Matthew Seah
Partner
Matthew is an experienced and trusted maritime and finance practitioner in our top-ranked maritime, trade and offshore (MTO) finance team based in Singapore.
Partner
Matthew is an experienced and trusted maritime and finance practitioner in our top-ranked maritime, trade and offshore (MTO) finance team based in Singapore.
Language - English
Jurisdiction - England & Wales
Matthew's work focuses on helping clients with a broad range of asset finance and restructuring transactions across a range of maritime asset classes.
With over a decade of experience, he is recognised for his dedication in project managing cross-border transactions through to completion and for his pragmatic and commercial approach to delivering client solutions.
He regularly assists financiers and ship owners on syndicated and bilateral financings, ECA-backed loans, green and sustainability-linked loans, JOLCOs, sale and leaseback transactions, loan restructurings, as well as structured sale and purchase matters.
Matthew frequently handles matters involving multiple jurisdictions and has long standing relationships with key stakeholders in the APAC and wider international shipping and offshore finance community, including financial institutions, ship owners, shipyards, brokers, local counsel as well as relevant maritime authorities and shipping registries.
Matthew has developed a particular familiarity with matters involving maritime financing into the Republic of Korea, having worked on numerous transactions involving recognised Korean shipowners as well as both domestic and international financiers and, in that time, developing a deep understanding of some of the key and specialised features and structures of this market.
He is also experienced in advising on distressed loan facilities, coordinating borrower defaults, and enforcing security. His work includes managing ship arrests and overseeing private, hybrid, and judicial sales of secured vessels in various jurisdictions, often leading cross-border and multidisciplinary teams.
Hanjin shipping insolvency
Acting on a multi-year process on behalf of over 20 international and domestic Korean financiers in relation to the rehabilitation and ultimately insolvency of Hanjin Shipping.
US$615m financing for HMM
Acting for Credit Agricole Corporate and Investment Bank in relation to a highly structured award-winning US$615m secured financing for HMM Co., Ltd. of nine (9) 9,000 TEU methanol dual-fuel containership.
Marine Money Deal of the Year Awards 2024 - East Structured Finance Deals of the Year - $615 Million Financing of HMM 9 x 9K TEU Containerships
Distressed offshore vessel facility
Advising a well-known international bank in connection with payment default in connection with financing of two offshore supply vessels and on the enforcement of a personal guarantee, arresting and selling the vessels as well as resisting third-party actions against the vessels.
Three VLGC financing
Acting for a Hong Kong based affiliate of a major international bank in relation to a syndicated US$180 secured loan facility for a Korean operator for the financing of three VLGCs.
Secured financing for LNG bunkering vessel
Acting for Société Générale in connection with a US$34.09 million secured facility for Pan Ocean Co. Ltd. for the purposes of financing a 6,500 cbm LNG bunkering vessel intended for service under a charter with an affiliate of Royal Dutch Shell.
Financing of two LNG carriers
Acting for a well-known global maritime group in connection with its borrowing of a secured loan facility in excess of US$300 million in order to finance its acquisition of two LNG carriers in order to service charter obligations with a Singapore based LNG organisation.
Secured financing of five (5) VLOCs
Acting for Crédit Agricole Corporate and Investment Bank in relation to a secured syndicated loan facility to Polaris Shipping Co., Ltd. to finance the acquisition of five (5) very large ore carriers bound to serve a contract of affreightment for the Brazilian mining entity Vale.
Accommodation jack-up rig
Acting for a US based investment firm (as owner/borrower) in relation to a US$104 million secured loan facility in relation to the financing of an offshore accommodation jack¬-up rig.
