John J. Michael
Texas Tower
845 Texas Avenue
Suite 4700
Houston, Texas 77002
John Michael is Head of the firm’s Maritime & Offshore practice. He represents clients in a wide variety of corporate, finance, and commercial matters relating to shipping, marine terminalling, offshore drilling and oilfield services, and offshore wind. His experience includes maritime and energy transactions across the Americas, Asia, Europe, Australia, and Africa. He also represents clients in transactions relating to the trading, intermodal transportation, terminalling, and export of crude oil, refined products, LNG, NGLs, renewable fuels and dry-bulk commodities.
John Michael’s transactional practice is complemented by his unique experience in admiralty litigation, and he has tried cases in both state and federal courts involving charter party disputes and ship collisions. He has also represented clients before the United States Coast Guard, the U.S. Maritime Administration, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, and other governmental agencies on issues related to marine pollution, maritime security, “Jones Act” compliance, port permitting and tariffs, and vessel registration and documentation.
His client work is regularly recognized by leading legal and maritime industry publications. John Michael is ranked nationally by Chambers USA as a Band 1 lawyer in Offshore Energy, and he received the 2022 Private Equity Deal of the Year Award from Marine Money.
Experience Highlights
Crowley Maritime Corporation in a joint venture with Seabulk Tankers, Inc., a subsidiary of SEACOR Holdings, to combine their respective fleets of “Jones Act” vessels engaged in liquid energy and chemical transportation and related operations and services to form Fairwater Holdings LLC , a new, independent U.S. Jones Act service provider
Stonepeak in its approximately $3 billion acquisition of a 50% interest in the Coastal Virginia Offshore Wind project, which at 2.6 GW is expected to be the largest offshore wind project in the U.S. and one of the largest offshore wind projects globally upon completion
Affiliates of Global Infrastructure Partners in the acquisition of a 50 percent interest in the multi-billion dollar South Fork and Revolution Offshore Wind Projects off the East coast of the United States from Eversource Energy, including the negotiation of the joint venture arrangements with Orsted for the construction and operation of the projects and all financing arrangements (IJInvestor Joint Venture of the Year, 2024)
Funds managed by Apollo in the $2 billion sale by New Fortress Energy Inc. of 11 LNG infrastructure vessels to a newly formed venture owned approximately 80% by Apollo funds and 20% by NFE
Initial purchasers in the $325 million offering of senior notes by Transocean Aquila Limited
Crowley Maritime Corporation in the formation of Crowley Wind Services, a joint venture with Morgan Stanley Infrastructure Partners to develop terminals and provide maritime services in support of offshore wind energy development in the United States (Marine Money’s 2023 M&A Deal of the Year)
Tidewater Inc. in the $190 million acquisition of Swire Pacific Offshore, creating the industry’s largest fleet of offshore support vessels
An international trading and terminalling company in the re-activation and expansion of a multimodal crude oil, condensate, and NGL marine terminal facility in the Port of Corpus Christi to serve Eagle Ford shale production; representation includes land acquisition for terminal expansion and pipeline system development, siting and construction of new plant and terminal facilities, environmental and regulatory permitting and compliance, drafting and negotiating interconnection agreements, terminal services agreements, and marine provisions with various terminal customers
Oaktree Capital, on behalf of its portfolio company, Seaside LNG Holdings LLC, in a $137 million project financing to finance the development, construction, ownership, operation and maintenance of an LNG liquefaction facility, a barge and a tug boat
A navigation district at trial on its claims for property damage following a series of vessel breakaways and collisions in the Houston Ship Channel; following trial, the Court entered judgment in favor of the port authority for the full amount of its claimed damages
An oil major in the $600 million financing, construction, and long-term time charter of a series of double-hulled “Jones Act” products tankers; representation includes the reorganization and restructuring of this significant marine finance and construction project, involving four lending banks and 11 different shipyards and vendors
A U.S. conglomerate in the sale of a fleet of 65 vessels, and the transfer of an additional 151 bareboat chartered vessels, to a “Bowaters” corporation
