John J. Michael

An oil major in the $600 million financing, construction, and long-term time charter of a series of double-hulled “Jones Act” products tankers; representation includes the reorganization and restructuring of this significant marine finance and construction project, involving four lending banks and 11 different shipyards and vendors

A U.S. conglomerate in the sale of a fleet of 65 vessels, and the transfer of an additional 151 bareboat chartered vessels, to a “Bowaters” corporation

An oil major in the fleet renewal and acquisition of seven “Jones Act” tankers on long-term time charters, including newbuilds with dual LNG fuel capability, a converted shuttle tanker for deployment in the U.S. Gulf, and two tankers to support the client’s production offtake of Eagle Ford shale crude oil

A fortune 500 midstream energy company in its crude oil supply and chartering program, including negotiating voyage and time charters, contracts of affreightment, sub-freight agreements, and the shipping terms of its crude oil sales agreements, as well as the development of the company’s general terms and conditions for its marine terminals

Crowley Maritime Corporation in the formation of Crowley Wind Services, a joint venture with Morgan Stanley Infrastructure Partners to develop terminals and provide maritime services in support of offshore wind energy development in the United States (Marine Money’s 2023 M&A Deal of the Year)

Stonepeak in the acquisition of a 50% interest in the approximately $11.0 billion Coastal Virginia Offshore Wind project, which at 2.6 GW is expected to be the largest offshore wind project in the U.S. and one of the largest offshore wind projects globally upon completion (Proximo North America Offshore Wind Deal of the Year, 2024) (Project Finance International Americas Deal of the Year, 2024)

Global Infrastructure Partners in the acquisition of a 50% interest in the multi-billion dollar South Fork and Revolution Offshore Wind Projects from Eversource Energy, including the negotiation of the joint venture arrangements with Orsted for the construction and operation of the projects and all financing arrangements (IJInvestor Joint Venture of the Year, 2024)

Represent a leading U.S. shipowner in the outchartering of its fleet of offshore wind services vessels and other Jones Act-qualified tugs and barges to contractors and developers on the U.S. East Coast

Advise a Japanese conglomerate in the investment structure for funding Jones Act-qualified, newbuild offshore wind service vessels

Advise a project developer on the application of U.S. coastwise laws to proposed construction and installation activities for a U.S. offshore wind project

Represent a private equity investor in the creation of a Jones Act compliant ownership and investment structure for funding the acquisition of a U.S.-flagged Wind Turbine Installation Vessel

Diamond Offshore Drilling, Inc. in its $550 million offering of senior notes

Funds managed by Ridgewood Energy Corporation in a joint-venture with ArcLight Capital Partners to own the King’s Quay floating production system in the Gulf of Mexico

GE Energy Financial Services in the $150 million purchase of a 50% interest in an offshore oil and gas processing platform in the Gulf of Mexico, from ATP Oil & Gas Corporation

Major international E&P company in the contracting arrangements for a newbuild FPSO to serve a deepwater development project offshore Angola, including drafting and negotiating relevant FEED, subsea infrastructure (SURF), O&M agreements, and bareboat charter

An international energy company in the negotiation of a long-term $650 million offshore drilling contract for a purpose-built, ultra-deepwater semi-submersible rig

An international E&P company in a transaction involving a four-party sub-assignment of a deepwater mobile offshore drilling unit

A multinational lender in the $500 million financing, construction, and charter of a semi-submersible drilling platform to be built in Abu Dhabi and operated offshore Brazil; included review of all related engineering, design, and construction contracts that were subject to lender approval

A rig owner in the refinancing of a fleet of Gulf of Mexico drilling assets, including the re-flagging and foreign registration of two rigs

A lender group in connection with the $100 million financing of a newbuild Baker Marine Pacific Class jack-up drilling rig

GasAtacama in the Mejillones Seaport’s FSRU Project in Chile, which is the first LNG Floating, Storage, and Regasification Unit (FSRU) to be deployed offshore Chile

An international shipowner in the acquisition of two LNG tankers and the charter-back of those vessels to their previous owners; this transaction also included negotiating the terms and conditions of a purchase option agreement, ship sale and purchase agreements, manuscript time charters, vessel management agreements, and product supply agreements; and it was valued in excess of $420 million

An international LNG project developer in the acquisition and conversion of a 72,000-ton LNG tanker to a floating storage and regasification unit

A leading Japanese gas utility in the development and negotiation of its master LNG sales agreements for LNG cargo sales into the United States

A multibillion dollar Australian LNG project in the drafting and negotiating of long-term time charters for existing and newbuild LNG carriers

An oil major in its marine activities at a newly commissioned LNG terminal, including the development and negotiation of port liability agreements, terminal use agreements, and the terminal and marine operations manuals, as well as the acquisition of four purpose-built tractor-tugs and the negotiation of related agreements for third-party towage and emergency marine services

(U.S.); (5th Cir.) – Obtained affirmance of motion to dismiss in lawsuit challenging imposition of harbor dues to finance the costs of a billion-dollar project designed to deepen the nation’s leading hydrocarbon shipping channel; the U.S. Supreme Court denied our opponents’ petition for a writ of certiorari filed by former Acting U.S. Solicitor General

Texas port authority at trial in state court and through prevailing appeals in the Texas Supreme Court and the United States Supreme Court in a dispute involving ownership of lands submerged beneath navigable waters

Obtained full recovery for a consortium of 23 pipeline owners on their claims for costs and expenses of oil spill response and cleanup, and associated property damages and operating losses, arising from a marine casualty offshore Galveston, Texas, when a tanker dragged its anchor across and ruptured a submerged pipeline; this case involved vessel arrest/seizure and limitation of liability proceedings

Obtained defense judgment on partial findings at trial in favor of an international steel conglomerate in a multimillion dollar cargo dispute involving competing interpretations of INCO terms and CISG obligations, and factual disputes related to the nature of the cargo loss

A major chemical company in a court-ordered mediation on its claims for substantial losses arising from the cross-contamination of high-grade petrochemical cargoes and shoretank inventories; obtained recovery for the client against the transporting vessel, receiving terminal, and cargo inspection service