MSC has made a first move in what could turn out to be a full takeover of Genoa-based conro specialist Messina Group.
“MSC and Messina’s top management had a meeting with Banca Carige in order to discuss the possibility that the former will take a share of the latter taking advantage of the potential synergies in the respective core-business,” a statement read from Messina. “MSC and Messina Group, thanks also to the support of the bank, will go on working to reach a final agreement”.
Messina owes the bank more than €400m over the purchase of a series of eight 45,200 dwt conro vessels built by STX Shipbuilding in South Korea and delivered from 2001 to 2015.
All of Mesina’s fleet, which consists also of some boxships chartered-in, is deployed on the routes linking the Mediterranean basin with Africa and Middle East, an area which MSC is also strong in.
