The Free and Hanseatic City of Hamburg and MSC Mediterranean Shipping Company (MSC) have entered into a binding Memorandum of Understanding with respect to a strategic partnership regarding Hamburger Hafen und Logistik Aktiengesellschaft (HHLA).
MSC intends to acquire all free-floating A-Shares of HHLA and announces the intention to launch a voluntary public takeover offer at €16,75 per A-Share (57% premium to 30-day volume weighted average price). HHLA is to be operated as a strategic joint venture, with the City of Hamburg holding a stake of 50.1% and MSC ultimately holding a stake of 49.9%.
In the course of the partnership, MSC will substantially increase its container volume at HHLA terminals in Hamburg, beginning in 2025 and raising it to at least 1,000,000 TEU per year from 2031 onwards.
In addition, MSC will establish its new German headquarters with several hundred employees in Hamburg. Furthermore, MSC and the City of Hamburg also agree to commit on a long-term investment plan to be developed in alignment with HHLA.
The aim of the partnership is to establish a strong and well-funded basis for the further development of HHLA and the entire Port of Hamburg, making it a central hub for MSC’s globally connected network of container services and logistics chains. MSC thereby acquires a strategic share in a leading European logistics company, with a network of container terminals in Hamburg, Odessa, Tallinn and Trieste, excellent hinterland connections, railway-company METRANS and well-connected intermodal hubs in Central and Eastern Europe.
The agreement would also see MSC expand its terminal portfolio. To further grow its global terminal footprint, MSC has also acquired AGL (Africa Global Logistics), a logistics provider with a strong presence on the African continent with intermodal solutions and 21 port concessions. In addition to its fleet of 760 vessels, MSC is currently implementing a robust fleet modernisation plan and expects to take delivery of more than 90 newbuildings over the next three years, including the 24,000+ TEU Celestino Maresca class vessels that are the most fuel efficient by design.
Peter Tschentscher, first mayor of Hamburg, says: ‘The strategic partnership between the City of Hamburg and one of the world’s leading shipping companies, MSC, is a milestone in the further development of our port. It reflects MSC’s strong commitment to the Port of Hamburg, is in line with the Senate’s strategic port policy goals and can give our entire maritime economy the boost it needs in difficult times.’
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