The global shipping practice at Norton Rose Fulbright collaborates with insurance companies, ship owners, and banks, offering comprehensive services to the cruise and ferry, industrial shipping, and offshore energy sectors. Led by banking lawyer and export credit financing expert Christine Ezcutari, the team specialises in high-value finance and leasing deals, complex restructurings, ship sales, acquisitions, and charter transactions. It also handles regulatory, antitrust, corporate, and dispute matters as part of its broader services. Ayaka Millet brings expertise in French law and international financing transactions, including export financing, infrastructure, and acquisition finance.

With a strong presence in major ship finance hubs, the Paris-based global shipping practice at Watson Farley & Williams LLP maintains its leading position in the field. The practice advises owners, operators, and major financial institutions on a wide range of complex, high-value, multijurisdictional ship finance transactions. Co-heading the team are Alexia Russell, a specialist in asset finance, leasing, and project finance; and Laurence Martinez-Bellet, an expert in cross-border transactions, as well as ECA and DFI-backed transactions involving JVs and debt or equity investment funds. The practice also benefits from the expertise of Philippe Monfort, who focuses on transport asset finance, and Isabella Roberts, a maritime specialist with extensive experience in multi-jurisdictional finance transactions, earning her the reputation as a ‘golden bridge across cultures‘.

Leveraging its extensive global network, the shipping finance team at HFW provides expert counsel to major financial institutions as well as shipowners and maritime enterprises. The team specialises in a wide array of high-value, cross-border matters, with a particular focus on financing through tax lease structures. Jean-Marc Zampa, with over two decades of specialised expertise in large, complex financial transactions, leads the Paris team. He routinely advises both shipowners and banks on various transactional matters, enhancing the team’s comprehensive service, which encompasses international syndicated loans, acquisition finance, asset finance, and export and tax-advantaged financings. Since publication, the team welcomed Paolo Pinna who joined from Norton Rose Fulbright in May 2024.

The shipping finance practice at Hogan Lovells (Paris) LLP combines the strength of its global network with the experience of its domestic team to advise on a broad range of both on and offshore vessel financings, debt, tax structured and capital market financings, representing leading international banks in the market. Qualified in both French and English law, Alexander Premont heads the practice, specialising in acquisition and leveraged financings as well as asset and insurance financings. Tam Tran’s experience in complex, multi-jurisdictional asset financings further bolsters the team.

Willkie Farr & Gallagher LLP‘s Paris office is counsel of choice to prominent shipping firms, financial investors, manufacturers, and asset managers, providing comprehensive guidance across the gamut of matters. The group makes the choice not to represent banking institutions in order to avoid potential conflicts of interest. Corporate finance specialist Brice Pommiès leads the team, overseeing a wide array of issues, from bank debt, sale and leasebacks, and high yield financings, to restructurings and other corporate affairs.

The shipping finance practice at A&O Shearman operates on a global scale, offering extensive expertise in the financing, procurement, construction, and chartering of various types of vessels and platforms. Co-led by Adrian Mellor and Florent Belin, the practice serves a diverse client base, including financiers, funds, owners, charterers, sponsors, and ECAs, advising on a wide array of shipping transactions. They have a strong track record of involvement in large, complex transactions within the market, including specific French products like French tax leases.

Stream – Avocats et Solicitors‘ shipping finance team acts for an international client base on an array of financing and transactional legal services, catering to owners, borrowers, financiers, operators, and banks. The department's expertise spans acquisitions, restructurings, traditional bank loans, private equity investments, and joint venture arrangements. Maritime specialist Aymeric de Tapol and financial transaction expert Olivier Challine jointly coordinate the practice.