Shipping & Aviation

Key Contacts

Cayman Islands

Campbells is widely recognised for its market leading practice in the acquisition, registration, operation and financing of ships, super yachts and commercial vessels. We have dedicated specialists with considerable expertise in all areas of ship and aircraft finance structures involving the establishment of both on and off balance sheet special purpose vehicles.

Our lawyers are at the forefront of shipping and aviation industry developments and have assisted with revisions to the Cayman Islands Merchant Shipping Act. The advice we provide in response to the needs of our clients is clear and commercial. This is the Campbells difference.

Commercial and practical, as well as very knowledgeable about the relevant aspects of the law.
Chambers and Partners

Our legal services:

  • Vessel and aviation financing including debt capital markets, investment fund backed financing platforms and securitisation
  • Merger and acquisitions
  • Vessel and aircraft sale and purchase and leasing/chartering including registration
  • Structuring for ownership including on and off-balance sheet structures
  • Incorporation, formation and registration of special purpose vehicles
  • Advising on ship and aircraft leasing arrangements including local mortgage registration
  • Representative Person Services for vessel registration
  • Restructuring, insolvency and enforcement
  • Litigation and alternative dispute resolution

Corporate Services

With greater demands being placed on corporate governance and accountability, it is more important than ever to have an experienced and reliable corporate services provider behind you. Campbells offers a comprehensive range of corporate and fiduciary services in the Cayman Islands and the British Virgin Islands and can establish structures for owners, leasing companies and financiers in a timely and cost efficient manner.

Cayman Islands
Campbells Corporate Services Limited (CCSL) provides a full suite of company management services in the Cayman Islands and the British Virgin Islands.

Among the services provided by CCSL are:

  • independent director services
  • share trustee services
  • formation of companies and limited partnerships and provision of registered office;
  • registration and filings for FATCA and CRS requirements, along with the provision of requisite officers;
  • provision of anti-money laundering compliance officer, money laundering reporting officer and deputy money laundering reporting officers;
  • company secretarial services;
  • maintenance of statutory records;
  • filing annual returns and attending to other on-going filing requirements;
  • renewal of local registrations and licences including mutual fund, securities investment business and private trust company registrations and trade and business licences; and
  • acting as service agent.

British Virgin Islands
Our BVI affiliate, Campbells Corporate Services (BVI) Limited (CCS BVI), holds a Class III trust license issued by the British Virgin Islands Financial Services Commission and provides a full suite of company management services.

Among the services provided by CCS BVI are:

  • independent director services
  • share trustee services
  • formation of companies, limited partnerships and bankruptcy remote warehousing structures;
  • provision of registered agent and registered office services;
  • provision of individual or corporate directors;
  • company secretarial services;
  • maintenance of statutory records including registers of members, directors and officers, and mortgages and charges;
  • attending to on-going filing requirements;
  • acting as service agent; and
  • accounting services.

FATCA/CRS

In addition, CCSL can provide a full range of FATCA and CRS support services.

Work Highlights

  • Advised a South American flag carrier with the Cayman aspects of their US$1 billion US Chapter 11 restructure and work out.
  • Acted for a high net worth Individual in connection with the acquisition of a US$100 million superyacht part financed by a
    EUR35,000,000 seller’s credit facility.
  • Assisted a Chinese aviation leasing house in relation to a US$55,000,000 leasing of a Bombardier Global 6500 aircraft.
  • Advised a US Bank in relation to a US$23 million bilateral loan facility in relation to the acquisition of a 50m superyacht.
  • Acted for a syndicate of nine lenders on a transaction counsel basis in relation to a workout in relation to a US$400,000,000 loan
    facility for a regional airline.
  • Acted for noteholders in connection with the largest judicially approved restructuring in the Cayman Islands for a deep water diving
    contractor and four inter-related schemes of arrangement relating to over US$3.69 billion of New York law governed debt.

Helpful links:

Civil Aviation Authority of the Cayman Islands
The Cayman Islands Shipping Registry
International Registries, Inc. and The Marshall Islands Maritime & Corporate Administrators  
Virgin Islands Shipping Registry