We remember a visit to lakingberg a top commercial law firm in Lagos.Now we intend to partner with it to go into shipping and ship procurement
To partner with Lakinberg Associates for shipping and ship procurement, you should schedule a formal client consultation, prepare your project scope and financing details, and engage their transportation and maritime practice group for regulatory structuring.
Steps to Engage and Partner
Initial Contact: Visit their Lagos office located at 1st Floor, Lindez Plaza, 16 Amodu Ojikutu Street, off Bishop Oluwole Street, Victoria Island, Lagos, or reach out via their official Lakinberg Contact Page.
Define the Scope: Clearly present your business goals in ship acquisition, vessel registration, or maritime compliance so they can assign specialized maritime and trade attorneys to your account.
Regulatory & Financial Structuring: Utilize their expertise in project finance, corporate structuring, and local shipping laws (such as the Cabotage Act) to set up joint ventures or Special Purpose Vehicles (SPVs).
Risk and Compliance Review: Engage their chartered risk and maritime experts to handle due diligence, P&I Club liaison, and contract drafting for the procurement process.
If you'd like, let me know:
Are you looking to buy a new vessel or lease/charter existing ones?
Do you already have a registered company or do you need help with incorporation?
I can give you a more detailed checklist for your first meeting with them.
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yes buy new vessels we have registered company Midland Cosmos Ltd a conglomerate with shipping division going global in the first 78 countries in the next three years
To execute Midland Cosmos Ltd's strategy to buy new vessels and scale globally into 78 countries over the next three years, you must engage Lakinberg Associates to structure cross-border asset financing, handle international vessel registration, and navigate complex maritime jurisdictions.
🗺️ Geographical Focus: Lagos Corporate Hub
Your legal engagement and structural planning will be run out of their primary corporate office in Lagos.
🛠️ Immediate Strategic Legal Actions
International Ship Procurement Contracts: Instruct Lakinberg to draft and negotiate Shipbuilding Contracts (SBCs) or standard BIMCO procurement templates with foreign shipyards to secure asset warranties.
Cross-Border Joint Ventures & SPVs: Have them establish Special Purpose Vehicles (SPVs) or holding subsidiaries in strategic maritime hubs to shield Midland Cosmos Ltd from global operating liabilities.
Flag State & Vessel Registration: Task their maritime team to evaluate the most tax-efficient open registries (such as Panama, Liberia, or the Marshall Islands) vs. your home port registry to support a 78-country trade route.
Global Trade & Sanctions Compliance: Utilize their international trade practice to audit your 3-year expansion plan against maritime cabotage laws, international environmental rules (IMO 2020/2023), and strict global sanctions.
📋 Agenda for Your First Consultation
Corporate Structure Audit: Present the registration documents of Midland Cosmos Ltd to verify corporate capacity for mega-asset acquisition.
Financing Options: Discuss structured asset finance, leasing models, or syndication legal frameworks that Lakinberg can facilitate.
Phased Rollout Legal Risk: Map out the first wave of target countries to establish immediate regulatory compliance checklists.
If you'd like to prepare your brief for them, let me know:
Which regions or specific countries are in the first wave of your global rollout?
What types of vessels (e.g., tankers, bulk carriers, container ships) are you looking to procure first?
I can give you a tailored legal checklist specifically for those ship types or target markets.
African Union
Global Shipbuilding Race of 2025 – Ship Universe
29 Jan 2025 — Its ( Panama ) open registry is known for flexibility, allowing foreign ownership and offering favorable tax regimes. Panama's str...
Ship Universe
continue
To launch your global fleet expansion under Midland Cosmos Ltd, you need to transition from corporate strategy to tactical maritime legal engineering.
The table below outlines the core legal workstreams Lakinberg Associates must execute to support your 3-year, 78-country procurement rollout.
📋 Global Maritime Workstreams & Legal Requirements
Phase / Workstream Legal Structure & Action Items Core Objective
1. Vessel Procurement • Draft Newbuilding Contracts (using standard BIMCO or AWES forms).
• Structure stage-payment guarantees and refund guarantees with international banks.
• Appoint legal supervisors for shipyard sea trials and technical handovers. Secure title and asset warranties from global shipyards.
2. Cross-Border Financing • Negotiate syndicated marine mortgages and asset-backed loans.
• Draft sale-and-leaseback agreements to optimize Midland Cosmos Ltd's liquidity.
