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Watson Farley & Williams (“WFW”) advised China Merchants Capital Management Co. (“CMC”) and China Great Bay Area Fund Management Co. Limited (“GBAFM”) on a series of joint ventures with a global financial institution.

The transaction was structured as a share acquisition of minority shareholding in the vessel-owning companies of eight 174,000 cbm LNG carriers, each valued at approximately US$230m. All of the eight LNGCs in this project are financed respectively with three prominent PRC lessors and on long term time charters to affiliates of an integrated energy company in the Middle East. Completion of the transaction is expected in Q1 2026.

Founded in 2012, CMC is a member of the China Merchants Group and a leading Chinese alternative investment headquartered in Shenzhen and Hong Kong.

The cross-border WFW maritime team advising CMC was led by Hong Kong Office Head Guan Jian and London Partner Mark Tooke, supported by Registered Foreign Lawyer Catherine Tse, Associate Annie Tsang and Senior Legal Manager Jasmine Kwok and Legal Manager Sean Feng in Hong Kong Office, and Associates Idil Yusuf, Jonathan Ford and Megha Vijh in London Office; London Partner Solange Leandro, supported by Senior Associate Edita Katuscakova, advised on the merger control aspect of the transaction; London Partner Richard Stephens advised on tax matters; London Partner Joe McGladdery supported by Associate Amelia Reffold provided specialist’s advice on LNGC time charters; New York Partner Daniel Pilarski provided specialist’s advice on USTR port fees.

Guan Jian commented: “We are delighted to have supported CMC on these landmark shipping joint venture transactions which reaffirms both the strategic importance of LNG in the global energy transition and the strength of our cross-border capabilities in servicing different stakeholders in the LNG sector. This deal highlights WFW’s ability to deliver seamless advice across jurisdictions and practice areas, ensuring our clients achieve their commercial objectives in complex, high-value transactions”.

WFW has advised clients on a broad spectrum of financing structures involving LNG carriers. These joint venture transactions not only underscore the firm’s capability to deliver sophisticated legal services across multiple sectors but also reaffirm our specialised expertise in the LNG market and the confidence our clients continue to place in us in this field. Our active role in this sector is further highlighted by our various mandates in recent years advising different stakeholders involved in the same Middle East charterer’s LNG fleet expansion initiatives.