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Trade and Commodities Finance

Our trade team provides sector specific financing advice

Our trade team advises on the full range of financing options such as structured trade and commodities finance, general trade and trade finance (including Letters of Credit and other payment mechanisms), export finance, supply chain financing and receivables financing. Our clients include some of the world’s leading commodities producers, trading houses, banks, trade finance institutions, commodity funds, financing consortia and export credit agencies. From credit committee to drawdown our clients look to us for commercial, risk aware advice.

The need for astute finance has never been greater, as the risks that go with international trade activity continue to increase. Sanctions regimes are evolving in a rapidly changing environment and many funders consider emerging markets to carry too much risk for their loan books today.

Our thorough understanding of the legal relationships between parties enables us to help clients avoid the problems that could potentially lead to a default.

All of our trade finance lawyers have a high level of awareness of the key commercial issues that pertain to commodity financing today. Combined with our industry knowledge this means that we can handle tough cross-border transactions with ease.

Our Trade Work

  • All
  • Africa
  • Asia Pacific
  • Middle East
  • UK & Europe
  • Bulyanhulu Gold Mine Limited USD 142 million secured loan

    Advising Standard Bank of South Africa on its USD 142 million secured loan to Bulyanhulu Gold Mine Limited

    South Africa

    Tanzanian conglomerate USD 20 million secured loan

    Advising Standard Bank (Mauritius) Limited on its USD 20 million secured loan to a Tanzanian conglomerate.

    Tanzania

    Borrowing base financings

    Advising an international steel trader on its key core borrowing base financings in South East Asia, the UK, Germany, France and India

    India

    Debt and equity limited recourse trade financing

    Advising an international trader in connection with its debt and equity limited recourse trade financing of an Australian scrap-steel recycler including in connection with its ongoing working capital trade finance lines

    Australia

    Development and financing of banana plantation

    Acting for the promoters in the development and financing of banana plantations and the negotiation of a ten year off take agreement with Chiquit in Mozambique

    Mozambique

    Financing of banana plantations with Chiquit

    Acting for the promoters in the development and financing of banana plantations and the negotiation of a ten year off take agreement with Chiquit in Mozambique

    Mozambique

    Letters of credit

    Acting for a major European bank, which had confirmed several letters of credit, regarding the default of the issuing bank incorporated in Bahrain; obtaining an freezing injunction to seize assets in England; considering cross-border insolvency issues and an application by the administrator for recognition of the Bahraini administration

    Bahrain

    Letters of credit, asset seizure and insolvency

    Acting for a major European bank, which had confirmed several letters of credit, regarding the default of the issuing bank incorporated in Bahrain. This matter involved obtaining a freezing injunction to seize assets in England, considering cross-border insolvency issues and an application by the administrator for recognition of the Bahraini administration

    Bahrain

    Offtake agreements and financing arrangements over Serbian steel mill

    Advising a commodities trader on the supply and offtake agreements and financing arrangements in respect of a steel mill in Serbia

    Serbia

    Preexport financing of copper, lead and zinc

    Advising lenders and trading companies on transactions involving several hundred million dollars worth of preexport financing of copper, lead and zinc commodities in Central Asia

    Kazakhstan
  • Bulyanhulu Gold Mine Limited USD 142 million secured loan

    Advising Standard Bank of South Africa on its USD 142 million secured loan to Bulyanhulu Gold Mine Limited

    South Africa

    Tanzanian conglomerate USD 20 million secured loan

    Advising Standard Bank (Mauritius) Limited on its USD 20 million secured loan to a Tanzanian conglomerate.

    Tanzania

    Financing of banana plantations with Chiquit

    Acting for the promoters in the development and financing of banana plantations and the negotiation of a ten year off take agreement with Chiquit in Mozambique

    Mozambique

    Development and financing of banana plantation

    Acting for the promoters in the development and financing of banana plantations and the negotiation of a ten year off take agreement with Chiquit in Mozambique

    Mozambique
  • Debt and equity limited recourse trade financing

    Advising an international trader in connection with its debt and equity limited recourse trade financing of an Australian scrap-steel recycler including in connection with its ongoing working capital trade finance lines

    Australia

    Structured trade pre-payment financing

    Acting for a regional development financial institution in its structured trade pre-payment financing of the export of furniture from China

    China

    Secured trade finance facilities

    Advising a leading international steel trader in connection with its trade finance operations in particular on secured trade finance facilities, comprising a Letter of Credit Facility / Buyer's Credit Facility for up to 2.5 billion rupees, secured against receivables and commodities

    India

    Borrowing base financings

    Advising an international steel trader on its key core borrowing base financings in South East Asia, the UK, Germany, France and India

    India

    Secure financing to a Kazak copper company

    Advising a bank on USD 125 million secured financing to a Kazakhstan copper mining-smelting enterprise (involving collateral including the pledge of raw materials, bank accounts and vehicles)

    Kazakhstan

    Preexport financing of copper, lead and zinc

    Advising lenders and trading companies on transactions involving several hundred million dollars worth of preexport financing of copper, lead and zinc commodities in Central Asia

    Kazakhstan
  • Letters of credit, asset seizure and insolvency

    Acting for a major European bank, which had confirmed several letters of credit, regarding the default of the issuing bank incorporated in Bahrain. This matter involved obtaining a freezing injunction to seize assets in England, considering cross-border insolvency issues and an application by the administrator for recognition of the Bahraini administration

    Bahrain

    Letters of credit

    Acting for a major European bank, which had confirmed several letters of credit, regarding the default of the issuing bank incorporated in Bahrain; obtaining an freezing injunction to seize assets in England; considering cross-border insolvency issues and an application by the administrator for recognition of the Bahraini administration

    Bahrain
  • Shipping and oil trading company's trade finance facilities

    Advising a Greek shipping and oil trading entity on its trade finance facilities with ABN Amro and Standard Chartered Bank

    Greece

    Trade finance facilities

    Advising a Greek shipping and oil trading entity on its trade finance facilities with ABN Amro and Standard Chartered Bank

    Greece

    Offtake agreements and financing arrangements over Serbian steel mill

    Advising a commodities trader on the supply and offtake agreements and financing arrangements in respect of a steel mill in Serbia

    Serbia

    Stemcor restructuring and new borrowing base of USD 1.15 billion

    Advising Stemcor, one of the world's largest independent steel traders, on a year-long restructuring process, during which, we were involved in various standstill arrangements and the creation of a new term loan facility and a new money syndicated and committed trade finance and borrowing base facility for an amount of up to USD 1.15 billion

    United Kingdom

    USD 2.5 billion global business operations and finance restructuring

    Representing Stemcor, the world’s largest independent steel trader, in a USD 2.5 billion global restructuring of its business operations and finances, involving the establishment of a syndicated committed USD 1.1 billion trade finance and borrowing base facility, including the granting of security in 15 jurisdictions worldwide

    United Kingdom

    USD 850 million European Revolving Credit Facility

    Advising a global commodity trader on its European Revolving Credit Facility for USD 850 million for its trade finance working capital lines

    United Kingdom

Our Trade Finance team

Elizabeth Evans
Elizabeth Evans

Partner

Dan Lever
Dan Lever

Partner

Tim Pipe
Tim Pipe

Partner

Ray Smith
Ray Smith

Partner

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