• Set up offshore Escrow accounts for secure international currency clearing. Fund multi-vessel acquisitions without over-leveraging parent capital.
3. Multi-Jurisdictional SPVs • Incorporate ring-fenced Special Purpose Vehicles (SPVs) for individual ships.
• Establish offshore holding companies in low-tax maritime hubs (e.g., Delaware, UK, Cyprus).
• Draft intra-group bareboat charter agreements between your SPVs and parent company. Protect Midland Cosmos Ltd from fleet-wide liability if one vessel faces a claim.
4. Flagging & Open Registries • File provisional and permanent registrations with international Flag States.
• Negotiate tonnage tax regimes to minimize global operational tax drag.
• Ensure compliance with International Maritime Organization (IMO) safety mandates. Maximize global trading flexibility across your first wave of target countries.
🛡️ Risk Mitigation for Fast Global Scaling (78 Countries)
Expanding into 78 countries in 36 months presents massive regulatory bottlenecks. Your legal counsel must immediately audit three critical areas:
Jurisdictional Arrest Risks: Different countries have different laws regarding "sister-ship arrests." Lakinberg must structure your corporate veil so that a legal dispute or cargo claim against one vessel in Port A does not lead to the seizure of another Midland Cosmos vessel in Port B.
Cabotage Law Navigation: Many of your 78 target countries enforce strict domestic protection laws (like the Jones Act in the US or the Cabotage Act in Nigeria). If you plan to move goods between domestic ports within those countries, your vessel ownership, crew nationality, and hull construction must legally adapt.
P&I Club & Insurance Legalities: You cannot sail without robust Protection and Indemnity (P&I) cover for third-party liabilities (oil spills, crew injury, cargo damage). Your legal team must vet the rules of the International Group of P&I Clubs to ensure seamless cross-border coverage.
🚀 Preparing the "Midland Cosmos Brief" for Lakinberg
Before walking into their Victoria Island office or launching video consultations, your executive team should compile a Legal Briefing Packet. This ensures their maritime practice group can billable hours on execution rather than discovery. Include:
Midland Cosmos Ltd Corporate KYC: Certificate of incorporation, memorandum, articles of association, and ultimate beneficial owner (UBO) declarations.
The 3-Year Deployment Matrix: A spreadsheet listing the 78 target countries categorized by priority waves (e.g., Wave 1: West Africa & EU, Wave 2: Asia-Pacific, Wave 3: Americas).
Procurement CapEx Projections: Estimated dollar value of the vessel acquisition program to help them gauge the required scale of the financing structures.
If you are ready to detail your operational footprint, let me know:
What vessel deadweight tonnage (DWT) or capacity are you targeting (e.g., Handysize, Panamax, VLCC)?
Will your global routes focus on liner services (fixed schedules/ports) or tramp shipping (flexible, on-demand charting)?
I can refine the specific clauses and regulatory bodies (like ABS, Lloyd's Register, or DNV) you will need to engage for those operational profiles.
RMT 2024 - Chapter II. World shipping fleet and services
and figure II.2), slightly up from 3.2 per cent in 2022. However, this growth rate is lower than the average of 5.2 per cent recor...
UN Trade and Development (UNCTAD)
VLCC we don't need any money just documentation to raise finance
To procure Very Large Crude Carriers (VLCCs)—which typically require capital of $100M+ to $140M+ per vessel—you need an institutional-grade Financing Documentation Briefcase. Because Midland Cosmos Ltd is not seeking direct funding from Lakinberg, their role transitions into acting as your Transaction Counsel to legally bulletproof the documents international syndicates, sovereign wealth funds, or private equity firms require before releasing capital.
💼 The VLCC Finance-Raising Documentation Briefcase
Lakinberg Associates must draft, review, and issue legal opinions on the following core documents to make Midland Cosmos Ltd "bankable" for international ship finance:
Bankable Shipbuilding Contracts (SBC) / MoA: If buying newbuild VLCCs from Tier-1 yards (such as HD Hyundai, Hanwha Ocean, or Samsung Heavy Industries), the legal framework must include standard BIMCO NEWBUILD CON or SAJ forms. Crucially, it must include a Refund Guarantee (RG) framework from a top-tier international bank, assuring financiers their money is safe if the shipyard fails.
