Projects & Project Finance

Projects & Project Finance

Project financing forms the backbone of many large construction and infrastructure projects, in both the public and private sectors. These projects often require complex financing structures. Houthoff's Projects & Project Financing Team specialises in providing our clients with the advice and assistance that they need for such projects.

Our specialists have provided invaluable support to banks, financial institutions, investors, project developers, contractors and government bodies in the context of countless high-profile transactions. The Projects & Project Financing Team has helped secure a financial close for several of the largest DBFM and DBFMO projects in the Netherlands, and supported our clients throughout the execution of these projects. Thanks to the wealth of knowledge we have gained from these experiences, Houthoff enjoys an unrivalled position when it comes to projects and project financing.
  • "A client states: 'Amazing team with extremely qualified and excellent people. Always up to date and available’
    Legal 500, Project Finance & PFI (2024 edition)

Our expertise on projects & project financing

Our expertise in this area extends across a wide range of projects, including the development of motorways, wind farms, sluices, bridges and large government buildings. What these projects have in common is the necessity for an integrated legal approach. 

The Projects & Project Financing Team brings together many legal disciplines. Our specialists work closely together on areas such as financing, contract law, procurement law, environmental law, company law, competition law and energy law. They combine in-depth knowledge and experience with a pragmatic, client-centric approach that is aimed at a swift and cost-efficient project completion.

Thanks to our offices in London and New York, Houthoff also has a large international network that affords us access to superior expertise on foreign laws and regulations. All of this enables our Projects and Project Financing Team to offer bespoke services for every project. 
  • Advised VARO Energy BV on its acquisition of 80% of the shares in Bio Energy Coevorden BV, one of the largest biogas manufacturers in Europe.
  • Advised Porthos Development C.V. on the transfer by TAQA to Porthos of a mining installation and related permits for the storage of CO2 in empty gas fields in the North Sea.
  • Advised the OpenIJ consortium, consisting of BAM, Volker Wessels, DIF and PGGM, on the EUR480 million + financing of its successful bid for the new sealocks at IJmuiden. This matter is particularly significant because when completed, these will be the largest sealocks in the world. Also, the IJmond project is the first large infrastructure PPP project in the Netherlands to reach financial close.
  • Advising and representing Unibail-Rodamco regarding the development of a large shopping mall Leidsenhage (municipality of Leidschendam-Voorburg) and the redevelopment of the Zoetermeer City Centre.
  • Advising a consortium on its bid for the Beatrixkolk riverlock PPP project. Houthoff has been actively involved in the market consultation for the locks projects in the Netherlands and has been advising on bids for the three pilot lock projects, as well as for the larger Sea lock projects such as Ijmuiden sea locks (see below). These projects are unique since it is the first time that DBFM contracts are being applied on large wet infrastructure projects.
  • Currently advising one of the consortia on its bid for the IJmuiden Sea locks PPP. The IJmuiden sea locks are the biggest sea locks in the Netherlands, providing access to the Amsterdam harbour. This project will be the first large scale wet infrastructure PPP in the Netherlands (and the world), with an expected value of roughly EUR 750 million.
  • Advised 15 banks, including BNP Paribas, Crédit Agricole and HSBC on the USD4.4 billion project financing to Oyu Tolgoi LLC. The Oyu Tolgoi mine is one of the largest copper and gold mines in the world and is located in Mongolia.
Jessica Terpstra

Key Contact

London
Advocaat | Partner

Key Contact

Amsterdam
Advocaat | Partner

Key Contact

Rotterdam
Advocaat | Partner