Strength in infrastructure and commodities

We deliver
Top tier
No.1
Infrastructure and commodities track record

Commodities in a shrinking world

Our experience in the infrastructure, mining and commodities sector covers every market and every region of the world. We advise clients who are involved in every stage of the - at times volatile - commodities cycle, through financing, production/harvest, trading, shipping and distribution. We specialise in water, soft commodities, metals and oil and are known for the outstanding quality of our work in mining. Our reputation in infrastructure sees us playing a role in almost every major project around the world, including complex cross-border transactions involving large amounts of development finance.

We deliver

• commodities specialists with considerable emerging markets experience
• award-winning expertise in project finance - using conventional and Shariah-compliant structures
• a global PFI/PPP team with experience of the most complex of infrastructure projects
• world-class mining specialists and knowledge of assets (we floated the major AIM mining companies)
• expertise in the China-Africa mining and minerals axis, drawing on a 15-year track record in Africa and more than 30 years in China
• technical expertise and industry knowledge of construction and engineering
• a dedicated environmental, health & safety and planning practice
• guidance on MITs, BITs and regulatory systems and controls
• experienced adjudicators and dispute resolution lawyers who advise on highly technical claims, disputes and arbitrations.

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Top tier

Projects and energy: mining (mainly international)
Corporate finance: AIM
Chambers UK 2010

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No.1

Best trade law firm (Asia)
Trade Finance 2009

Deals of the year
German A1 toll road: tender
Kiel Particle Therapy Centre: financing
Project Finance 2008

Deal of the year (Qatar)
Islamic Finance News 2008

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Infrastructure and commodities track record

In the last 12 months we have advised

• Standard Bank on a US$50 million commodity finance and Murabaha trade facility to Ukranian grain exporter UKrFarm Funding Ltd
• Peter Hambro Mining on its merger with Russian iron ore mining company Aricom (valued at US$686 million) and the Group’s subsequent listing on the London Stock Exchange (valued at US$1.4 billion)
• China Shanshui Cement Group Limited on its award-winning US$296 million IPO on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange
• the UK water regulator, OFWAT, on Thames Water’s £2 billion Tideway Tunnel Project, involving the construction of London’s deepest ever tunnel
• Germany’s Federal Ministry of Transport on the structure of the federal PPP toll road programme
• the IFC and Government of Nigeria on the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport project
• the Soares, Dragados and Barclays consortium on the Dublin Metro project
• Katanga Mining Limited on its US$250 million rights offering and US$50 million bridge loan from Glencore Finance (Bermuda) Limited
• Al Wa’ab City WLL on an award-winning US$1.25 billion conventional senior and Islamic mezzanine financing for the construction and operation of a mixed-use development in Qatar
• the Jordanian Atomic Energy Commission on exploration and mining agreements with French nuclear power utility Areva relating to uranium reserves in Jordan
• the lenders to a consortium on the award-winning financing of Germany’s largest healthcare PPP to date, the €255 million University Hospital of the Particle Therapy Centre in Kiel
• a China Nonferrous Metal Mining (Group) Co. Ltd subsidiary on the acquisition of a stake in Chaarat Gold Holdings Ltd (an AIM-listed company with a gold mine exploration licence in Kyrgyzstan) - part of China’s “go global” strategy in natural resources
• BNP Paribas/BNL on the funding of a PPP for the construction of a pre-treatment waste facility in Italy
• Dawnay, Day Treveria plc on the reorganisation of its property and asset management functions and severing of links with the Dawnay Day Group.

“Norton Rose gains significant recognition for its dedicated structured trade and commodity finance practice. The firm has an excellent track record in advising financial institutions involved in core emerging markets…” Chambers UK 2010

“Norton Rose stands out for its balanced blend of corporate and project finance mining expertise. The firm … is a leader in emerging markets work, where the lawyers' ability to navigate challenging situations and effectively manage risk comes to the fore.” Chambers 2009

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