An oil major in the fleet renewal and acquisition of seven “Jones Act” tankers on long-term time charters, including newbuilds with dual LNG fuel capability, a converted shuttle tanker for deployment in the U.S. Gulf, and two tankers to support the client’s production offtake of Eagle Ford shale crude oil
A fortune 500 midstream energy company in its crude oil supply and chartering program, including negotiating voyage and time charters, contracts of affreightment, sub-freight agreements, and the shipping terms of its crude oil sales agreements, as well as the development of the company’s general terms and conditions for its marine terminals
Crowley Maritime Corporation in the formation of Crowley Wind Services, a joint venture with Morgan Stanley Infrastructure Partners to develop terminals and provide maritime services in support of offshore wind energy development in the United States (Marine Money’s 2023 M&A Deal of the Year)
Stonepeak in its approximately $3 billion acquisition of a 50% interest in the Coastal Virginia Offshore Wind project, which at 2.6 GW is expected to be the largest offshore wind project in the U.S. and one of the largest offshore wind projects globally upon completion
Affiliates of Global Infrastructure Partners in the acquisition of a 50 percent interest in the multi-billion dollar South Fork and Revolution Offshore Wind Projects off the East coast of the United States from Eversource Energy, including the negotiation of the joint venture arrangements with Orsted for the construction and operation of the projects and all financing arrangements (IJInvestor Joint Venture of the Year, 2024)
Represent a leading U.S. shipowner in the outchartering of its fleet of offshore wind services vessels and other Jones Act-qualified tugs and barges to contractors and developers on the U.S. East Coast
Advise a Japanese conglomerate in the investment structure for funding Jones Act-qualified, newbuild offshore wind service vessels
Advise a project developer on the application of U.S. coastwise laws to proposed construction and installation activities for a U.S. offshore wind project
Represent a private equity investor in the creation of a Jones Act compliant ownership and investment structure for funding the acquisition of a U.S.-flagged Wind Turbine Installation Vessel
Diamond Offshore Drilling, Inc. in its $550 million offering of senior notes
Funds managed by Ridgewood Energy Corporation in a joint-venture with ArcLight Capital Partners to own the King’s Quay floating production system in the Gulf of Mexico
GE Energy Financial Services in the $150 million purchase of a 50% interest in an offshore oil and gas processing platform in the Gulf of Mexico, from ATP Oil & Gas Corporation
Major international E&P company in the contracting arrangements for a newbuild FPSO to serve a deepwater development project offshore Angola, including drafting and negotiating relevant FEED, subsea infrastructure (SURF), O&M agreements, and bareboat charter
An international energy company in the negotiation of a long-term $650 million offshore drilling contract for a purpose-built, ultra-deepwater semi-submersible rig
An international E&P company in a transaction involving a four-party sub-assignment of a deepwater mobile offshore drilling unit
A multinational lender in the $500 million financing, construction, and charter of a semi-submersible drilling platform to be built in Abu Dhabi and operated offshore Brazil; included review of all related engineering, design, and construction contracts that were subject to lender approval
A rig owner in the refinancing of a fleet of Gulf of Mexico drilling assets, including the re-flagging and foreign registration of two rigs
A lender group in connection with the $100 million financing of a newbuild Baker Marine Pacific Class jack-up drilling rig
GasAtacama in the Mejillones Seaport’s FSRU Project in Chile, which is the first LNG Floating, Storage, and Regasification Unit (FSRU) to be deployed offshore Chile
An international shipowner in the acquisition of two LNG tankers and the charter-back of those vessels to their previous owners; this transaction also included negotiating the terms and conditions of a purchase option agreement, ship sale and purchase agreements, manuscript time charters, vessel management agreements, and product supply agreements; and it was valued in excess of $420 million
An international LNG project developer in the acquisition and conversion of a 72,000-ton LNG tanker to a floating storage and regasification unit
A leading Japanese gas utility in the development and negotiation of its master LNG sales agreements for LNG cargo sales into the United States
A multibillion dollar Australian LNG project in the drafting and negotiating of long-term time charters for existing and newbuild LNG carriers
An oil major in its marine activities at a newly commissioned LNG terminal, including the development and negotiation of port liability agreements, terminal use agreements, and the terminal and marine operations manuals, as well as the acquisition of four purpose-built tractor-tugs and the negotiation of related agreements for third-party towage and emergency marine services
