Shipping Offshore

Our clients are well known industry players who consult Wikborg Rein as part of their business development worldwide. We are regularly instructed to handle large casualties and marine and energy insurance matters. Our unique blend of industry knowledge and experience enables us to deliver creative and commercial advice that meets and understands the challenges faced the shipping and offshore community in today's market.

We pride ourselves in adding value to our clients' commercial activities and providing up to date solutions that are adaptable to the quickly changing market conditions. Many of our partners are leaders in their fields who are treated as trusted partners by our clients. This is reflected in the number of directorships and senior board positions held by our partners in major industry players.

One of our core strengths comes from the substantial development of our English law practice. This enables us to match industry expertise with both Norwegian and English law capability. We are able to present the right team with unparallel industry and legal knowledge that is tailored to meet the specific needs of our clients. This capability has resulted in a significant increase in the amount of complex international work undertaken by the firm, as evidenced by the high value instructions in cross-border transactions, finance, disputes, and casualty mandates over the last few years.

Our shipping and offshore practice is led by Gaute Gjelsten and Øyvind Axe, two of our many committed and highly qualified partners leading teams such as Global Offshore Projects, Commercial Shipping, Maritime and Offshore Emergency Response and Dispute Resolution.

Range of practice: We offer a full range service within the shipping and offshore sectors. We are uniquely positioned to provide full service support in large cross border shipping and offshore projects and dispute resolution. We are leaders in handling maritime and offshore taxation (and tax incentives), as well as possessing expertise in the specialist capital markets and corporate finance competence for shipping/offshore. We can provide partner-level advice in relation to company relocation and set-up, international taxation, capital raising and IPOs, debt and equity finance, construction, operation and management of vessels and offshore units, casualty response, and extensive dispute resolution services in both Norway and in England.

Legal expertise: Wikborg Rein has an established global presence with offices in Oslo, Bergen, London, Shanghai, Singapore and Kobe. We have been in Asia since 1965 and were the first international shipping firm to establish an office in Japan and practice local law in Singapore through our formal law alliance. Through our alliance with one of Brazil’s leading law firms, Vieira Rezende we are well established in Brazil.

Recent international accolades: We are top tier rated with Chambers, Legal 500 and other legal directories. In 2011, we were Lloyd’s List Asia Maritime law firm of the Year. We were also finalists in 2012 and 2013. In 2013, we are also finalist as Maritime law firm of the Year with Lloyd’s List Global Awards. Previously, we have also been finalist as Seatrade Asia Maritime Law firm of the year in 2011, 2012, and 2013, by Asian Legal Business as SEA Shipping Law Firm of the Year in 2011, 2012 and 2013, and also by China Legal Business as Shipping Law Firm of the Year, 2013.