New York Court News

A U.S. court has rejected a last-minute effort by billionaire investor John Fredriksen's Frontline to prevent BW Group from acquiring a major stake in rival oil tanker firm DHT Holdings, DHT said on Thursday. The New York County Supreme Court's decision means that privately-owned BW Group, led by shipping tycoon Andreas Sohmen Pao, can proceed with the sale of 11 very large crude carriers (VLCCs) to DHT in exchange for DHT's shares. "The transaction will proceed as planned, and in fact the first ship is being transferred to DHT today…

Holders of Argentina's  defaulted debt and their supporters have warned the country risks being frozen out from international capital markets unless it finds a way to solve its legal problems by the July 30 deadline. But away from the bad-tempered litigation in U.S. courts, which has dominated the news about Argentina for months, the country is experiencing an oil drilling boom as international companies seek to cash on its huge shale resources. In June, there was an average of 107 rigs drilling for oil or gas in the country, the highest number operating since records began in 1982, and more than double the number at the start of 2012, according to oil field services company Baker Hughes (Chart 1). Most were hunting for oil rather than gas.

U.S. Courts confirm Marco Polo Seatrade Chapter 11 protection and frees vessel. The New York Court supervising the reorganisation of Marco Polo Seatrade and its group affiliates has rejected the motions filed by the Royal Bank of Scotland and Credit Agricole seeking to dismiss the group's US Chapter 11 filings. Both lenders had asserted that Marco Polo Seatrade was not eligible for Chapter 11 protection and had indeed initiated its Chapter 11 case in bad faith. The court rejected all of the lenders' arguments. Antonio Zacchello, MD of Marco Polo Seatrade, says, "We are delighted that the court has confirmed that we acted in accordance with the law and in good faith in starting our Chapter 11 proceedings.

Marco Polo Seatrade has received court approval to obtain fresh financing from Royal Bank of Scotland, one of its senior lenders. The New York Court supervising the reorganisation of  Marco Polo approved today new financing to be provided by the Royal Bank of Scotland. This financing is being provided on a fully consensual basis and resolves the various objections that were filed to Marco Polo’s original financing motion. This Court approval and the Court’s previous approval of the use of cash collateral ensures that Marco Polo will be able to continue to fulfil all charter contracts and to pay its expenses in the ordinary course of business. It also ensures that Marco Polo will be able to take advantage of profitable new charters.

Marco Polo Seatrade receives court approval to continue to use revenues in the business. The Marco Polo Seatrade group of companies that filed for Chapter 11 on 29th July 2011 has taken a significant step forward in the US Chapter 11 restructuring process. The New York Court supervising the reorganisation of  Marco Polo approved on 31st August 2011 the continued use by the company of the cash collateral, meaning the revenues deriving from the day to day employment of its fleet, for the duration of the Chapter 11 cases. The approval was granted with the consent of Marco Polo’s primary lenders Credit Agricole and Royal Bank of Scotland.

Netherlands-based Marco Polo Seatrade BV has been granted interim relief by a New York court which will allow it to continue to operate the business in the ordinary course under Chapter 11 protection. The court granted Marco Polo, a company managed by Seaarland Shipping Management, the right to continue to operate and pay all operating expenses, the right to continue to pay employees and crew, the right to continue all cash management procedures, and the right to continue to maintain all insurance - all in the ordinary course of business. The management team continues to operate the business and the company will continue to honor all of its charter obligations during the pendency of the court protection.

Tanker operator Stelmar Shipping said it was ready to revive talks with Bermuda-based First International to buy six petroleum tankers once the latter is free of an ownership dispute. "Yes, we're there to talk again, and would be interested in talking again for sure," a top Stelmar official said. Stelmar and First International reached a $140 million deal for the ships last year but it fell through in October when First International became embroiled in a bitter legal dispute with a minor lender. The tanker fleet has since become ensnared in a fresh dispute, this time between First International and bondholders, which provided most of the $257 million to build the fleet.