Texas port authority at trial in state court and through prevailing appeals in the Texas Supreme Court and the United States Supreme Court in a dispute involving ownership of lands submerged beneath navigable waters
Obtained full recovery for a consortium of 23 pipeline owners on their claims for costs and expenses of oil spill response and cleanup, and associated property damages and operating losses, arising from a marine casualty offshore Galveston, Texas, when a tanker dragged its anchor across and ruptured a submerged pipeline; this case involved vessel arrest/seizure and limitation of liability proceedings
Obtained defense judgment on partial findings at trial in favor of an international steel conglomerate in a multimillion dollar cargo dispute involving competing interpretations of INCO terms and CISG obligations, and factual disputes related to the nature of the cargo loss
A major chemical company in a court-ordered mediation on its claims for substantial losses arising from the cross-contamination of high-grade petrochemical cargoes and shoretank inventories; obtained recovery for the client against the transporting vessel, receiving terminal, and cargo inspection service
Credentials
- Tulane University, J.D. magna cum laude and Certificate of Specialization in Maritime Law, 2003 (President, Student Bar Association; Managing Editor, Tulane Law Review; Dean Donald R. Moore Award; Mitchell Franklin Scholar in Contracts)
- Texas A&M University, B.S., Maritime Administration summa cum laude, 1998 (Phi Kappa Phi; Edwin Eikel Most Outstanding Graduate Award; Student Body President [CGMS])
- Marine Charterer, SeaRiver Maritime, Inc. (ExxonMobil Corp.), Houston, Texas, 1998–2000
- Chambers USA, Offshore Energy (Nationwide), 2023 and 2024
- Selected to the 500 Leading Energy Lawyers, Lawdragon, 2023 and 2024
- IFLR1000, Energy; Shipping, 2020–2023
- The Best Lawyers in America© (BL Rankings, LLC), Admiralty and Maritime Law (Houston), 2025
- Selected to the Texas Super Lawyers list, Super Lawyers (Thomson Reuters), 2015−2020
- Selected to the Texas Rising Stars list, Super Lawyers (Thomson Reuter), 2013–2015
- Legal 500 U.S., Project Finance, 2013
- Member: Board of Visitors, Texas A&M University at Galveston (Texas Maritime Academy)
- Member: University of Texas Admiralty and Maritime Planning Committee (Presiding Officer, January 2016)
- Member: Maritime Law Association of the United States, Lakewood Yacht Club, Galveston Bay Foundation
- Texas
- United States Supreme Court
- U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit
- U.S. District Court for the Northern, Southern, Eastern, and Western Districts of Texas
- Deals & CasesOctober 23, 2024
- Deals & CasesOctober 1, 2024
- Deals & CasesSeptember 13, 2024
- Rankings & AwardsJune 6, 2024
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- Deals & CasesFebruary 22, 2024
- Deals & CasesJanuary 10, 2024
- Deals & CasesSeptember 27, 2023
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- Deals & CasesSeptember 13, 2023
- Deals & CasesAugust 24, 2023
- Rankings & AwardsJuly 14, 2023
- Rankings & AwardsJune 1, 2023
- Rankings & AwardsMarch 17, 2023
- Deals & CasesMarch 7, 2023
- Deals & CasesFebruary 6, 2023
- Deals & CasesJanuary 19, 2023
- Deals & CasesJanuary 13, 2023
- Deals & CasesSeptember 20, 2022
- IFLR1000 2022 Recognizes Vinson & Elkins in 21 Practice Categories, Recommends 49 Individual LawyersRankings & AwardsAugust 25, 2022
- Event RecapAugust 16, 2022
- Deals & CasesJuly 5, 2022
- InsightMarch 18, 2022
Published by Renewable Energy World
- Deals & CasesMarch 9, 2022
- InsightSeptember 3, 2021
Published by Renewable Energy World, August 2021
- Deals & CasesJanuary 13, 2021
- “Keynote Discussion on how to Accelerate the Development U.S. Offshore Wind,” moderator/panelist, Reuters Offshore Wind Conference, 2022
- “U.S. Wind Industry Leadership Discussion,” moderator/participant, Offshore Wind Executive Summit, 2021
- “Offshore Wind Energy Projects and the Complexities Presented by U.S. Maritime Laws,” presentation to the University of Texas Admiralty & Maritime Law Conference, 2021
- “Keeping Up with the Jones Act, Part 2,” presentation for the Energy Industry Series, 2013
- “Greenhouse Gas Standards for Global Shipping Industry Announced,” V&E Climate Change Report, February 10, 2012, Issue 17 (co-author)
- “Keeping Up with the Jones Act,” presentation to the Energy Committee of the Association of Corporate Counsel (ACC), 2011
- “The Jones Act and its Potential Application to Offshore Wind Power Construction, Installation, and Supply Chain Activities,” presentation to the Offshore WindPower Congress, 2011
- “Contractual Risk-Shifting in Offshore Energy Operations,” 81 Tulane Law Review 1579, 2007 (co-author)