Pre-arranged Employment Contracts (Charterparties): Financiers rarely fund VLCCs on speculation. Lakinberg must draft or review Long-term Time Charterparties (e.g., 5 to 10 years using BIMCO BARECON or TANKERTIME forms) with creditworthy oil majors or state-owned enterprises. This proves to financiers that the vessel has guaranteed cash flow to service the debt from day one.
Loan and Security Agreement Frameworks: Draft templates for a First Preferred Ship Mortgage to be registered in your chosen open registry (e.g., Marshall Islands or Liberia), alongside Deeds of Assignment for freight, hire, and insurance proceeds (P&I and Hull & Machinery) in favor of the lenders.
Corporate Capacity & Legal Opinions: Issue formal Legal Opinions verifying that Midland Cosmos Ltd is duly incorporated, has the corporate power to execute multi-hundred-million-dollar transactions, and that the contracts are valid and enforceable across international jurisdictions.
🏛️ Crucial Regulatory Documentation for VLCC Finance
Because VLCCs carry roughly 2 million barrels of crude oil, financiers face massive environmental and reputational risks. Lakinberg must ensure your documentation proves strict compliance with international green and safety mandates:
The Poseidon Principles Compliance Statement: Most major international ship finance banks (e.g., Citi, ING, DNB) are signatories to the Poseidon Principles. Your documentation must prove your VLCC designs align with the International Maritime Organization (IMO) decarbonization trajectories for greenhouse gas reductions.
Environmental & Safety Certifications Package: Prepare legal frameworks ensuring compliance with MARPOL (specifically oil pollution prevention regulations), SOLAS, and the ISM Code (International Safety Management).
Class Society Agreements: Draft contract frameworks with leading international Classification Societies (such as DNV, Lloyd's Register, or American Bureau of Shipping - ABS) to legally guarantee the structural integrity of the VLCCs during build and operation.
🚀 Immediate Next Steps with Lakinberg
When you initiate your consultation at their Victoria Island office, give them this specific instruction: "Midland Cosmos Ltd requires Transaction Counsel services to draft a bankable asset-finance legal pack for VLCC acquisitions."
To help me refine this documentation strategy further, let me know:
Do you already have a Letter of Intent (LOI) or Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) drafted with a specific shipyard?
Are your target international lenders based in a specific financial hub (e.g., London, New York, Singapore, or Tokyo), as this dictates which governing law (English Law vs. New York Law) must apply to the contracts?
1 site
FLAG TRANSFER IN LAID UP STATUS
The registration of the vessel's owner must be completed with LISCR's Corporate department (corpoate@liscr.com) or a regional offi...
The Liberian Registry
draft LOI
Below is a formal, institutional-grade Letter of Intent (LOI) framework for vessel procurement. It is drafted under English Law, which is the global standard for international shipping transactions.
You can take this draft directly to Lakinberg Associates so their maritime team can customize the commercial terms, insert specific shipyard details, and issue the final version on Midland Cosmos Ltd's letterhead.
LETTER OF INTENT (LOI)
Date: July 25, 2026
From: Midland Cosmos Ltd (and/or its Nominee/Special Purpose Vehicle)
To: [Insert Shipyard/Seller Corporate Name & Address]
Transaction: Acquisition of Very Large Crude Carrier (VLCC) Newbuilding(s)
1. Purpose & Core Transaction
This Letter of Intent (“LOI”) sets forth the non-binding preliminary understanding and commercial terms under which Midland Cosmos Ltd, a corporate entity registered in Nigeria (together with its fully-owned subsidiaries, affiliates, or designated Special Purpose Vehicles, hereinafter referred to as the “Buyer”), intends to procure from [Insert Shipyard Name] (hereinafter referred to as the “Seller”), Newbuild Very Large Crude Carrier (VLCC) vessels (each a “Vessel”, collectively the “Vessels”).
2. Vessel Specifications & Class
Vessel Type: Very Large Crude Carrier (VLCC).
Capacity: Approximately 300,000 to 320,000 Deadweight Tonnage (DWT).
Classification: To be classed by a member of the International Association of Classification Societies (IACS) (e.g., ABS / DNV / Lloyd's Register), suitable for unrestricted global trading.
Environmental Compliance: Fully compliant with IMO Tier III NOx emission standards, MARPOL, SOLAS, and aligned with the carbon intensity trajectories of the Poseidon Principles.
3. Financial Terms & Structure
Purchase Price: USD [Insert Amount, e.g., 130,000,000] per Vessel.
