The MSC shipping group completes the acquisition of the logistics activities of Bolloré in Africa, through the subsidiary company Sas Shipping Agencies Services. The president of the group, Diego Aponte, explains that the operation “will strengthen MSC’s longstanding ties with Africa and consolidate our commitment to the economic growth of the continent, with investments in new units, shipyards, container terminals, warehousing and logistics facilities, as well as road and rail networks that will support and enhance trade between African nations and the rest of the world.Our strategy remains true to our values and our long-term vision to protect more than 150,000 employees in 155 countries around the world“.
The operation is worth 5.7 billion euros, adding 5.1 billion for the purchase of the shares and 600 million for repayments of current accounts.
The MSC group was founded in 1970 by the Neapolitan Gianluigi Aponte; the start-up and growth were financed with Swiss capital, while in fifty years tens of thousands of workers were recruited by MSC in Italy, and above all in the Sorrento area. MSC has recently become the world‘s leading container shipping operator, overtaking the Danish company Maersk.