The insolvency of Hanjin Shipping (Hanjin), the world's seventh largest container line, is likely to have a significant impact throughout the maritime sector. In this briefing we provide an overview of some of the potential consequences of Hanjin's insolvency and which parties will be most affected by this development.
Background
Introduction
On 1 July 1997, Hong Kong became a Special Administrative Region of the People’s Republic of China (the “PRC”), ending more than 150 years of British colonial rule. In general, the laws of Hong Kong as at 30 June 1997 were adopted as the laws of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (the “HKSAR”) with effect from 1 July 1997, except for those laws which were in contravention of the constitution of the HKSAR (the “Basic Law”).
At first glance, it seems that cross-border insolvencies between the UK and EU are likely to become more time-consuming, complex and expensive post-Brexit. However, the situation may not be as dire as it first appears due to the existence of alternative legislation and the exemptions to the EU legislation. As with other areas of law, when it comes to insolvencies much will depend on what steps are taken to maintain the current arrangements with the EU or whether they fall away altogether.
On September 1, 2016, a rehabilitation procedure was commenced in the Seoul Central District Court in respect of Hanjin Shipping Co., Ltd (Hanjin). This action followed many months of discussions between Hanjin and its creditors (both local and international) designed to reach a consensual restructuring, as a result of which various creditors had voluntarily agreed to postpone exercising claims. Such agreement was eventually suspended on August 30, 2016 following notice to Hanjin that such creditors were unable to continue their support.
Background
Earlier this year the Committee to Strengthen Singapore as an International Centre for Debt Restructuring (the "Committee") published, and the Singapore Ministry of Law accepted, recommendations aimed at enhancing Singapore's position as a `lead centre' for international debt restructuring. Is Singapore now well-positioned to become Asia Pacific's debt restructuring hub?
Background
Introduction
On 25 July 2016, the White & Case team obtained, at the Supreme Court of the Russian Federation (the "Supreme Court"), a declaration that a secured creditor has the right to reduce, at its discretion, the amount of a secured claim during receivership and, as a consequence, the right to vote at meetings of the debtor's creditors.
Le 1er septembre 2016 la compagnie Hanjin Shipping Co Ltd (“Hanjin”) première compagnie coréenne de transport maritime par conteneur a sollicité la protection de la loi coréenne sur les faillites et une procédure collective, dite de “réhabilitation”, a été ouverte par les tribunaux de Séoul.
In the recent judgment of Gorbunova v The Estate of Boris Berezovsky (deceased) and others1 the High Court has provided useful guidance as to when summary judgment is appropriate in deciding whether a trust was established.
This article was first published in Getting the Deal Through - Ship Finance: Updates and Trends and is reproduced with permission.
The terms of the UK’s withdrawal from the EU will inevitably dictate the extent to which Brexit impacts upon financial agreements. As this stage, it is important to consider the clauses which may have to be reviewed.
Most trading contracts contain specific terms setting out the consequences of a counterparty insolvency or other default. This article explores whether, and in what circumstances, it may be sensible to invoke rights under such clauses or whether it can be better to adopt a more “wait and see” attitude. We also look at drafting options prior to finalising contract terms.
When considering how to respond to a counterparty event of default (EOD), relevant considerations will include potential consequences: