become the sole shareholder of Bristol Airport as a result of the transaction, which is due to complete by 1 October 2014. Bristol Airport is one of the fastest growing airports in the UK and acts as a key gateway for passengers travelling to the south-west of England.
Ashurst has advised the Northwest Rapid Transit consortium (Leighton Contractors, John Holland, UGL Rail Services, MTR Corporation and Plenary Group) on its bid to Transport for NSW for the $3.7 billion Operations, Trains and Systems (OTS) contract on the North West Rail Link (NWRL) project. The North West Rail Link is Australia's largest public transport project.
The service provider AMOVA, a subsidiary of the Adomea GmbH based in Bochum has developed a mobile system for the fully-automated measurement of car damage by hail, called MIKO (Mobiles Identifikationssystem für Kraftfahrzeugoberflächenfehler, mobile identification of sar surface damage). TÜV Rheinland now entered a cooperation agreement with the new company for a joint marketing and sale of the mobile system.
International law firm Pinsent Masons LLP has advised Sun Capital and investment funds managed by TDR Capital LLP who have signed an agreement to acquire Lakeside 1 Limited, the holding company of Keepmoat.
Keepmoat is the leading national provider of integrated affordable housing development and community regeneration services. Completion is expected to occur by the end of November 2014 and is subject to regulatory clearance.
Bingham’s Tokyo office advised on the integration of one of Japan’s largest LPG ventures. The firm represented Sumitomo Corporation and three major Japanese refiners — Cosmo Oil Co., Ltd., Showa Shell Sekiyu K. K. and TonenGeneral Sekiyu K. K. (Esso/Mobil) — in the integration of their liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) wholesale operations and retail business.
Davis Polk advised LVMH Group on a final settlement of all disputes and lawsuits with Hermès filed since 2010 in connection with the acquisition by LVMH of 15% of the share capital of Hermès. According to this agreement, all Hermès shares held by the LVMH Group, which represent more than 23% of the share capital of Hermès and are valued at €6.4 billion, will be distributed to LVMH’s shareholders. Following these distributions, Groupe Arnault, M.
Burges Salmon have advised Marks & Spencer (M&S) in relation to its sector-leading use of biomethane. M&S will become the first retailer in the UK to purchase Biomethane Gas Certificates, a move that will lower its carbon footprint by over 6,400 tonnes, following completion of a deal with biogas plant construction and operation specialist Future Biogas.
Law firm Eversheds has advised Prospects College of Advanced Technology (PROCAT) on becoming the first new further education college formed in England since 1992.
The college, based in Basildon, Essex, will provide cutting-edge technical education through partnerships with the engineering and construction industries, including some of the UK’s leading employers.
The Eversheds Education team provided all the legal work to allow the set up of PROCAT including its constitution and structuring.
Wragge Lawrence Graham & Co's Energy and Infrastructure team, in partnership with the International Finance Corporation, has advised Da Afghanistan Breshna Sherkat (DABS) on the successful procurement of a private management support contractor.
The USD$27.5 million arrangement will support DABS, the Afghanistan state electricity transmission company, in its operations within the Kandahar and Helmand provinces. The contractor, Power Generation Solutions will be charged with improving the metering, revenue, service levels and management capability of DABS in Kandahar.