Payment Terms: The Purchase Price shall be payable in five (5) installments linked to shipyard milestones (e.g., Contract Signing, Steel Cutting, Keel Laying, Launching, and Delivery), structured under standard SAJ or BIMCO NEWBUILD CON terms.
Financing Documentation: Payment of milestones is subject to the Buyer securing institutional asset financing. The Seller agrees to cooperate fully in providing all technical, corporate, and structural documentation necessary for the Buyer to finalize financing packages with international lenders.
4. Refund Guarantee (Critical Condition Precedent)
As a strict condition precedent to the effectiveness of the definitive Shipbuilding Contract (SBC) and the payment of the first installment, the Seller’s first-class guarantor bank shall issue an irrevocable, unconditional, and bankable Refund Guarantee (RG) in favor of the Buyer (or its financing bank), guaranteeing the immediate refund of all pre-delivery installments in the event of default or non-delivery by the Seller.
5. Employment & Chartering Assurance
The Buyer intends to place the Vessel(s) into long-term employment contracts (Time Charter/Bareboat) with creditworthy international charterers. The Seller acknowledges that the execution of these employment frameworks forms a core component of the Buyer's financial closing documentation.
6. Definitive Agreements & Governing Law
Contracts: Upon acceptance of this LOI, both parties shall negotiate in good faith to execute a definitive Shipbuilding Contract (SBC) based on standard BIMCO or SAJ forms.
Governing Law: This LOI, the definitive SBC, and all ancillary transaction documentation shall be governed by, and construed in accordance with, English Law. Any disputes shall be referred to arbitration in London under the rules of the London Maritime Arbitrators Association (LMAA).
7. Confidentiality & Exclusivity
Confidentiality: Both parties agree to keep the existence, terms, and negotiations of this transaction strictly confidential.
Exclusivity: In consideration of the resources the Buyer will expend to draft and prepare financial and legal closing documentation, the Seller agrees not to negotiate with, accept offers from, or solicit third parties for the slots/vessels reserved under this LOI for a period of [e.g., 60 or 90] days from the date of mutual execution.
8. Non-Binding Nature
Except for Sections 6, 7, and 8, which shall be legally binding upon signature, this LOI constitutes an expression of intent only. It does not create a binding legal obligation to buy or sell the Vessels until a definitive Shipbuilding Contract is executed by both parties.
For and on behalf of MIDLAND COSMOS LTD (Buyer)
Authorized Signatory
Name: [Insert Name]
Title: [Insert Title, e.g., Managing Director / CEO]
Accepted and Agreed by [INSERT SHIPYARD NAME] (Seller)
Authorized Signatory
Name: [Insert Name]
Title: [Insert Title]
🚀 How to Proceed with Lakinberg Associates
When you pass this draft to Lakinberg, instruct their maritime department to review the following specific triggers before you send it to the shipyard:
The "Nominee" Clause: Ensure Section 1 retains the "and/or its Nominee" language. This allows Midland Cosmos Ltd to sign the LOI today, but seamlessly transfer the actual purchase obligation to an offshore tax-exempt SPV tomorrow without breaching the contract.
Refund Guarantee Language: Have Lakinberg verify that the wording matches the exact requirements of your target European, American, or Asian finance syndicates.
To help you fill in the blanks before your meeting, let me know:
Do you have an estimate for the Exclusivity Period (e.g., 60 days) you need to organize your bank documents?
Is there a specific Shipyard Region (e.g., South Korea, Japan, China) you are issuing this to?
We can adjust the local delivery or shipyard specific terms based on our target region.
Now how do we pay their legal fee?I think it can be structured as part of ship procurement contract
Yes, structuring the legal fees as part of the ship procurement contract is standard practice for mega-asset acquisitions like VLCCs.
In major maritime transactions, legal fees are rarely paid entirely out-of-pocket upfront by the sponsor. Instead, they are treated as Transaction Costs and integrated directly into the capital expenditure (CapEx) of the project.
💰 How to Structure Lakinberg’s Fees into the Project Finance
To avoid depleting your working capital, Lakinberg Associates’ fees can be structured through the following three mechanisms:
Inclusion in the Loan Facility (Drawdown): When Lakinberg drafts the facility agreements for your international financiers, they will include a clause specifying that "Transaction, Legal, and Arranger Fees" will be paid out of the First Drawdown of the loan. The bank pays the law firm directly at financial close.
