Cash-rich Mediterranean Shipping Company (MSC) has made a bid to take over London-listed Global Ports Holding, the world’s largest cruise port operator.
Global Ports, owned by Turkish businessman Mehmet Kutman, said the talks were ongoing and the deadline for MSC to make a firm offer or walk away is July 13.
As well as widespread cruise portfolio, Global Ports operates a couple of commercial ports including Montenegro’s largest port.
MSC, privately held by the Aponte family, runs the world’s largest containerline as well as the third largest cruise line in the world.
During container shipping’s record earnings period through the pandemic, MSC has been hunting acquisition targets, agreeing recently to buy Bollore’s African transport and logistics business for $6bn, taking a stake in Italian ferry operator Moby in March while earlier in the year it lodged a joint bid with Lufthansa to take over ITA, the successor to Alitalia. It has also moved to take a majority stake in Brazilian regional container shipping operator Log-In Logistica.
