MSC Mediterranean Shipping Company, the world's leading shipping company, has announced the signature of an agreement through its subsidiary SAS Shipping Agencies Services Sàrl, to acquire a 42.06% stake in the French freight forwarding and logistics company Clasquin, at a price of 142.03 euros per share.

The operation, estimated to cost 353 million USD, will be acquired from its Chairman Yves Revol and the private equity firm Olymp. The remaining shares will be bought back on the stock market. The transaction, which is subject to regulatory approvals, is expected to close by the end of the year.

Through this acquisition, the MSC group is seeking to materialize its African ambitions, which were set out with the takeover of Bolloré at the end of 2022, giving rise to the Africa Global Logistics entity to succeed Bolloré Africa Logistics, which managed the group's transport and logistics activities in Africa, with a presence in 42 ports, the management of 25 terminals and 3 rail concessions.

"MSC now has numerous assets in Africa, and a leading position. What it lacked was the transport organization skills that would enable it to develop its flows between Africa and the rest of the world. A skill that we possess at Clasquin, since organizing transport (sea, air, rail and road) is precisely our specialty", declared Yves Revol in December, when the talks were announced last December...

Groupe Clasquin will continue to operate with its own teams and under the Group's brands: Clasquin, Timar, LCI-Clasquin Cargolution, CVL, Exaciel, Art Shipping International and Transports Petit.

The company also took control of Moroccan international freight transport specialist Timar on March 28, 2023, with the acquisition of 63.52% of its capital from the Puech family group.

Amadjiguéne Ndoye