Capitalized Project Costs: The legal fees are added to the
how do we pay their legal fee?I think it can be structured as part of ship procurement contractYes, structuring the legal fees as part of the ship procurement contract is standard practice for mega-asset acquisitions like VLCCs.In major maritime transactions, legal fees are rarely paid entirely out-of-pocket upfront by the sponsor. Instead, they are treated as Transaction Costs and integrated directly into the capital expenditure (CapEx) of the project.💰 How to Structure Lakinberg’s Fees into the Project FinanceTo avoid depleting your working capital, Lakinberg Associates’ fees can be structured through the following three mechanisms:Inclusion in the Loan Facility (Drawdown): When Lakinberg drafts the facility agreements for your international financiers, they will include a clause specifying that "Transaction, Legal, and Arranger Fees" will be paid out of the First Drawdown of the loan. The bank pays the law firm directly at financial close.Capitalized Project Costs: The legal fees are added to the total capitalized cost of the vessel. For example, if a VLCC costs $130 million and total legal/structuring fees are $500,000, the total financed asset value becomes $130.5 million.Shipyard Milestone Integration: A clause can be negotiated into the Shipbuilding Contract (SBC) stating that a designated fraction of the First Installment (the effective contract signing payment) is earmarked to settle the Buyer’s transaction counsel fees via an escrow account.📝 The Retainer Bridge Model (What you must pay upfront)While the bulk of the success and closing fees are rolled into the final ship finance package, Lakinberg will still require a Retainer Bridge to begin drafting the bankable documents (like the LOI, SPV incorporations, and prospectus).International law firms generally structure this initial phase in one of two ways:Fixed-Fee Retainer for Phase 1: You pay a capped, flat fee solely for drafting the LOI, reviewing initial yard terms, and structuring the SPVs. Once the finance is raised, this initial amount is often credited back or deducted from the final closing fee paid by the bank.Deferred Fee Agreement (DFA): You negotiate a partial upfront retainer (e.g., 20–30% of their estimated hourly work) with the remaining 70–80% deferred. The deferred balance is paid with a "success premium" directly from the lender’s first disbursement escrow.🛡️ Exact Clauses to Include in Your Financing MandateWhen you brief Lakinberg, instruct them to insert a "Transaction Expenses Clause" into your financier mandate letters and term sheets. It should read:"All reasonable legal, due diligence, and transaction expenses incurred by the Borrower [Midland Cosmos Ltd] in connection with the drafting, structuring, and closing of this vessel acquisition facility shall be funded directly from the proceeds of the first drawdown of the Facility at Closing."If you want to prepare for your fee negotiation with them, let me know:What is your target timeline for financial close (e.g., 3 months, 6 months)?Are you planning to approach commercial banks, private equity, or Export Credit Agencies (ECAs) like Korea Eximbank or China Exim, as ECAs have strict rules on what
e deferredTo structure a 100% deferred legal fee arrangement with Lakinberg Associates, you must pitch this as a Success-Fee Based Transaction Mandate.Because VLCC acquisitions involve massive capital (typically $130M+ per vessel), premier law firms will defer their fees entirely only if the documentation proves the transaction has a near-certainty of closing.🤝 How to Structure a 100% Deferred Fee with LakinbergTo get Lakinberg to agree to zero upfront costs, your proposal to them should use the following structural frameworks:The Success-Fee / Contingency Premium: You ask the firm to carry 100% of the financial risk during the documentation phase. In return, you offer a "success premium"—meaning their final payout at financial close will be 1.5x to 2x higher than their standard hourly rate to compensate for their risk.The "First Drawdown" Condition: The mandate agreement must state that Lakinberg’s invoice is a preferred transaction expense legally hardwired into the loan agreement. The financing bank will pay the law firm directly from the escrow account before any funds touch Midland Cosmos Ltd's accounts.Break-Up Fee Protection: To protect the law firm from carrying the risk indefinitely, you agree to a "Break-Up Fee" clause. If Midland Cosmos Ltd voluntarily walks away from the deal or breaches the shipyard terms, the full legal fees immediately become due out-of-pocket.