Overview
- Hapag-Lloyd agreed to acquire ZIM for cash at $35 per share, with reporting putting the total value around $4.2 billion (about €3.5 billion).
- The buyer plans to merge an Israeli subsidiary with ZIM and finance the purchase with existing cash and loans of up to roughly €2.1 billion.
- Completion requires approval by the State of Israel under ZIM’s statutory veto rights, and the companies expect closing in 2026 if clearances are obtained.
- ZIM’s works council called a strike, saying employees were excluded from the decision and voicing national-security concerns linked to Hapag-Lloyd’s Qatari and Saudi shareholders.
- The deal would give Hapag-Lloyd a combined fleet of more than 400 ships and lift its market share to just under 9%, while Hapag-Lloyd shares fell and ZIM’s stock jumped in off-exchange trading.