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Israel Orders Review of Reported $3.5 Billion ZIM Sale to Hapag-Lloyd and FIMI

Regulators are assessing whether the state’s golden share allows a veto of the proposed takeover.

Overview

  • Transportation Minister Miri Regev ordered an immediate examination after officials were caught off guard, directing Director-General Moshe Ben-Zaken to evaluate veto options.
  • The agreement, reported to exceed $3.5 billion, would shift ownership to a Hapag-Lloyd–FIMI consortium and result in ZIM’s delisting from Wall Street.
  • Sources say the acquirer structured a split of ZIM’s operations that could make a state challenge more difficult to mount.
  • The European Commission may scrutinize the deal for antitrust issues given Hapag-Lloyd’s global scale and the planned purchase of nearly 100 ZIM shipping lines.
  • ZIM’s workers’ union announced a 48-hour warning strike in response to the emerging sale.