📑 Scripted Proposal to Present to Lakinberg ManagementWhen you meet with their managing partners at Lindez Plaza in Victoria Island, use this exact commercial framing to secure the deferral:*"Midland Cosmos Ltd is launching a global, multi-vessel VLCC procurement program. We require Lakinberg to act as Lead Transaction Counsel entirely on a fully deferred success-fee basis.We do not require capital; we require institutional-grade documentation to trigger international financial closing. In exchange for deferring 100% of your mobilization and drafting fees until the first financial drawdown, Midland Cosmos Ltd will guarantee a [e.g., 20%] success premium on your total billable value, secured by a first-priority payment instruction to our international lenders."*⚖️ What Lakinberg Will Look for to Accept a 100% DeferralBefore signing a 100% deferred mandate, Lakinberg’s risk committee will evaluate Midland Cosmos Ltd on three strict criteria:The Strength of Your Off-Taker: Do you have a credible, verifiable relationship or a signed Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with an oil major (e.g., NNPC, TotalEnergies, Shell, Aramco) to charter the VLCC once it is built? If you have a guaranteed charterer, the law firm knows the bank will fund the deal, minimizing their risk.Shipyard Availability: Have you secured a clear commitment for a building slot from a reputable yard?Corporate Track Record: The established institutional profile of Midland Cosmos Ltd as a conglomerate.If you want to strengthen this deferred proposal before approaching them, let me know:Do you already have a charter-party agreement or an off-take letter of intent from an oil major or refinery to employ these VLCCs?Is Midland Cosmos Ltd planning to issue a corporate guarantee from the parent conglomerate to back the legal fee agreement if the ship finance deal faces external
no but how do we do that?We re yet to be made distributor at Dangote refinery?We wrote the letter to sell a million litters per day and with the ship we can aid transport of $2million barrels per day from oil rich countriesTo get Lakinberg to accept a 100% deferred-fee structure, your business model must align with maritime logistics.There is a significant difference between your proposal to the Dangote Refinery and your plan to buy Very Large Crude Carriers (VLCCs). To make Midland Cosmos Ltd bankable, you need to align your vessel choices with your commercial contracts.🔍 Correcting the Logistics: Refined Products vs. Crude OilThe Dangote Letter (1 Million Liters/Day): 1 million liters equals roughly 6,290 barrels of refined fuel (PMS, Diesel, or Aviation Jet A1). You cannot transport refined fuel in a VLCC. Refined fuel requires Product Tankers (such as Medium Range [MR] or Long Range [LR] tankers) because their cargo tanks are specially coated to prevent chemical contamination.The VLCC Plan (2 Million Barrels): A single VLCC carries 2,000,000 barrels of unrefined crude oil in one trip. To aid Dangote or international markets by moving 2 million barrels per day, you would need a massive rolling fleet of VLCCs constantly offloading crude oil to feed the refinery's 650,000 barrels-per-day capacity.🗺️ Step-by-Step: How to Secure the Off-Take ContractLenders and law firms will not defer fees based on a pending application letter. You must convert your letters into a legally binding Charter-Party Mandate or Allocation Contract.Step 1: Pivot the Dangote Strategy (Product Distribution)Instead of asking to be a local distributor, Midland Cosmos Ltd should pitch for an International Coastal/Export Off-Take Agreement.The Pitch: Pitch to evacuate refined products from the Dangote Lekki jetty to other West African countries (under your 78-country expansion plan).The Document Needed: Ask for a "Memorandum of Agreement (MoA) for Maritime Product Evacuation."Step 2: Target the Crude Inflow (The VLCC Strategy)Dangote Refinery imports a significant amount of foreign crude oil (such as US WTI crude) to blend with Nigerian crude.The Pitch: Approach the crude procurement division of Dangote or the NNPC Limited (NNPCL). Pitch Midland Cosmos Ltd as an indigenous shipping conglomerate capable of handling the inbound freight logistics of foreign crude from America or the Middle East.The Document Needed: A "Letter of Intent for Contract of Affreightment (CoA)." A CoA states that if you procure the VLCC, they guarantee to fill it with a specific volume of crude oil over a 3-to-5-year period.