Tribunal conditionally approves international transaction
involving container liner shipping services

The Tribunal has conditionally approved the merger whereby Marinvest Srl will acquire Ignazio Messina & C. and RORO Italia which are wholly owned by Gruppo Messina (GM).
 
This transaction was also notified in Italy, Spain, Austria and the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA).
 
Marinvest, a holding company, operates through the MSC Group which is a global maritime transport company. Of relevance to the transaction is the cargo maritime transport (container-liner services) activities of MSC.
 
Ignazio Messina & C. provides regular line services that connect the Mediterranean to Africa, the Middle East, and the Indian subcontinent, reaching more than 50 ports and supplying over 40 different countries. In South Africa, the company’s activities are limited to container-liner services and Roll-On-Roll-Off shipping services.
 
The Commission, which investigates large mergers before referring them to the Tribunal for a final decision, recommended that the proposed transaction be approved with conditions.