Sale prohibited

Danish regulatory authorities have prohibited the sale of Maersk Container Industries (MCI) to China International Marine Containers (CIMC), probably following intervention by the US Department of Justice. Maersk Container Industries had been fully focussed on the construction of reefer containers for years. It was feared that the sale of MCI would concentrate too much market power in China, which could potentially be exploited by the Chinese leadership at some point. In any case, around 90 per cent of containers produced worldwide come from China. CIMC alone has a market share of 42 per cent. In the reefer container segment in particular, MCI's production would increase this to over 90 per cent. MCI employs 2,300 people in China with a production facility in Qingdao and in Tingleff, Denmark, where the research and development division is based. CIMC wanted to take over everything, including of course the employees in Tingleff, where the division was to be retained.

Although the sale of container production to China did not materialise, the Maersk Group was able to complete its exit from the terminal business in Russia, which it had announced after the Russian invasion of Ukraine. According to its own statements, it no longer holds any shares in companies operating in Russia and no longer owns any assets in the country.