The deal, its first instruction from the marine company, saw the firm advise on the shipbuilding contracts for a crane vessel through to the funding of the acquisition.
Ince shipping partner Chris Kidd led the team on the tendering for the build and ship finance partner David Baker led on the financing documentation.
Seaway, which already owns a smaller heavy-lift vessel, entered into a joint venture with European contractor Acergy and Russian energy group Lukoil on the deal. Acergy and Lukoil provided $110m (£55m) each, while a syndicate of banks, led by ING Bank, put forward the remaining $213m (£107m).
Lukoil and Acergy were both advised in-house. ING was advised by Norton Rose, led by asset finance partners Philip Vallance and Jeremy Gibb and of counsel Alison Baxter.
Ince’s Baker said: “We were instructed from tendering at the yards to the final contract, financing and construction — this shows we can offer a seamless service from start to finish.”
Baker joined Ince in 2004 from Norton Rose’s