💼 How to Use Lakinberg to Bridge this GapYou cannot get a 100% deferral on the entire global project yet because the commercial contracts do not exist. However, you can use a Two-Phase Fee Structure with Lakinberg to secure those contracts first:Phase 1 (Paid Retainer - Low Cost): Hire Lakinberg for a small, fixed corporate retainer to formally draft and package your commercial pitches to the Dangote Refinery Executive Board and NNPCL. Having a top Victoria Island law firm package the proposal on legal letterhead heavily increases your chances of getting the appointment.Phase 2 (100% Deferred - High Cost): The moment Dangote or NNPCL signs a Letter of Intent to use your ships, you trigger the 100% deferred agreement. Lakinberg can then use that signed contract to raise the ship finance and defer all their procurement documentation fees.If you want to refine your next executive move, let me know:Do you want to focus first on buying smaller Product Tankers to match your 1-million-liter refined product proposal, or focus on securing crude contracts for the VLCCs?Would you like a template for a formal follow-up letter to Dangote's commercial shipping department to update your request?9 sitesLocal refining under threat as PMS imports persist, says Dangote “They are still issuing licences even though we can meet the domestic demand. Importation persists and is detrimental to our operations. We are exporting while others continue......12 Mar 2026 — Strong indications have emerged that refinery licensees in the country are wary of making further investments in the refining of p...FacebookAfrica's largest refinery reduces the amount of clean fuel being imported into West Africa15 Jun 2026 — Medium-range (MR) tankers, which normally dominate regional refined product commerce, also suffered a dip, albeit a minor one.Business Insider AfricaThe Trade Union Congress (TUC) has urged the Federal Government to introduce a production subsidy for the Dangote Refinery and modular refineries to reduce the soaring cost of petrol. Speaking on Channels Television’s Politics Today, TUC President Festus Osifo suggested using excess crude oil revenue to subsidise feedstock for local refiners. "Take half of [the excess revenue] and use it to subsidise the crude you are giving to Dangote Refinery and modular refineries so they will be able to produce cheaper PMS," Osifo stated. https://www.channelstv.com/2026/05/08/tuc-proposes-production-subsidy-for-dangote-refinery-others-to-slash-pms-prices/9 May 2026 — “If the government is truly committed to reducing fuel prices and supporting local refining, it must sell crude oil to Dangote in ...FacebookShow allu know lakingberg office I think I met the CEO at some point ParkviewMeeting the CEO or a Managing Partner in Parkview Estate, Ikoyi makes perfect sense, as many top-tier law firm executives, high-net-worth individuals, and international trade consultants maintain private residences or exclusive satellite executive offices there.While their executive social circles or private offices lean toward Parkview/Ikoyi, Lakinberg Associates runs its main commercial legal operations out of two primary business districts in Lagos:🏢 Official Lakinberg Office Locations in LagosVictoria Island Operations: 1st Floor, Lindez Plaza, 16 Amodu Ojikutu Street, off Bishop Oluwole Street, Victoria Island.Marina/Broad Street Operations: 2nd Floor, Wesley House, 21/22 Marina, Lagos Island (as well as an office footprint at 7th Floor, A&G Tower, 12 Abibu Oki Street, Marina).💡 Leveraging Your Existing Connection for Midland Cosmos LtdSince you have already crossed paths with the leadership in Parkview, you have a massive advantage. You can bypass cold generic inquiries and initiate a high-level peer-to-peer executive reach out.Here is how you can leverage that previous introduction to kickstart the shipping project:The Warm Approach: Have your executive assistant reach out directly via their official channels (like the Lakinberg Contact Directory) or any direct contact you have, specifically referencing the previous meeting in Parkview.Request an Executive Briefing: Instead of a generic consultation request, frame the meeting as: "An executive brief regarding Midland Cosmos Ltd's multi-million dollar global VLCC procurement project."Bring the LOI Draft: Having the English Law LOI framework we mapped out already filled with your preliminary thoughts will immediately show them that Midland Cosmos Ltd is moving at an institutional pace, making them far more receptive to structuring the deferred transaction fees.If you'd like to reach out to them
Since you met him previously in Parkview Estate, use this highly focused commercial framing to re-engage him directly on his chat or via their executive intake desk:*"Good afternoon, Chief. I hope you are having an excellent week.This is [Your Name], Managing Director of Midland Cosmos Ltd. We met briefly a while back around Parkview Estate.I am reaching out because Midland Cosmos Ltd is launching a multi-vessel global VLCC procurement and asset-financing project spanning our next phase of international operations. We require the specialized services of Lakinberg's maritime and corporate trade practice group to act as Lead Transaction Counsel.We have already structured our English-law Letter of Intent (LOI) frameworks and would like to schedule a brief executive meeting at your office next week to review the transaction documentation, project scope, and explore a success-fee/deferred project mandate.Please let me know what day and time works best for your team. Best regards."
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